Updated: 12/12/23 | About The Authors
Biodegradable Microgreens Growing Kits
Instruction Manual
Firstly, thank you for your purchase with Grow Sow Greener, whether through this website, a partner in the urban farming community, or a local high street store, we're delighted to welcome you aboard. By opting for our easy-to-use 'Grow Your Own' kit, you've made a fantastic and significant move towards a more sustainable future. Get ready to enjoy healthier, superior, and more delicious greens, right from your garden to your table!
Setting Up Your Kit
Step 1: Soak Your Peas, Sunflowers, Beets and Grains
For best results and faster germination, we advise that you soak your larger seeds in cold tap water overnight (or anywhere from 6 to 12 hours) before sowing.
You can learn all about this process and why by reading our blog post on pre-soaking seeds.
Important Note: If using the organic cress or radish kits please skip this step!
Step 2: Make Your Soil
- Unpack Your Kit: Remove the contents from your kit, but leave the two disks of compressed coco coir in the package.
- Hydrate the Coco Coir: Gently pour about 120ml of clean tap water over the coco coir disks. Watch them expand and grow. The goal is to get the soil moist, but not waterlogged.
- Prepare the Soil: Once the disks have expanded to about four times their original height and feel fluffy, use a spoon or fork to spread the hydrated coco soil evenly across the container. This creates a flat bed for your seeds.
- Plant Your Seeds: Now your container is ready for planting the organic seeds.
Hot Tip: The hotter the water the faster they expand! Hot water from the tap is fine, although we DO NOT recommend using the kettle under any circumstances!
Step 3: Sow Your Seeds
Your growing kit comes with a generous amount of seeds for multiple harvests, packaged in eco-friendly, resealable, and compostable zip-lock pouches.
For best results we apply three golden rules:
- Even Distribution: Carefully sprinkle the seeds over the prepared soil in your container, ensuring an even distribution.
- Spacing: Aim to leave a small gap, roughly the length of one or two seeds, between each seed. This spacing is important to prevent overcrowding and to provide each seed with enough room to grow.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Be sure not to pile the seeds on top of each other. Overcrowding can hinder growth and lead to less successful harvests.
Once you've used up these supplies, you can order more seeds and coco coir disks to continue your urban gardening adventures.
Have Some Fun
Feel free to use pretty much any container you have in the kitchen, cups, bowls, plates, some even grow cress in empty egg shells for fun.
Step 4: Wake Your Seeds Up From Dormancy
For the best growing conditions, think 'warm, dark, and wet'. Here's what to do:
- Mist the Seeds: Fill the provided aluminium spray bottle with clean tap water. Generously mist all the seeds with water.
- Create a Warm, Humid Environment: Place the lid back on the kit and set it in a warm area of your house away from direct sunlight. The lid will act as a blackout dome, trapping humidity inside and creating the ideal environment for your seeds to sprout.
- Regular Misting: Twice a day, in the morning and at night (and optionally at lunch), remove the lid and give your sprouting seeds another spray of water.
- Monitor Growth: Continue this daily misting routine until the seeds have sprouted and grown tall enough to touch the lid.
Step 5: Grow them, Love them and Nurture them
Once your seeds have reached the lid, it's time to change their environment:
- Place in Sunlight: Remove the lid from your kit and place it in a sunny spot, like a windowsill. Don't worry if you don't have direct sunlight – your plants will still grow, possibly even taller as they reach for more light.
- Watering: Water the kit whenever the soil starts to feel dry. This will help your plants continue to grow healthily.
Step 6: Harvesting
Radish and Cress: You can begin harvesting about 7 to 10 days after sowing the seeds.
Pea Shoots: These should be ready to harvest around 14 days after sowing.
How to Harvest: Use kitchen scissors to cut the plants above the soil line. Then, enjoy your fresh greens however you like!
Guaranteed To Grow
Our organic microgreens & sprouting seeds are lab tested for pathogens, purity and germination. We personally test all seeds and build our grow kits in-house to ensure that you get a great product which we stand by. Should you have any issues, hardships or would just like a little more advice please email us at hi@growsowgreener.co.uk or call/whatssap 07716797954 and we'd love to help you out! Should we not have any success your kit will be refunded or replaced.
Why Do We Champion Local and Home Grown Produce?
- Zero Polluting Food Miles: Our commitment to local produce eliminates unnecessary transportation, reducing the environmental impact and ensuring fresher, tastier produce right to your table.
- No Plastic Packaging: We prioritise sustainability, saying no to plastic and yes to eco-friendly packaging solutions.
- Absolutely No GMOs: Our seeds are 100% organic, ensuring that what you grow and eat is natural and healthy.
- Organic Seeds, Healthier Harvests: We provide only the finest organic seeds, resulting in wholesome, nutrient-rich produce for you and your family.
- Eco-Friendly Farming Practices: We steer clear of soil-depleting inorganic fertilisers and harmful pesticides. Our methods are kind to the earth, preventing the need for mining or laboratory concoctions.
- Supporting Local Communities: Choosing our products means you're not just getting great food; you're also supporting local businesses, our urban micro-farm partners, and high street stockists. Together, we're nurturing our communities and making them thrive.