Taking Care When Growing at Home
If you’re growing or planning to grow microgreens at home, there are a few food-safety items you need to cover.
Radish, watercress, Swiss chard, and Thai basil microgreens are very susceptible to disease.
So, it is very important you buy seeds from a reputable company and choose soil free of harmful bacteria.
Avoiding Root Rot
Your most serious threat to microgreens is Pythium and Phytophthora.
Pythium is a fungus that causes root rot in young seedlings. This is a persistent problem in areas over-irrigated or not drained right.
Phytophthora are a special fungus called oomycetes.
They are water molds and destroy the root systems of microgreens.
Preventing Seedling Damping Off
The cotyledons (first leaves), roots and stems of microgreens seedlings can get an infection called “dampening off.”
It is a fungus or mold that grows in cool and wet conditions.
Your seedlings are infected if they cannot germinate, or the first leaves are limp or look brown, or you see fluffy white cobweb growth.
Fuzzy white mold is a common issue for microgreens, but the fungus does not hurt your growing plants.
Helpful hint: Don’t mistake the tiny roots of microgreens for mold. Basil seeds develop a jelly-like coating that looks moldy. This is normal.
I have lost whole trays of microgreen seedlings to root rot. Make sure you keep your soil damp, but not too wet.
You should use sterilized containers with good drainage and clean, new potting soil.
I haven’t tried this, but some growers suggest you use a heating pad under the growing container to warm soil to 70-75°F.
There is no cure for plants that have damping off. You can prevent the problem by providing good air circulation.
Mildew
If you can’t find microgreens seeds to grow, look for “food grade” or “organic” labels and read the fine print.
Seeds are very susceptible to disease.
Inspect your growing seeds for mildew.
You should try sterilizing your seeds with food grade hydrogen peroxide.
Cinnamon Fungicide Control
Home gardeners swear by cinnamon.
Cinnamon will help prevent mildew by killing the fungus.
Make a cinnamon spray. Stir some cinnamon into warm water and allow it to steep overnight. Place in your misting bottle.
