Welcome to the weekly oh nènè microgreens update, where we talk about the latest information on our microgreens journey. We started experimenting with microgreens in March 2021 and found the process fascinating. As we discover the wonderful world of microgreens, we feel inclined to share with you our progress.
Follow up on mizuna
Last week, we talked about how our Mizuna microgreens were falling even though they had a good density and were healthy. They were stretching so tall and made them fall over because they have very fragile stems. We rearranged our schedule to have fewer days of blackout and allow the stems to stay a bit shorter. The plan worked, and now our Mizuna microgreens are easier to harvest.
Radish China Rose and Broccoli Calabrese problem with opening leaves
We have talked for several weeks about the small problem we have been experiencing with Radish China Rose and Broccoli Calabrese microgreens that their leaves do not open very well. One of the things we wanted to try to fix this problem was spraying water from the top, but that only added more trouble. The idea we are having now is to eliminate blackout and let the microgreens be exposed to light for more time. We think that the more time they are under the light, the better it will be for the leaves to be stimulated to open up. We will do some tests and see if it works.
Our growing room improved
We recently took the time to change our growing room a bit more. We decided to move everything related to our webshop to another room and only leave everything strictly related to producing microgreens in the growing room. We are satisfied with the results, and we wanted to share them with you!
Testing packaging for La Ruche Qui Dit Oui
Since we started distributing our microgreens in La Ruche Qui Dit Oui, we’ve been wondering how we could give them to our customers so that the microgreens would stay fresh and we wouldn’t need to buy packaging that wouldn’t match our values. What a challenging task! We only thought of using kraft paper bags that easily transport the microgreens from our farm to the distribution. However, there is one problem: the microgreens do not stay super fresh in a paper bag, and as the days get warmer, it only worsens for our microgreens.
We decided to do some tests at home by closing the paper bags in different ways so that less oxygen could go into the bag, and we did find a technique that delivered the best results. These were the tests, all using 30g of microgreens:
- Bag #1: closing it with two folds, like we were doing until then.
- Bag #2: closing it with six-folds and using staples to keep it even closer.
- Bag #3: using a bag inside another, sealing it with six-folds, and using staples.
After 24 hours, we opened our bags and found out that the best results were for Bag #2, so closing it with more folds and staples. So from now on, we will fold our bags six times and use a staple to help our microgreens even more.
We understand that it is not a solution to keep using paper bags, so we’re looking into other materials that could work for us. Unfortunately, almost all materials we find either contain some form of plastic or are not recyclable. It has been a journey to find something that matches our values and protects our microgreens, but we’re determined to keep looking. Something must exist!
Peas without mesh
We will grow our pea microgreens using only the Garland reservoir tray and then put the peas right on top of them. The peas grow perfectly well, and they do not need a growing tray to get the water they need. Using only one tray helps us because removing the peas after harvesting is a breeze, we only need to turn the tray, and they all fall into the compost. Wonderful!
Video of the Garland trays
We decided to make a video to talk about the garland trays that we adore! I took the time to make a half-scripted, half improvised video where I talk about the features of these trays and why I like using them so much. It is under 5 minutes, and I hope it can help you understand if these trays are suitable material for you. Here you can see the video:
Thank you for your time, and until next week!
