Broccoli Microgreens!! Dirt vs Hydroponics!?!

In this experiment, Mandi tests out growing Broccoli Microgreens with two dirt (soil) groups and two hydroponic groups to see which growing method will win!
Using soil to grow Microgreens is one of the most common methods, as it is a staple in traditional farming! However with urban farming, you'll usually see a lot of people using hydroponics where there is no soil used. Instead you use a grow mat of sorts and water to grow Microgreens, Vegetables, Fruits, Edible Flowers or even Houseplants!
Please keep in mind that this is one of our very first KZbin Microgreen Experiment videos we did! We hope that you enjoy it! Let us know in the comment section down below if we should do some more soil vs hydroponic videos - and which crops that you would love to see us test!!!
IN THIS VIDEO →
➽ Full Article: onthegrow.tv/H...
➽ Our Favorite Microgreen Seeds: onthegrow.tv/M...
➽ Best 1020 Trays for Microgreens: onthegrow.tv/T...
➽ Coco Coir: onthegrow.tv/C...
➽ Fertilizer: onthegrow.tv/O...
➽ Microgreen Grow Light: onthegrow.tv/L...
➽ Free Seeding Guide: onthegrow.tv/O...
SUPPORT ON THE GROW
➽ Shop: onthegrow.net/
➽ Etsy Shop: www.etsy.com/s...
LEARN MORE
➽ All Our Links: linktr.ee/Onth...
➽ Blog: onthegrow.net/...
➽ Facebook: / onthegrowfarms
➽ Instagram: / onthegrowfarms
➽ TikTok: / onthegrowfarms
➽ Twitter: / onthegrowfarms
ON THE GROW VIDEO PLAYLISTS
➽ All How To Grow Microgreens: • How to Grow Microgreen...
➽ All Microgreen Experiments: • Experiments - Microgreens
➽ Microgreen DIY Builds: • DIY - How To Build's F...
DISCLAIMER On The Grow occasionally links to goods or services offered by vendors to help you find the best products to care for plants. Some of these may be affiliate links, meaning we earn a small commission if items are purchased. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. More info on our process: onthegrow.net/...
#Microgreens #urbanfarming #Howtogrowmicrogreens

[@jalepeno5903]

I’ve been a wholesale tree propagator for 20+ years. The trials you do are fantastic. The content in your videos has created more actionable decisions in my micro-green growing adventure. I learn varied form of basics from other videos, but your channel is specific to creating results and highly informative. You’ve taught me everything I know😁

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much for the Feedback John Lewis! We appreciate your support!🙂 So nice to hear our information has been well recieved and helpful!!!

[@cabotporter7736]

I love that you guys encourage feedback, either up or down. It seems you actually looking for constructive feedback versus just looking for affirmation. Well done and good information, thanks.

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much!! You are right on! We love improving and since we are doing this for the community, we love for the community to get involved and help guide us to share the best practices for everyone! Thank you again for the support, it means a lot to us!

[@xHopshotx]

I work in a restaurant and our head chef doesn't like long microgreen stems so hydroponic is better for him. I personally like soil grown long stems for salads and short hydroponic stems for garnishing. they both have good uses.

[@totopolo2379]

for short micros, tell him to provide light since day one

[@ricardomacgomes]

6:15 - What did you figure out?

[@peumoasd5686]

you guys have done and keep doing an awesome contribution to the free learning of microgreens. really appreciate it

[@vicentebisuna7256]

Very helpful for us newbies Microgreens farmer

[@OnTheGrow]

Glad to hear! 😃

[@simonci5177]

Just put oscillating fan to blow air on them. Leaves must wiggle from wind 24/7. And use shallow trays, 1cm tall walls, so there is airflow from sides.

[@jonasvandevoorde1832]

Hello, maybe the reason why you have a bad airflow in the hydroponic systems is because your soil puts your seeds 3cm above the level of the hydroponic seeds. The edges ensure that part of the air flow is blocked, or thats what I think.

[@OnTheGrow]

That could be it!! Thanks for sharing!

[@totopolo2379]

yes good note, smart fellow

[@jimjim7708]

So pretty well all the nutrients a seedling needs is provided by the seed. I grow a lot of hydro and I don't use any fert at the start until they are about 3 inches or the tap root starts branching, then a very mild solution for a couple days(300-600ppm), then you can increase the dose. Epson salts are not a balanced fertilizer. A 300-400 ppm balanced seedling solution given at the last week would probably increase yield but probably not worth the extra expense. Seedlings tend to be more about temperature, moisture, medium compaction, and airflow and as the plants grow then nutrients become a bigger factor in development.

[@OnTheGrow]

Thanks for sharing and we completely agree about Epsom! We moved away from it, but for these tests, we figured we would share the results since we did it. We will be doing more tests around exactly what you are discussing soon to show how nutrients/airflow/etc. play into the growth of the greens! Thank you again for sharing!

[@pjanoo6973]

Soil microgreens are my favorite. I've tried all kinds of grow media but soil just tastes the best

[@OnTheGrow]

We're finding that out as well! We keep coming back to soil for the flavor :)

[@peterpan7976]

Is by far the best channel for microgreens :-) when I do start microgreens I'm going to model my techniques by what I learned from you guys. I was wondering what are the costs to keep that trailer cool or warm? I would like to compare that to a High tunnel or Greenhouse footprint to see which is better Suited. Perhaps you can make a video about it? Thank you for everything you do.

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much Peter for the support!! I am not sure the exact cost of the heating/cooling but I figure it to be around $75-125 per month, which is not bad at all really considering it was not really designed to be a grow space. It is struggling a little in the winter to keep it warm enough, so I think a better heating/cooling system would be the next move. I will try and get some data together for a video on the grow space! Thanks again for the support, it means a lot!

[@robertschultz4531]

I have a 28' enclosed and k or the heating/cooling struggle all too well as I am in SW FL. If you put an RV cover/tent over it, it will really help. You can tarp the sides to help.

[@ItsJuleen]

I really appreciate the way you encourage your viewers to test as well. Seems enjoyable actually! :) Anyway, thank you! :)

[@alfons3317]

This was very good info for me. Thanks a bunch.

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much for the support!

[@MrDanrn999]

Thank you

[@danvoelker8719]

I had just germinated my broccoli seeds on 8-18… crazy how you guys harvested them on that day. Gotta be the universe in alignment or some crazy coincidence. Anyway happy growing!

[@JasonRenoux]

Cool video and very informative. I am surprised you didn't sieve the local soil. The first time I received mine and saw the composting was actually still not completed, I used a sieve and it gave a light and fluffy mix that was the perfect combo. Keep it up :)

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you Jason! We don't like reusing the soil for microgreens since its to high of a chance for pathogens. We do like to use it out doors though in our garden for flowers and other plants that we have 🥳

[@JasonRenoux]

@@OnTheGrow I was referring to the big chunk of non-composted materials in your tray.. this is not how to use it in this case. You have to pass it through a sieve.

[@OnTheGrow]

@@JasonRenoux Ah, gotcha! Yeah, we usually just break any clumps up by hand, but it has been a long time since we've used the local soil. Thanks for sharing!

[@lawrenceking23878]

You two do great work. I appreciate your organized, scientific approach, and all the good information you share. Besides what you eat personally, do you sell all your product to restaurants, markets, or other channels?

[@OnTheGrow]

We are grateful for your support! We no longer sell because it became too much work to run our channel and deal with selling. We are thinking about going back into sales soon though! We primarily sold at farmers markets and to individuals on an subscriber basis when we did sell!

[@markg454]

At our house, we love our Mandi!

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you for watching markg454!!! 😄 Glad you enjoyed it! 😉Would you Be~Leaf we're actively working on tasty recipes that will highlight the various flavors of your favorite microgreens in surprising ways...Not just a garnish...yum!!

[@sueevans8874]

1)What do you do with all the soil after you harvest microgreens? If it's not reusable, seems like a waste. 2)What is that hydroponic fabric made of? How do we know it's not leaching plastic or chems into the grow? Is it compostable or recyclable?

[@shahndesigns]

Try the hydroponic one with the Miracle grow and Epsom salts together.

[@larissabarros6287]

Great experiment!

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much Larissa! 🤗🌱🌱

[@bonniehoke-scedrov4906]

Great video! Thanks!

[@jeng1395]

Broccoli is great with just water on a stainless mesh tray.

[@anthonybestenheider4910]

Great video. Could of probably got a little more with the Texas if you screen compose and get the big clumps out.

[@theforexlife3244]

Coco, Worm castings and perlite would be a great comparison.

[@gabreel8112]

Coco coir is still hydroponics. Also did you ph the water to 5.5- 5.8 eight on the other hydro microgreens

[@GenIvous]

When I put my micro green in a plastic bag like you , and put them in the fridge , they get all wet . How do you proper hold or pack your Microgreens after harvesting? Thanks in advance and keep it up !

[@OnTheGrow]

We will either rinse and dry very well with a salad spinner...this works for larger, sturdier crops like sunflower and pea. Or we bag right after harvest and clean just what we are using right before using...this is better for more delicate crops.😊

[@rontavakoli-JD-MBA]

you mentioned you figured it out....can you share what you figured out please..i.e. hydroponically getting higher yield i assume. thank you.

[@OnTheGrow]

Basically we dropped our seeding density to around 15-20g/tray. We found that the seeding density was too high in this video so it created issues with the growth. We also started using a different nutrient called OceanSolution (which is organic too) which produces great results!! MaxiGro still does a great job though...

[@rontavakoli-JD-MBA]

@@OnTheGrow Thank you for sharing my friend. I'll be happy to return the favor anytime. Please look me up if you ever need advice. www.rontlaw.com. thanks again. happy growing.

[@OnTheGrow]

@@rontavakoli-JD-MBA Thanks for offering to return the favor!! Happy Growing!

[@leefont4465]

@@OnTheGrow sweet, its my understanding for hydro that PH levels are important and differ by the plant as well, do you use a specific ph?

[@OnTheGrow]

@@leefont4465 Yes! Our go-to pH is 5.5-6.0... Generally we aim for 5.8pH

[@tanyapineda7212]

Love these comparisons thank you! 💚

[@OnTheGrow]

You are so welcome! We really appreciate your support!! :)

[@mu.greens.and.greens]

Happy New Year Amazing!

[@jamesvoigt7275]

What if you placed a piece of dehydrator screen on top of the soil and sowed the seeds on top of that? Would this provide enough separation of plants from soil to create the cleanliness of harvest you desire?

[@laneeacannon1450]

Good idea! I'm growing hydro using those because the holes in my trays are a little bigger than some seeds. Works great.

[@OnTheGrow]

We, for sure, do need to be able to improvise in this microgreen growing game, don't we? Thankyou so much for the information and feedback! We really do appreciate your support!

[@OnTheGrow]

Possibly, but at a desirable cost effectiveness? I guess that depends on how much is being grown!😊 Thank you so much for the support James Voigt!! We are going to be making new content soon! 😄

[@CharlieBrownsApocalypse]

Nothing is better than soil

[@OnTheGrow]

“Better” is a very subjective word. Soils are better for some people while hydroponics are better for others. We’re glad you love growing in soil though! We think all ways of growing are great as long as you get the results you want, the way you want 👍🏼

[@ambersaphirarose2063]

Try folding the hydroponic paper towel like a concertina. Air filters are usually folded that way so you could just buy a paper air filter.

[@purplemonkeyelephant]

Really interesting video. Fertilised coir could be a happy medium (pun intended) between hydro and soil

[@indigoduce]

I wish you had done the taste taste..Im interested in knowing how the greens with the Epsom salts tasted

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much for the support terry lassiter!! We are going to be making new content soon! 😄

[@stevenomalley5623]

Thanks for the video, I’ve been enjoying broccoli sprouts for two years now but I use the Mason jar method. Maybe you can publish a step-by-step video using soil including “washing” ....

[@justinabata6257]

I'm a nutritionist chef.. .. reppin' butter..

[@OnTheGrow]

😉Justin Abata Would you Be~Leaf we're actively working on tasty recipes that will highlight the various flavors of your favorite microgreens in surprising ways...Not just a garnish...yum!!

[@femalecrusader8389]

#Qestion on hydroponics do you still need to be carefull cutting them so not to wash or need to wash via using hydroponicly?

[@cinci520]

Subbed! Awesome content guys.

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much for the support, that really means a lot to us!

[@carolpratt3761]

Great information

[@OnTheGrow]

Glad you liked it!!

[@dynamicskys1]

What are you views on re-using Calcium Coco Coir?

[@Bitcoin_ETHereal]

i liked the video even for the first time watching it. .loved it and I subscribed

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much! That means a lot to us!!

[@greensfactory]

Great video! What Texas Pure product are you using?

[@OnTheGrow]

We used their planting mix with great results!

[@agarcia7309]

@@OnTheGrow I'm down in Georgetown and just scoured the comments to find this answer. THANK YOU. Starting my testing next week.

[@yogaisforeveryone]

Just got those trays today online. Tried with my own tray and paper towels it was just like sprouts, not microgreens. But I want to grow them in water, not dirt. Planted a few seeds in my garden outside also, to what will grow.

[@OnTheGrow]

🙂Yoga is for everyone! Thanks for watching. We loved testing the "paper towel" theory...we don't advocate using it for growing consumed crops. We are actively working our microgreens into amazing recipes and that doesn't insure quality and taste....check on the recipe book link!!!

[@doctorone1028]

I'm watching your _so good_ videos and I wonder what you do with the coco soil remaining after harvest, if you recycle or compost. Thanks!

[@GreatGrannyFreeBird]

I was curious about that too.

[@OnTheGrow]

Very common question! Generally we say at the end of yne video. We compost all of our leftover soil/coco to be reused in our outdoor gardens. You can compost and reuse for microgreens if you are good at sterilizing but most people start fresh.

[@zachjernigan9976]

Hello there, I'm curious if you guys have done any comparison between soil and the newest forms of hydroponic reusable mats?

[@pinkgenome3380]

MAYBE ADD SEAWEED EXTRACT TO THE WATER

[@adaug27]

The deeper greens on the maxi grow looks like its a better result regardless of uniformity or height

[@OnTheGrow]

😉Thank you so much for the Feedback adaug! We appreciate your support! Are you more a grower or eater...we love to work our flavors into great food recipes!!

[@karenfoster5705]

Where do you get your trays and your cutting knife?

[@OnTheGrow]

Hey Karen! Sorry, we got buried in comments over the past week... ou can find the knife and trays in this list: www.amazon.com/shop/onthegrowfarms?listId=1WPKOEKRH6NL3 Thank you for the support!

[@ericbibeau5631]

Can you comment if you ever need to pre soak seeds as per instructions on many seed packages.

[@OnTheGrow]

You can, we only do it if we have really tricky seeds that don't want to germinate. We know of some growers who only pre-soak everything for 12 hours, but we don't presoak anything but peas, sunflowers and borage.

[@chickenfriedfish4059]

First, I love you guys channel. I started doing microgreens and try to do it by your example. My question is how long will my coco coir keep? I dont do large volume and I purchased a block that filled a tote.

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much for the support!! When those bricks expand they can take up a lot of space! Coco will keep for a long time! We’ve had some sit around for over a month with no problems... just give it a little airflow if possible. It will start to dry out, but when you are ready to reuse it, just fill a tray and add some water!

[@TallowQueen]

I know this is a basic question. Im just having a hard time finding it!!! What temperature do y'all keep your space? I see many different temperatures. Right now I keep my space at 75 F but it just seems so cold!!! Not that I know much about plants haha. Thanks. And congrats on the 20k 👍👍👍

[@OnTheGrow]

We got the best results with our microgreens when our space was at 75-80F. Also keeping humidity at 45% average has worked well for us... You can go even warmer but make sure you have good airflow because you will get into mold issues with high heat like that. Thank you so much for the support!! We really appreciate it!

[@darkhunter777]

На скоко ватт ламы у тебя ?

[@El_Rebelde_]

Was it airflow? at 0:59 it looks like the pattern on the bottom tray is the problem. at least that's my guess

[@richardsandwell2285]

One test I was waiting for was a taste comparison for each crop, the taste is the most important parameter, there is little point in producing food with a poor taste.

[@OnTheGrow]

We completely agree... Our hydroponic and soil broccoli both taste amazing with very little difference between the two... The only time we really comment on taste is when something taste substantially worse or different. For example, our more recent tests with Sea-90 nutrients created a extremely salty taste and we comment about that on those videos coming soon... Let us know if you have any questions and we'd love to answer them.

[@richardsandwell2285]

@@OnTheGrow Thank you.

[@Housebarons]

Hi, I have been able to grow broccoli micros just fine, the issue is they seem to get smelly after just a few days. Much shorter shelf life than any other micros. How do you store them after harvesting? How many days do they stay fresh after harvesting?

[@OnTheGrow]

It really depends... We've noticed that every container type provides different shelf life values... So if you use a bag like we do, we suggest putting two paper towels into the top to absorb the moisture and help to keep them fresh. We've also found that using reusable containers can provide a longer shelf life. We've had some stay good for about 3 weeks and they could've probably gone longer. Maybe we will do an experiment around this!

[@cindyfinlayson4197]

HouseBarons try storing in glass jars. You won’t be dissapointed.

[@6122ula]

... How about the Maxigrow with the coconut?… It should grow better without messy dirt ❓❓❓😎... God is good 🇺🇸

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you for watching Tony Allegretti!!! 😄 Glad you enjoyed it! 🙂We've mixed soil and Coco Coir before...works in that case very well! Happy Easter...

[@predjee]

what is that white stuff

[@belgradedayz]

Bio straight material?

[@vickilaw-sparkes4616]

Hi! Your videos are great! I am starting to grow microgreens at home but I am having trouble with moulding. I wondered what temperature your space is and if you have any other suggestions to reduce mould risk?

[@OnTheGrow]

Sorry for the late response! The first thing we would suggest is checking on the airflow in the room. Airflow is incredibly vital to keeping moulding and disease at bay. Our grow space stays at 75-80 degrees F and our humidity stays under 50%... We had a few bad weeks of mould in the beginning and that's when we learned that adding a single strong fan to indirectly move air solved the majority of the issues! Also, making sure that we are not over-watering... We like to make sure the plants are no being overly saturated with water. Thanks for the support and let us know if we can help is any other way!

[@vickilaw-sparkes4616]

Hi again, thanks for the advice! I will buy a fan and see how it goes. The temperature where I am growing is about the same so hopefully this will sole the problem! 🤩

[@OnTheGrow]

We think it should solve it, and if it doesn't reach out to us and we will troubleshoot this until we get you growing successfully!

[@Warbler36]

vicki law-sparkes did using a fan work for you?

[@taratambaytayo8138]

Hi maam nice video ,, after using the coco coir do you reuse it or just throw it?

[@sembat7852]

I think you need higher humidity if you don't cover the hydroponics.

[@OnTheGrow]

🙂Thank you so much for the Feedback Sembat! We appreciate your support! 🙂Great point...we had to re-think our de-humidifier's location and setting in the trailer.

[@livingalien2069]

So after watching MANY videos I definitely want to do measured twice a day bottom watering since you can tell right away from the 'leftover' water if you're over or under watering, but does this method only apply to hydroponics, or can I do soil or coco coir using the same method?

[@sariahpiacentini9274]

Where do they sell the soil? I’m in Houston. Hope to meet you some day and thank you for all the help you have given us :)

[@chromepixels8922]

Try amazon or your local nurseries most of them are enthusiasts and know about micro greens

[@хххЧегевара]

Супер вы клевые👌

[@OnTheGrow]

большое спасибо вам 😄

[@birdsberriesbrews6191]

Can you reuse the soil/coco or not? Cost is keeping me out of that area currently.

[@OnTheGrow]

It is possible if you have a compost... You can use the soil, put it into the compost, then once it has broken down nicely, you can reuse it. Commercial growers avoid this mostly because the potential of pathogens are much higher unless you have a good soil sterilization practice. If you are looking to do commercial growing, you can try sourcing a good local soil, you can get a truck full for cheap enough to bring the cost way down... Right now, the Coco Coir we bought from the store comes out to about $0.30 per tray which isn't too bad. But it did take us some researching for the best deals on good coco.

[@birdsberriesbrews6191]

@@OnTheGrow Thank You for answering. Happy Holidays Too.

[@OnTheGrow]

@@birdsberriesbrews6191 Anytime! Happy Holidays to you as well!

[@davidgraham6835]

You two are super cool! I hope your adventure makes you filthy rich.

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you so much for the Feedback David Graham! We appreciate your support! Yay Microgreens!!!🤑

[@phielies]

big fan of your channel! im interesting in starting microgreen farming. quick question, do you dispose of the roots after harvest? is it possible to have more than one harvest from a tray? thanks :)

[@OnTheGrow]

Hello phillip barnard ! Thank you for watching our videos 🥳 We have a wonderful blog on this topic! You should check it out. www.onthegrow.net/post/what-to-do-with-the-used-grow-medium-after-harvesting-microgreens . You can run into problems with contamination and mold if you re-use the medium, so it is not recommended.

[@steverundle8635]

My instincts tell me small is better, I.e.strawberries, etc. something about too much energy wasted on getting tall or large.For a vegetable the concentration of nutrients might put weigh the weight.

[@OnTheGrow]

Then follow those instincts! We like to grow ours slightly taller so that it makes for an easier harvest and we don't have to tray and cut so close to the grow medium where we get soil/seeds into our harvests. It has worked well for us and so far everyone loves our produce!

[@chan108dra]

can we use Canadian peat. moss -instead of coconut fiber

[@OnTheGrow]

I believe so, we will have to run a test to see first. Stay tuned for a video in the next week or two on it.

[@realtorniagarafalls]

Hey fellow Canuck, try Terrafibre -hemp based

[@tristessa771]

Do you put weight on the germinating seeds the first few days like sunflower? If so, how much? How much water does broccoli need to be given once the roots start to appear? Do you start with a half a cup and move up like with the red acre cabbage?

[@mikev6999]

Which tasted better?

[@zachlukas13]

Have you tested whether growing with a lid affects yield?

[@yoshuareece8785]

She has a remarkable tablet

[@OnTheGrow]

🙂Thank you so much for the Feedback Yoshua Reece! We appreciate your support! Those darn computers sure do help!!!

[@ItsJuleen]

Hey :) It’s not possible to save the rest of the tray when there’s an area that’s rotting?

[@OnTheGrow]

Hello! Yes, you can if you spot treat it or harvest around it. Generally, is it has bad mold, we will toss the tray just because we don't like to risk it. It's rare, but it happens!

[@maximstanovov7804]

What do you use for taking notes (this white tablet)?

[@MrGeminirng]

What do you guys do with cococoir after? Reuse? Thanks

[@OnTheGrow]

If the medium is compostable, like Coco-coir, Soil and some hydroponic mediums… We will toss them into our at-home compost pile and let it break-down and return to the earth. We can use it later in our outdoor garden, but we never reuse grow mediums in our space due to potential of the medium containing pathogens. Also keep in mind that some hydroponic grow mediums are only compostable at industrial facilities (example: Biostrate)… Those mediums, we will gather in a bag over time and take it to our local recycling/composting facility.

[@yesayacahiya4496]

How many watt of that white lamp?

[@thomaswhudson]

On those hydroponic trays, they just use the mats and you add water right? You do not have water flowing through them or anything right?

[@OnTheGrow]

Correct!😊 thomas hudson 😉Hello again from "On The Grow"...We apologize for not being timely on your last request or comment!!! We've been blessed to have so many welcoming responses as well as questions from the "MicroGreen Community". 😄Fear not for the future...we have two new grow team members here to assist with all aspects of your grow needs and questions. Please feel free to jump back in to sharing and looking to us for assistance!!

[@michaelvaughn2287]

But you also have to worry about the sterilization of your soil between grows if your not aware not doing this can transfer insects eggs and diseases in the soil more work less profit to the one that was getting less oxygen in the center an easy fix is to split the medium that you had your seeds on .

[@OnTheGrow]

Totally agreed! We actually ended up finding better methods for the Hydroponic grows! Basically, we got better airflow in our space and that solved most of our issues with the moistness. Splitting the medium is also a good option or just leaving a middle row that isn't seeded.

[@dexxxxxxxx]

They look delicious 😍 At what price per grams you sell generally? What you do with soil after harvesting?

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you! They were delicious!! Generally, we sell them for $5/2oz container... It depends on the crop though, more delicate crops like amaranth we sell for $6/1oz container... As for the soil, we toss ours out into our compost pile to be used in the garden down the line! Thank you again for the support, it means a lot to us!

[@dexxxxxxxx]

@@OnTheGrow great.. and subscribed. 😄

[@sciencelab6185]

Thanx.I wont bild this farms.pleass contec with me.

[@OnTheGrow]

😀 physics easy 🙂Have you visited our newest website www.onthegrow.net ...we are so proud of the help it provides!!!

[@jeremyhyde23]

I am trying to keep it all organic and am looking for pH control. What are you all using for pH up/down?

[@OnTheGrow]

If you are wanting to stay completely organic you can use lemons or vinegar for a pH down and baking soda for a pH up! Some “chemical” pH balances are just minerals that are completely safe to grow with. Because they are naturally occurring minerals, they are considered “of the earth” and not “organic” because they aren’t filled with living organisms. So, still natural but not “organic”. We use minerals that are “of the earth” for pH control and everything else we use is organic!

[@jeremyhyde23]

Thank you for the info

[@zsozsousa1]

Have you try the jute mat on broccoli? I started 10 days ago and it does not grow good or fast at all. It was great until I put them under light, since then the grow slow down . After 10 days the broccoli length just passed the tray about an inch. Color wise looks nice dark green, evenly germinated but the middle part looks like a bit taller even I watering them evenly and the light hitting them evenly as well. It's not even ready for harvest. I will wait 2-3 more days or until the new leaves starting to come out. it's kind a disappointing , I though the jute mat will be great.

[@OnTheGrow]

What kind of light are you using? We had grown broccoli on Jute before with really nice results! Are you adding nutrients to them or just water for now? We notice that the middle is usually the tallest section even when watering evenly. It could be a lot of different factors so the more you can tell us about nutrients/lights/temperature the better!

[@zsozsousa1]

@@OnTheGrow I am using a 10x20 ,2 inch tall tray. 2x2 feet led panel light. I use florago nutrient from true leaf market the amount they recommended. I am living in Miami area. the temp. is ok now, and not to humid.I did the germination inside the house in controlled temp. area but now they are in my garage where the temp it's a bit different. Right around when I took them to the garage it was a hit spike, it went up to like 87 degrees outside , and that was effecting the temp. and humidity condition in the garage as well. Now it's about 75 degrees with moderate humidity. I am watering it 2x a day with 2 cups of filtered water with. florago each time. Running fan on low near to the trays and another bigger fan just just for moving airflow in the garage... I have started red amaranth in the mean time with the same process but on soil and it grows very nicely, no issues. No visible mold or any issue on broccoli either. Thank you for your help! I am really enjoying your videos, it's great for the community! Thanks again.

[@OnTheGrow]

@@zsozsousa1 Honestly it sounds like you are doing everything right and they have good conditions. The only thing I am unfamiliar with is the floragro nutrient as we haven't used it yet. If you're using the 2" deep trays though and the micros are coming over the top of it, they should be nearly ready for harvest anyways because you want to harvest them around that 3" tall mark. They probably look a lot shorter because of the deep tray with the thin hydroponic medium. It could also potentially be the lights... If you use too much light, sometimes they just freeze because they no longer need to stretch looking for light. Thank you so much for the support!!!

[@zsozsousa1]

@@OnTheGrow Thank you guys! Looks like the growth just get better in the past two days or so.. Will harvest today..

[@daivdyoung8001]

would electric knife work? i am just wondering; since you got lot; to cut;

[@OnTheGrow]

Thats a great suggestion David! We haven't yet tried an electric knife but we have tried the electric small shrub trimmers and it worked well but since it pinches the product, the stems decay quicker. Our product seems lasts longer with using a very well sharpened knife. It goes really quick once you're in the flow of it! We may have to try this in the future to see!

[@daivdyoung8001]

@@OnTheGrow so what you need is single ceramic blade which is 2 to 3 foot long; width of tray; or short for one hand grab reciprocating saw operation it could probably made for 500 dollars; thanks;

[@stevenomalley5623]

Watering?

[@dkroen17]

Why the trailer?

[@OnTheGrow]

Wanted to see if we could make a farm that we take with us wherever we move. Hence - On The Grow like On The Go. It's an amazing lab really, overkill for most unless you have a good business sense and can make it work.

[@dkroen17]

@@OnTheGrow very cool and safe travels!

[@jakobw135]

What is COCO COIR?

[@OnTheGrow]

Coco coir is actually shaved coconut shells used as a growing medium. it has great moisture retention. Jakob W Have you signed up for our Master Class yet? Please get ready to take advantage of all the information we've assembled for you!!!

[@jakobw135]

@@OnTheGrow Can you RE-USE the COCONUT COIR for the same or other microgreens?

[@OnTheGrow]

It is not recommended to reuse cococoir, as it is very likely to mold or cause other problems, We compost ours. 😊 Best of luck to you in your microgreen endeavors! Keep Be-Leafing!

[@ThirdLawPair]

I've been growing my own microgreens on paper towels. Why do you need the expensive hydroponic substrate?

[@OnTheGrow]

Paper towels can provided inconsistent growth to commercial growers, so spending $0.50-$1.00 to have a hassle-free growing medium which provides solid results seems logical for most growers. For home growing, paper-towels work great! 🤗🌱🌱

[@birdmanjr82]

How did you figured it out?

[@OnTheGrow]

Sorry for the late response! Basically we dropped our seeding density to around 15-20g/tray, we keep them stacked for 3 days and then 1 day blackout... We will have a new video coming out soon on this! Thanks for the support and let us know if we can do anything else to help!

[@birdmanjr82]

On The Grow love your channel big fan

[@robertodiazdelpinal2386]

I didn't like the video... I loved it!

[@OnTheGrow]

We didn’t like this comment, we loved it! 🤗🌱🌱

[@atulpatel2850]

Thank you. This was vey informative. What type of lights you use and where did you get the trays from? Also water has less nutrients than the soil, so it is obvious the soils did better.

[@JamesDailyTV]

I'd be curious about the overall net profit from harvest. What was the cost difference between soil and hydro, and how does that affect the bottom line per tray? Can you harvest soil quicker (i.e. faster turn over)? There is a whole lot more to be evaluated to truly find the most efficient/profitable way to grow. Cool video!

[@OnTheGrow]

Great questions! It all boils down to the individual and what you're marketing your greens for. Really there are a tremendous amount of factors that can change the profit margin... we describe most this in our Book on our website!

[@JudahElijah77]

Why the music sound like an old 80s soundtrack

[@danielhorst4459]

Looks great, thanks for sharing! When you stack the broccoli do you notice crowding of your seeds into the ridges of the tray they are stacked under? I have been having trouble with the seeds clumping together into straight rows with empty space in between, which seems to be promoting mold growth. Still haven't figured out how to prevent this.

[@OnTheGrow]

That is something that we have experienced and can be a little annoying... There isn't yet a good way of stopping it unless you put some kind of food-safe plastic between the crop and the tray so that they don't go into the ridges as much. What we do though, if we have an issue with mold on a certain crop, is we spray it with a mild anti-fungal solution (2 tablespoons of 12% food-grade hydrogen peroxide per liter of water) and it keeps it at bay and does not harm the crop in any way... We will spray our sunflowers for the first three days of germination with a solution like this because they are our only crop that loves to create a little mold. Works wonders! Let us know if this helps and we will stay on the lookout for a solution to the rows being created!

[@danielhorst4459]

@@OnTheGrow That makes sense - I think part of my issue is having too much weight on top of the tray. After seeing a couple other videos it appears people often just stack one or two empty trays on top of the small seed brassicas (or just use the blackout method instead of stacking), whereas I have been loading up with an extra ~5 pounds of weight on top. I do spray with 3% hydrogen peroxide which seems to help, but honestly I am still trying to figure out what is actually mold and what is root hairs. I wish there were more comparison pics available because it's so hard to tell! Going to try using my press board that I use to flatten the media to try to make some better seed-soil contact before stacking the tray to see if that'll prevent the clumping, and just use two empty trays on top of the stack as they presumably don't need as much pressure as larger seeds do to root well. Will update here too. Thanks guys!

[@ghiathalspiai6743]

How wonderful you are and your work also Do you offer me a favor by giving me the details of the requirements of this wonderful work

[@GDubbleBubble]

coco isn't soil. its a hydroponic medium with a "soil" feel.

[@OnTheGrow]

Yeah, we realize that! Thanks for clarify though 🤗🌱🌱

[@christopheradam6967]

Where’s the taste test? Seriously I love your video but how did you do all that work and not think to do a simple tasting comparison is a little perplexing..

[@OnTheGrow]

Thank you for watching CHRISTOPHER ADAM!!! 😄 Glad you enjoyed it! 😉After lots of taste testing guess what... Would you Be~Leaf we're actively working on tasty recipes that will highlight the various flavors of your favorite microgreens in surprising ways...Not just a garnish...yum!!

[@yourmovie9505]

👍💪🌹

[@KyrstensCloset]

This comment is hella late but I really think your process would have better, more accurate findings if you were to do three trays of each technique and then averaged the yield.