Diary of A Refreshing Cabbage Microgreen

Diary of A Refreshing Cabbage Microgreen

Our Refreshing Cabbage microgreens can be described as mild & earthy! Their flavor is much like their adult counterpart without being overwhelming. Cabbage microgreens feature a vibrant purple color so they are as aesthetically pleasing as they are delicious! This is our real show-stopper micro that elevates the appearance of any dish. Hint-hint - Impress your next dinner guests with this healthy & stunning garnish! 

 

The cabbage microgreens will be ready to peel in about 5-6 days from their initial soak and will be ready to harvest in 10 days! While you wait for your cabbage greens to grow, check out our blog post about the health benefits these little guys pack in their little bodies!

 

Day 1 - Ready, Set, SOAK!

For setup, just follow the regular simple Hamama instructions like you always do! Here is an electronic version of our instructions if you need a quick refresher.

The initial soak is always the most important step in the process as it provides the seeds in your quilt with the water to jumpstart the germination process. To ensure that it is adequately soaked, be sure to hold it down long enough for the quilt to turn a shade darker. A good trick is to flick the seed quilt! If the seeds roll around in their pods, that is a good sign it is too dry and could soak for just a little longer. After the soak, you want to be sure that the quilt is properly propped on the tray's bottom ribs so that neither side of the quilt is dipping into the water. You also want to be sure the seed pockets are not underwater after the dunk! Here are some extra watering tips

 

 

 

 

Day 2 - Nothin’ new to see just yet..

You won’t see much happening on day 2 but I do want to share some important things to note:

-The water level may have gone down significantly from day 1. That’s totally normal! Our Seed Quilts and trays are designed to provide the seeds with enough water to last them from day one until harvest day. No need to add additional water at this point!

-Another thing to note is the environment - Keeping your tray anywhere between 60-80 F is best. The warmer they are in that range, the faster they will grow on time with predictable health. Cooler temps can stunt the growth and it'll take a little longer for the seeds to germinate. Microgreens don't necessarily need a lot of light to grow but will halt if they are too cold so I would prioritize warmth over light. Remember our rule of thumb: if it’s comfy for you, it’ll be comfortable for your little plant babies!

Curious what that top layer is for?  It's important to have a weighted black-out period for the first few days of growing microgreens. The weighted black-out period (seeds held down + darkness) encourages the seeds to send their roots downward, as opposed to growing outward and sending out root hairs to grab moisture from the air.

 

Day 3 - Wakey, wakey sprouts!

By day three (this can vary slightly depending on your specific growing conditions), you should start to see some bulging of the seed pockets or even your greens starting to peek through the top paper! Say hello to your soon-to-be full grown greens! 

Day 4 - I spy with my little eye something PURPLE!

You can see that there are a couple more pods starting to burst open! We want to make sure we don’t open these before they have finished “cooking” so we are going to give those other pods another day or two to rip open before peeling the top layer off. 

It is super important not to peel too early! As the roots begin to grow, they need that top layer to encourage them to penetrate the bottom of the mat. Without it, the roots risk staying above the mat, which would cause them to dry out and die. 

Not only does it help the roots but it is also super beneficial for the greens themselves! It keeps moisture in from the initial soak, regulates temperature and humidity, and also shields the seeds from light during the germination process! 

Day 5 - The more the merrier!

These cabbage greens are ready to absorb some light / sun! These are right on track and will be ready to peel on day 6. Regular ceiling light is just fine for your microgreens, but if you have a windowsill that gets nice sunlight / natural light, now is a great time to place your grow tray there! 

  

 

Day 6 - It's a ripping kind of day!

Now you may be used to removing your top layer  in one swift peel but did you know there are actually two ways to do this depending on how your greens grow!? In this case, our cabbage greens were strong enough to rip through the top layer so all you have to do is remove  the pieces individually. Don’t worry too much if you can’t get it all, as long as the greens are freed and exposed they will grow great!

The Grand Reveal!! :D 

 

Day 7 - Soaking up the sun!.. Oh and water!

As the greens get bigger they tend to take up a lot more water. Now is the perfect time to check the water level of your greens especially if you live in a drier climate! If you notice that the water level has gone below the halfway point of the fill line and bottom of your tray, you can add enough water to reach the ridges at the base of the tray.  This gives those roots enough water to sustain the greens without over-watering them!  Remember, this only applies to dry or REALLY hot growing conditions - the normal function is that you just add water once! :) 

Day 8 - They grow up so fast..

For a general rule of thumb, microgreens will range from 1.5-4.5 inches. Cabbage greens normally grow closer to the 3-4 inch range! Just like any other thing though, this is just a reference as growing conditions (light, temp, etc) will affect the mature height slightly!

Day 9 - Prepping for harvest day!

The temptation to try these is REAL at this point! I might pick a couple and munch on them at this point, shhh! Remember to check the water level again to get a sense of growing in your particular environment! You don’t want your tray to become bone-dry! 

Cabbage & Kale - A Winning Superfood Smoothie Combo!

 

Day 10 - Get in ma’ belly! Harvest day is here!

You can tell these are ready to be harvested by grow time and their height! These lush, purple, fresh microgreens are beggin’ to be put on your favorite sandwich or in your smoothies or side salads!

 

Storing your Cabbage Microgreens *

These can be harvested at around 3-5 inches. They can be harvested by cutting or even pulling up, & can be stored in a ziplock bag (or the Stasher bag) in the fridge for abut 10 days!

Looking to cut down on single-use plastic like us? Here is a tip for storing your greens without plastic from one of our lovely Hamama growers: 

Cut a piece of cotton cloth (about half the size of a standard tea towel). Run it under water, wring it out, fold it in half and then spread the sprouts out loosely in a row across the top. Then fold the bottom just up and over them so they are in a little "pocket" with their heads upright. Roll the cloth from end to end (like a Jelly Roll) loosely so the sprouts are secure but not crushed. The roll fits into a mid-sized tumbler and goes into the fridge - but you could use a wide-mouth jar or full size coffee mug. When you want sprouts, unroll just for as much as you need, and then re-roll the rest to back up to return to the fridge. This keeps the sprouts fresh with no mold or mildew. Launder the cloth when you've used all the sprouts, and let it line dry before using it again for the next batch. 

If you prefer to munch on them while they are in the tray, the mature greens can remain there for a few extra days, but please periodically check that they have enough water to drink! Otherwise, they will wilt over! 😢

Some folks ask if the mature microgreens should be rinsed before use! When the microgreens are ready to harvest you don't need to wash them, but you can if you want. Whatever you feel comfortable with! Since there’s no soil, they’re already super clean. Most folks who do rinse do so if they have pets who might be snooping around in them lol :D The most important thing you should do for cleanliness is to treat them just like any other food item and always wash your hands when handling! *For longer storage, don’t rinse the harvested microgreens before storing. Instead, put them in your ziplock bag in the fridge & rinse just before eating, if desired!

 

Check out how Hamama Growers are using our Refreshing Cabbage Microgreens:

Sara Lynn, Hamama Friends group member

 

Sean Goodman, Hamama Friends group member 

Camille Richman, Hamama co-founder & CEO

 

Jonah Goodman- Recipe developer, food photographer, and clean diet expert (See more on his Instagram)!

 

Kirsten Smith, Hamama Friends group member

 

Sophak Op‎, Hamama Friends group member

 

Thanks for trying our Show-Stopper Refreshing Cabbage Microgreens! Let us know in the comments below what you think! 

💜 Allie, Barbara, & the rest of your Hamama Team

 

 

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