Here are the best techniques & tips to maximize your yield per 1020 tray while growing broccoli microgreens from seed to harvest in as little as 5 to 9 days.
How To Grow Broccoli Microgreens At Home From Seed To Harvest Overview!
Here’s a menu of all the most important info covered in our “Broccoli Microgreens How To Grow From Seed To Harvest”.
- Broccoli microgreen seed sources & varieties.
- Equipment required to grow microgreens.
- Planting broccoli microgreens seeding density and germination tips.
- How to grow broccoli microgreens.
- When to harvest broccoli microgreens.
- Broccoli microgreen nutrition information.
- Broccoli microgreens health benefits.
- Broccoli microgreens growing tips.
- Frequently asked questions.
Broccoli Microgreen Seed Sources & Varieties:
Great seed sources for the following varieties of microgreens include:
Canada: Sprouting.com
US: Trueleafmarket.com
Equipment Required To Grow Microgreens
Planting Broccoli Microgreens – Seeding Density & Germination Tips
Crop Cycle: 5 to 9 days from seed to harvest.
Sanitize Broccoli Seed: No
Soak Broccoli Seed: No
Broccoli Microgreen Seeding Density Per 1020 Tray: 20 – 40 g (0.70 – 1.40 oz)
Step #1 Have your 1020 tray with holes inside 1020 tray without holes, bottom watering is required to reduce mold issues and increase shelf life.
Step #2 Spread seed over pre-moistened tray using multiple passes to get even distribution while spreading seeds over the top of the soil while broadcasting.
Step #3 Once broccoli seeds are sprinkled evenly over the soil, mist the seeds prior to stacking the trays so the dry broccoli seed is now wet (this greatly increases germination rates).
Step #4 Stack trays 1 to 3 high with empty 1020 tray on top (no holes) and 15 lb weight for 2 to 4 days.
After 2 to 4 days broccoli microgreens will be sticking out along the side of the trays, unstack when broccoli is 1″ tall, top or bottom water heavily the day you uncover and place under the grow lights.
Growing Broccoli Microgreens
Step #1 Watering: Heavily bottom water the broccoli the day you uncover from the stacked germination phase.
Then bottom water the broccoli throughout the rest of the growing cycle to keep the foliage dry. It is pretty much impossible to spin dry wet broccoli foliage.
Packaging wet broccoli foliage into a clam shell or plastic bag will greatly decrease your shelf life.
Step #2 Growing: Keep under lights for 2 to 5 days. It is important to ensure good airflow & low humidity in your grow room to prevent mold issues.
Step #3 Possible Problems: During the growth phase grow rooms or areas with poor airflow (not enough fans), hot/humid conditions. or overwatering can experience mold.
If you discover your broccoli or a portion of your broccoli have fallen down and are laying flat on the soil, they have been under-watered.
Bottom water your tray and within 4 to 6 hours your broccoli will be standing back up again.
When To Harvest Broccoli Microgreens
Average Yield: 140 – 250 g (5 – 9 oz) per 1020 tray
Step #1 Harvest Tools: Sharp knife (They should be harvested once they are 2 to 3 inches tall.)
Step #2 Harvest Process: Do not water for at least 12 hours prior to harvest to ensure greens are dry.
Cut and place directly into the packaging. If greens are wet they must be dried prior to packaging to improve shelf life.
Step #3 Packaging: Package into clamshells or bags as dry as possible because when packaged dry they can easily last up to 7 to 9 days when refrigerated.
Absorbent pads may be used to remove moisture.
Broccoli Microgreen Nutrition Information
Broccoli microgreens contain high levels of the cellular detoxifier sulforaphane, which may help to prevent cancer and rejuvenate the immune system.
They are also very rich in the following:
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin E
- Vitamin K
- Dietary fiber phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Potassium
Source: Sprouting.com
Broccoli Microgreen Health Benefits
- Vitamin B6: Helps the body turn food into energy and is important in maintaining a healthy body and developing a healthy brain.
- Vitamin C: Helps develop, grow, and repair of all body tissues.
- Vitamin E: Is a powerful antioxidant that may help reduce free radical damage and slow the aging process of your cells.
- Vitamin K: Is an important factor in bone health and wound healing.
- Dietary fiber phosphorus: Filters and removes waste from the kidneys and manages the body’s energy usage and storage.
- Magnesium: Improve the body’s biochemical reactions and has anti-inflammatory benefits.
- Potassium: An increased potassium intake may reduce the risk of overall mortality by 20 percent by decreasing the risk of stroke, lower blood pressure, and protecting against loss of muscle mass.
Broccoli Microgreens Growing Tips
#1 Grow Tip: Easy microgreen to grow and harvest with consistent yields.
#2 Grow Tip: Wet your soil bed, spread seed, and be sure to mist your seeds prior to stacking. The misting process will greatly improve germinations.
#3 Grow Tip: Bottom water to reduce potential of mold and rotten smell.
#4 Grow Tip: Important not to water 12 hours prior to harvest. It is very hard to get foliage dry if recently watered prior to harvest. Packaging wet will quickly decrease shelf life!
#5 Grow Tip: Very popular, package with a smaller quantity, and sell for a higher price. They contain high levels of sulforaphane, which may help to prevent cardiovascular disease and cancer!
I hope these tips above helped you improve your yields!
Misting our seeds prior to stacking and germination has made the biggest impact for improving our 1020 tray yields.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What are broccoli microgreens?
They are edible seedlings that are usually harvested 3–7 days after germination when they have two fully developed cotyledon leaves.
How to eat broccoli microgreens?
- Baking (In dishes such as quiche, broccoli makes a great substitute for spinach.)
- Juices/smoothies.
- Pasta dishes.
- Salads.
- Sandwiches & wraps.
What do broccoli microgreens taste like?
They have a crunchy, dense, mild & slightly bitter taste. I personally find the raw microgreens much more enjoyable to eat than full-grown broccoli heads!
Broccoli sprouts vs microgreens nutrition?
Broccoli sprouts and microgreens are both considered to have very high levels of nutritional value. If there was a slight edge to be awarded broccoli sprouts due to being consumed earlier in the growth phase would pack a greater punch per volume.
Broccoli microgreens vs broccoli?
Microgreens (broccoli included) are generally considered to be more nutritious than full grown vegetables due to the following factors:
- Microgreens are commonly eaten in a raw state, therefore there is no nutrient loss because no steaming or boiling is involved.
- Microgreens are tiny, immature versions of vegetables, herbs, and other plants harvested anywhere from a week to two weeks after germination. Due to being harvested only a week to two after germination, they are generally more nutritious. For example, radish microgreens are considered to be 40 times more nutritious than the mature counterpart.
- With any fresh vegetable, time is a nutritional enemy, microgreens are generally consumed much sooner than broccoli heads providing more nutrition.
Do broccoli microgreens regrow after harvest?
No, broccoli will not regrow after harvest to provide a second cut like a crop of pea microgreens would.
How to grow broccoli microgreens without soil?
To grow without soil you would follow the exact same process as described above.
Hamama microgreens makes a great kit to grow with out soil.
Growing Microgreens From Seed To Harvest With Step-By-Step Instructions:
Plant, Cultivate, Harvest!