If you love the nutty taste of sunflower seeds, you'll love these sunflower microgreens. They keep all of the flavor while adding a crispy texture and ample supply of nutrients. Plus, they're super fast and easy to grow!
What is the difference between sunflower microgreens and full sunflower plants? They're still the same species that grow into huge yellow flowers, but they're harvested much earlier. When we grow microgreens, we are after the cotyledons, which are the first leaves to emerge from the seed. Sunflower seeds are excellent candidates here as they grow two round, plump cotyledons that are perfect for nibbling.
Whether you are growing sunflower microgreens in a small apartment or a large garden, you are sure to enjoy the results. After just 2 short weeks, you can add these nutritious seedlings to your salads, sandwiches, soups, and even scrambled eggs. What do you have to lose with such a short growth period and delicious rewards?
Good products for growing sunflower microgreens:
Sunflower Microgreens Short Info
| Taste: | Nutty, crispy |
| Soaking: | 24 hours in steps of 12 hours |
| Rinse / Drain: | Optional |
| Germination: | 2-4 days |
| Ideal harvest: | 8-14 days |
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Growing sunflower microgreens
Growing microgreens is very easy, and growing sunflower microgreens is no exception. Just gather the materials you need to grow, free up space, and watch your set grow!
materials
For black oil sunflower microgreens, we recommend a shallow container so that you can easily harvest the seedlings. Punch a few drainage holes if you don't already have them. For the floor, you need something with a fine grain. Otherwise, it may be difficult for baby roots to hold on and grow evenly.
You don't have to worry much about fertilizer or soil nutrients as the sunflower sprouts will get everything they need to grow from the seed. Sunflower microgreens require less light than other microgreens. An LED light with a lower watt is just as sufficient as natural daylight.
soaking
The first step in growing microgreens is to soak the seeds. This softens the hard outer shell and helps the black oil sunflower seeds to germinate quickly. Because they have such a hard hull, it is recommended that these seeds soak for a total of 24 hours. If necessary, at least 4 hours is enough, but the longer they soak, the better they sprout.
Throw your microgreen sunflower seeds into a bowl of room temperature water (too much heat will sterilize them). After 12 hours, empty the bowl, rinse the seeds, and refill them. You can take them out and continue planting after another 12 hours. Or you can wait for the seeds to pop.
plants
Before planting, pour some water into the bottom of the growing tray and place the soil on top. The soil absorbs the water instead of letting it soak onto the soil where mushrooms can grow. Fill in the bottom line just below the top of the tray, squeeze it lightly, and smooth it out.
Now the growing of microgreens throws out the rules of planting. We're going to be pushing the seeds to the ground so that every space is covered. However, avoid overlapping seeds as this can affect their growth. They don't need to be covered with soil – the plants are harvested before they become too top heavy.
Give the sunflower seeds a mist to help germinate and keep them in place. Then put a second tray on top of the seeds to keep things dark. The seeds are used to germinating underground so they will love the cover. Don't work on making the tray too heavy for them – they have been known to lift 5 pounds together!
Growing
Maintaining the microgreens has to be the most fun part. You won't believe how fast they grow! While the microgreen sunflower seeds sprout, keep the lid open and keep spraying twice a day. In a matter of days, the seeds will sprout into baby sunflower microgreens! They are most likely discolored from lack of light. This is your tip to remove the cover.
Mimic the sun with your grow light by turning it on for 12 to 18 hours each day. The closer the light is to the tablet, the better. We want to grow sunflower microgreens that are short and compact, not lanky and etiolated.
When the soil starts to dry out, pour it from below by placing the bowl in a larger bowl of water. This method ensures that the sunflower microgreens stay dry and that fungus growth is prevented.
Sunflower seeds are particularly susceptible to fungal diseases like weakening. So take care. If you notice white growth on the seedlings, treat them with grapefruit seed extract. Check out some other potential growing problems here.
Finally, notice that sunflower seed leaves emerge with the seed coats on the leaves. You can remove them all at once by sliding your hand over the bundle.
harvest
Before you know it, the 2 weeks (or less) will be up and you can harvest! The sunflower microgreens should be 3 to 4 inches long and contain two cotyledons each. You want to harvest the seedlings before their real leaves grow. Otherwise the taste can become bitter.
Use sharp, clean scissors and a bowl to harvest. Hold part of the rung tops in one hand and use the others to secure them just above the floor. Move the microgreens into the bowl and move on to the rest of the tray.
Sunflower green will not grow back after pruning, but you can always plant more. First, remove the decapitated roots from the soil. If the soil has been used a few times, throw it in the compost bin.
storage
We recommend washing them only when you are ready to use them. However, it is up to you whether or not to wash your crops at all. If you know what you put on it and didn't pull up any dirt when it was harvested, you can skip the sink. Otherwise, a salad spinner will do the job well.
Store the microgreens in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They should take about a week, but are best used as soon as possible. You can toss them in pretty much any dish for a nourishing and nutty flavor.
frequently asked Questions
Q: Are sunflower microgreens healthy?
A: Yes! Sunflower sprouts are high in vitamins and minerals, including calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.
Q: how much protein is there in sunflower microgreen?
A: 45 grams of these microgreens make about 1 gram of protein.
Q: Do sunflower microgreens grow back?
A: No, but they are easy to replant! Just clear out the old roots and sprinkle fresh seeds over them.
Q: Can you grow microgreens without soil?
A: It is possible, but we do not recommend it (see our case study here).
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