1) there are dozens of microgreen varieties

people often believe the number of microgreens produced and available on the market is a small fixed number of plants. this is not true. in actuality, there are many dozens of varieties including everything from carrots and spinach to beets and mustards and beyond. this producer, for example, has over 115 different varieties of microgreens available for consumers. many smaller farms produce about 10-15 varieties at a time.

2) they have a greater nutritional density than fully mature plants

the nutritional benefits of microgreens vary from plant to plant, but so far it appears all microgreens have a higher concentration of phytonutrients than their fully mature counterparts. it has been shown that some varieties have many times the ratio of vitamins than their fully grown counterparts.

researchers from usda and the university of maryland found in a study leaves from almost all of the 25 microgreens they examined had four to six times more nutrients than the mature leaves of the same plant.

there was much variation between microgreen varieties with red cabbage having the highest density of vitamin c while green daikon radish microgreens had the most vitamin e.

“microgreens aren’t going to replace a big, leafy salad that has lots of fiber and will give you a good sense of satiety… but if you throw a big bunch of microgreens on anything, that’s a pretty good shot of vitamins.” ­– gene lester, usda researcher

although so far it appears microgreens are scientifically superior in nutrition to mature plants, more research is needed and it is important to remember that microgreens are not typically consumed in large quantities. instead, the greens are most commonly used in salads and to garnish small dishes. still, the benefits seem undeniable.

3) really, they only take one or two weeks to grow

yeah, that’s right, a higher density of nutrients grown in one week. this also allows quick turnaround for farmers beneficial to everyone.

4) you don’t have to be a top chef to use them, or an experienced farmer to grow them

really, it’s actually not that difficult and there are a lot of online resources like this one that have step by step instructions on how to grow many varieties of microgreens at almost any home.

5) microgreens are not sprouts

unlike sprouts, which can be harvested after germination in water after only 48 hours, microgreens have not been implicated in foodborne illness outbreaks.

microgreens typically require soil and sunlight, although there are alternative methods such hydroponics and the use of artificial light. they also can only be harvested after one or two weeks. this means there is much less risk in consuming microgreens, although they are not risk free.

will you be growing or using microgreens in your kitchen? let us know how you’re mixing these powerful greens into your diet. 

john perrino is a senior majoring in political communication at the george washington university. julia blakely is a senior majoring in journalism at the george washington university.

what sets her crops apart? well, for one they are grown year round in “a controlled agriculture environment.” this means while other local farmers in loudon county, virginia are unable to grow, the lettuce lady still provides her products to top washington, dc restaurants and chefs and local customers.

taylor told us she got the idea from a visit to disney world’s hydroponic gardens. “i never thought i’d go into farming, but i have found it, just right now, the place to be,” the californian raised taylor said.

“this is smart farming.”

– mary ellen taylor, aka the lettuce lady

endless summer harvest grows 4,000 plants a week using just 12,000 ft.2 of greenhouse space. that is the “equivalent of 12 acres of traditional farmland,” she said.

her hydroponic farm uses no soil and she is able to recycle 90% of the water used back through her well into the mixing tanks that produce the solution used to grow her crops.

endless summer harvest’s controlled environment hydroponics system could provide a way for farmers in climates unsuitable for growing crops to provide food for a growing planet.

visitors from around the world, especially in developing nations including afghanistan and botswana have visited her farm seeing it as a model for future use in their less irrigable home regions.

the lettuce lady hopes to double the amount of greenhouses at endless summer harvest from two to four within a year.

is this the future of farming?

if successful, we probably could extend our experiment to different vegetable/fruit farms. perhaps the farmers could even make a little extra cash by generating electricity!