RHS Journals
The Garden
January 2007
Packing a punch
While small in stature, ‘micro greens’, the latest development in salads, are big on flavour, as Alexandra Baulkwill found out.
Images: Tim Sandall
It seems that just as salad leaves are getting smaller, more of us are buying them by the bagful. Supermarket cabinets almost everywhere appear to overflow with baby-leaf salads. Many of us now grow them at home.
So watch out this year for the launch of ‘micro greens’ or ‘micro leaves’. Harvested when seeds have sprouted and formed their first leaves, these tender seedlings bring variety to the salad bowl, have intense flavours and can also be grown indoors year round.
Top chefs, such as Raymond Blanc, use micro greens to dress plates, garnish soups and bring interest to salads; at home small quantities can pep up lettuce and add flavour to sandwiches.
Getting started
The method of growing micro leaves is similar to childhood projects of germinating mustard and cress seed. Recycle a food tub or use a seed tray as a container and lay a medium for the seeds to grow on. I experimented with blotting paper, felt and vermiculite. Blotting paper fared poorly, drying out quickly and checking growth. Felt, cut to the tray’s dimensions, held water well. Vermiculite was the easiest option: pour to a depth of 2cm (0.75in), add water and sow.
High sowing rates are the norm as cropping is done at such an early stage. After sowing, place on a warm windowsill or in a glasshouse to germinate. Covering seed is unnecessary but germination seems to be quicker when light is excluded for two or three days.
Ideal temperatures for germination and rapid growth are 18-22°C (65-72°F). In summer this is easy, and crops can be ready in seven to 10 days, but as days shorten and temperatures drop, germination slows; extra light is needed to prevent etiolated or ‘drawn’ seedlings.
I tried the following on a warm windowsill in November with success:
Fenugreek had a pleasant crunchy texture. It produced little initial flavour, but had a distinct curry-like, peppery aftertaste. Leaves were light green in colour; took 10 days to crop.
Coriander, with its thin stems, had a soft texture and a more subtle, yet distinct flavour compared with mature leaves. Stems and leaves were light green; took 10 days to crop.
Red-stemmed radish had a mild initial taste but with an extremely pungent and peppery aftertaste. Purple leaves had highly attractive, bright red stems; seven days to crop.
Greek cress was immediately pungent and mustardy, so use sparingly. Deep green feathery leaves; cropped in seven days.
There are many others to try, including: amaranth, Thai basil, beetroot ‘Bull’s Blood’, green broccoli, salad rocket ‘Dentellata’ and kale. Mix fiery subjects with milder ones or simply sow one at a time. Using micro greens proves a simple yet effective way of spicing up a salad. No wonder this simple technique has started to find favour in the best kitchens.
How to grow a tasty mini greens salad crop in seven days
1 Choose a shallow container and line with a suitable growing mat or medium. Materials such as felt and hessian will need to be pre-soaked thoroughly prior to sowing. Some companies on the internet sell kits to get you started.
There is a wide choice of seeds available, offering great variety in flavour. Select untreated seed and, as as guide, choose selections grown for leaves: for example, radishes developed with hairless foliage.
2 Sow evenly: here seed of radish is scattered lightly across the container on moist blue felt. Place either on a warm windowsill or in a glasshouse, ideally at 18-22°C (65-72°F). Lower temperatures will result in slower germination
3 As seeds germinate ensure a constant supply of moisture by misting or watering daily - this is particularly important in summer. Sample sprouted seeds as they grow as flavours develop over time. Some become more strongly flavoured, others less so
4 Cut at any time, close to the base of the mat, after the first leaves develop. Either use immediately or place in a sealed plastic bag and put into a fridge. Micro greens should keep at least two days in these conditions
Edible stages of development
Sprouts: eaten when the seed case has split and shoot is still white. Must be soaked, then washed twice daily. Ready to eat: two to six days. Examples: alfalfa, mung beans.
Micro greens: eaten at seedling stage when first leaves develop. No soaking is required. An easy technique. Ready to eat: seven to 14 days. Examples: radishes, green broccoli, beetroot.
Baby leaves: used in salad bags by supermarkets and are the most tender of leaves. Raise from modules, or direct sow into soil, harvest leaves when small. Ready to eat: three to four weeks. Examples: red mustard, pak choi, rocket, lettuce, chard.
Teen leaf: term used in the salad-growing industry for leaves larger than baby and yet not fully mature. They are still deliciously tender. Ready to eat: four weeks onwards.
Mature leaf: the final stage. Fully-grown leaves are usually ready in eight weeks.
Seed supplied by commercial supplier CN Seeds of Ely, Cambridgeshire; tel: 01353 699413 (minimum quantities apply). The description ‘micro green’ is not yet recognised by seed suppliers; try looking for cultivars listed under ‘sprouting seeds’ and ‘salad mixes’
Alexandra Baulkwill is the new Show Manager of the RHS Chelsea Flower Show
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