Exposing the Microgreen Industry as a Sham

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Here’s how you can grow some of your own: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWLRlZaLZ9qoe8Usi=RXSYeShyNX2Wqjw1

[@holisticpoet]

Saying that the microgreen industry is a sham is similar to me calling you a sham. I sell some of my microgreens for $22.00/lb retail and some that yield less $32.00/lb retail. I live in a rural community that is less expensive than most urban areas. If I lived in these areas I would likely charge more, but still doubt that I would reach the 50.00/lb. You are also lacking knowledge of why they call microgreens a super food. It is a well known fact that seeds are much more nutritious than the grown plant pound for pound. When you take a plant that is just starting from the seeds it slowly disperses its nutrition throughout the plant as it grows making the nutrition less dense as it grows. I provide a wonderful service to my customers who do not wish to spend the time growing them for themselves. The biggest thing I dislike about your title is that it belittles those who grow microgreens and puts them in the category of a charlatan. I hope this was not your intention,.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@holisticpoet Thank you for your opinion. Speak your truth.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@forestfloored420 It's good that you believe in what you do and also good that we can disagree and agree on some subjects.

[@pixelrancher]

The leftover roots and stems after harvesting can be fed to red wriggler worms or chickens. Turning waste into a soil amendment or eggs.

[@davidmay2294]

You are definitely right. I can't wait till summer to order more worms. As I am producing quite a bit of food for them now.

[@texasnurse]

My chickens love the leftover stems and roots.

[@vidajordan9803]

Smart!

[@FanNy-ku6wt]

i regenerate my soil with indigenous micro organisms and after 3-4 weeks it's a nice soil again. i can reuse it pretty much indefinitely with the same process.

[@sthomas7064]

Uh, those parts are also edible to humans. Puree them, put them in broth, dry them as herbs. Seems like this is click bait

[@KhangStarr]

Great video, Mike! It is true that there are so many videos misleading people into thinking they can make thousands a week growing and selling microgreens, spending very little time. I have been growing microgreens for years, and it is very easy if you're growing for personal use. On a larger scale, you're definitely going to have to spend alot of time, much more than what these videos are stating. Thank you for making people aware!

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thanks Khang. You are one of the ones I learned from when I first started. Always loved your simple approach.

[@LineupLegend]

@@KhangStarr I make $600 a week from my microgreens working 2.5 days a week on mainly restaurant orders I got by accident. My other income comes from 2 days of construction. I'm able to see my kids off to school and get them to their after school activities all because of microgreens. The great thing is, the sales will continue to grow with time becoming my full time work. I'm so glad I started this business. Yes it was tough at first but as you learn it gets easier and more manageable just like any business.

[@katipohl2431]

Best video ever on microgreens. Here in my rural part of Germany there is no market for microgreens and we have extremely high costs for electricity. Also the media publish horror stories about contaminated microgreens and sprouts. Hygienic and business regulations are tough overhere. Am just growing microgreens for private use in Winter. Love and greetings from a professional gardner and graduated biologist.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you. That really means a lot to me. You made my day!

[@ikarusm178]

@katipohl2431

[@ikarusm178]

Was kannst du für ein Setup empfehlen für einen Neuling in dem Thema microcreens?

[@robertmoore1215]

Started growing them a few years back in Mason Jars on the windowsill as a consolation prize when I lost an entire growing year recuperating from fracture surgery and 3 months of intensive physical therapy. It was a little tedious but worth it I think. I missed the spring air & sweet scent of flowering, but I also dodged the weeds and oppressive heat of summer. I guess we'll only really know for sure when science based nutritionists get the math right about how nutritionally dense they are, and how much you'd have to consume to gain the benefits. Seniors are known for having poor nutrition. One of the causes being their ability to absorb nutrients, or the intrinsic bioavailability of the food in question. The nutrition of a potato cooked al dente as a potato salad has what nutritional value versus a fast food french fry? Nutritional counseling told me fresh is best, frozen or freeze dried is second best, third best is canned because nutrition goes down the drain with the liquid. My guesses are based on hearsay and ever changing government standards (remember when they claimed butter was a heart attack, the food pyramid was best, load up on carbs avoid protein?). The closer we can keep things to raw food and the further we can stay away from processed food the healthier we ought to be. I admit this is a guess, but it's the same hypothesis present tense nutrition counselors & my own great grandma operated on and longevity in my family is present. Science backs up the Mediterranean diet too. The best part about microgreens is that even shut ins & apartment dwellers can year round boost their nutrition no matter what inflation is doing in the market. You don't need a degree in agriculture, land, tools, greenhouse or amendments that may give you a perfect tomato at starting cost of $500. I could easily spend $20 on bottled vitamins, use that same $20 for greens seed, buy them both and save $460. I'm experimenting with wire hangars to rig up a growing zone for the whole window with baby food jars. I find growing too much (1 tbs broccoli seed) in a huge jar the sprouts tend to go bad quickly after harvest and delayed harvests are even worse. If I grow a micro crop of micro greens staggered in harvest dates like you would with outdoor lettuce I suspect consuming greens daily would be as simple as opening the next jar and refilling it for next week. It won't make you thousands but it could save you thousands you'd spend in the market. Latest prices for a 1 lb clamshell of mixed greens or baby spinach= $8.

[@andream.4927]

Das einzige Micogreen das ich gekauft habe war Kresse. Alle Anderen baue ich seit 3 Jahren ganzjährig Zuhause an. Inzwischen gibt es nicht mal mehr Kresse im Supermarkt zu kaufen. Das ist wohl zu gesund! Erbsen, Berglinsen u. Leinsamen gibt es überall günstig in BioQualität zu kaufen und wachsen prima, finde ich. Bei den Gewürzen verwende ich z.B. Senfsamen, die gehen noch schneller als Kresse auf.

[@katioconnor5295]

fantastic channel.... basic info and easy to understand.... living in snowbound country micro green growing is a breath of freshness, Thanks from a new subscriber

[@Vicki-fb1ei]

Love this! Tahnks for sharing and clearing up a lot of misconceptions.

[@johnfoy5760]

Thank you Mike for clarifying the confusion. I just need to start to grow for myself and get the system down if I choose to offer the product to people. God bless you and your families. Hope you all have a Merry Christmas.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Merry Christmas to you too. Thank you.

[@melissatenney3688]

I'm a microgreen farmer in a rural area, I have been at my local market 2 years but I sell my microgreens the same price as my other greens, not sure who's getting 50 a lb , but I am proud to offer them with the rest of my harvest.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

That is awesome that you are proud of what you do. Here, a 2oz container can be $8, that's over $50/lb. Some places will be cheaper, some more expensive.

[@King_Rndm]

Thank you so much for this explanation. I've always had issues with the marketing of nutrition and home gardening for profit.

[@DJ-uk5mm]

In the winter in zone eight I grow seven trays of peas sprouts and I rotate them one a day and have one every day I find this gives me a great source of fighter nutrients throughout November December January February period they taste fabulous and they’re so easy and cheap to grow at home on your windowsill

[@KeepOnGrowin]

That is awesome!

[@margaretmarshall3645]

I love broccoli and red cabbage and onion sprouts. Also crispy sunflower microgreens. I grow them all, mainly to add to salads for the taste and health benefits (especially the broccoli sprouts-lots of videos and research on those). Glad to find out your video isn’t denying the heath benefits or ease of growing your own!

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you! It's an awesome and easy way to grow some of your own food.

[@MommySusanEast]

Thank you for sharing your insights. I want to learn to grow them well, because groceries are too expensive and it seems like a good way to add nutrition to a meal. I live in a small town in Montana and by the time the produce arrives here, it looks awful, sometimes already moldy. I received a bunch of seeds free from work at the end of last season and want to put them to good use. Hopefully I can use them for micro greens or baby greens eventhough they aren't specifically microgreen seeds.

[@itsgettingold]

I love your videos and watch them faithfully. I enjoy your thoughtful reflections as much as I enjoy the technical content. I confess to only growing sprouts at this point as i work 12 or 14 hour days and that's about the amount of time i have - rinse and repeat! But one day I won't be working these hours and will put the knowledge I've gained from you to work. I admire and appreciate what you do.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you, I appreciate you watching! I am glad you find it helpful.

[@Mistral434]

100%. I ran a microgreens business about 5 years ago, and though it was successful, it was about as grueling as any other enterprise. Good seed isn’t cheap. And by far the most difficult is establishing a customer base. That takes the most work/time/energy of any element. It CAN sell well but only to very specific demographics. It’s chic modernite and hippie food, basically. And the occasional folks who’ve had a recent health scare. “Restaurants” Again how many restaurants have you been to that use microgreens? Unless you’re in a metro area your options are highly limited. We got one call back from scouting pretty much every relevant restaurant in a 25 mile radius. And we were going around back, talking directly to the head chefs, delivering free trays full of our best stuff, only asking for the tray back. Fun enterprise actually, don’t regret it at all. Worst part was having to get up at 5 am for some farmers markets, lol.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Awesome. Thank you for sharing that. There's nothing wrong with doing something you love. You are right about there being a fair amount of legwork involved too.

[@shawnsnana1]

Thank you, Mike, for your inspiring education on the so called "superfood" of microgreens. Let's teach everyone to grow sustainably at their own home. I love your videos--they help so much to encourage us to Keep on Growin' !

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you! Keep on Growin'!!

[@Patso65]

Wow Mike, never seen you make a video like this before. Very professionally done and well researched, really enjoyed this. Appreciate everything you do, take care and God bless.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thanks for the kind words! Keep on Growin'!

[@patrickrose7616]

Sprouts are highly regulated by the fda because they are grown in a specific way in which harbors bacteria that can be harmful. Microgreens as not grown in any different way than regular plants with the exception no fertilizer is needed. They are harvested as a regular green would be just early. This eliminates the strict regulations that are put on sprouts. While neither sprouts nor microgreens have a very long shelf life, the microgreens are less likely to harbor the water born bacteria that is found in sprouts. All that said, I do not disagree with your assessment of the industry, but the rising cost of every product on the shelf contributes to the cost of microgreens as well as any other green that a farmer is trying to push. What I dont think you covered is the farming families that rely on this industry that you are putting down while they are just trying to make a living. Not everyone can afford expensive things, and not everyone is broke dirt poor. But for those that are trying to make a living at farming you shouldnt be trying to dismantle them.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I believe I raised valid points and if anyone is true to their business and believes in their product, they can surely emphasize any benefit they believe is helpful without embellishing. I can make an egg, but I still go out for breakfast now and then.

[@robertmoore1215]

Unfair assessment. Anyone trying to make a living growing only microgreens without a network of restaurants as a customer base is on a path to disaster and the cautionary tales in this thread bear that out. As the adage goes, don't put all your eggs in one basket. Successful farms these days have multiple product streams and aren't opposed to putting out value added products, joining farmers markets or even online consortiums. Whatever benefit to monoculture existed, it got eaten up wholesale by big Ag. Whatever profits there were in catering to gourmet customers, it's the first market that gets too saturated and those customers are also becoming more scarce with inflation.

[@superkoopatrooper4879]

No the bacteria is everywhere most likely bacillus, which has a sour odor and is usually beneficial. Their are beetles larvae that live in and on seeds. Mites etc. you can easily grow a massive colony of spider mites and never know because you never grow the sprouts long enough to see webbing and it's very very common. Nature doesn't care about regulations.

[@treymarch1038]

@@robertmoore1215 why do you think those without a restaurant base is headed for disaster, im intrigued

[@robertmoore1215]

@@treymarch1038 Lets compare microgreens to apples. Apples are established household staples, a million applications used in recipes, or no recipe at all. Long grow time but also a long shelf life! Microgreens are exotic, and usually found at health food juice bars. Occasionally they show up at farmers markets, but not reliably. They're always expensive (sharing shelf space with fresh grown herbs also at a premium) and are treated by most as a fancy garnish for salads. Restaurants who promote local growers using them correctly in their applications becomes an increase demand in farmers market as a local palate is cultivated. What I grow myself has an extremely short shelf life once ripe so I've opted to grow multiple smaller batches in baby jars so nothing goes to waste. Salads, soups, and sometimes as a last minute raw addition to a vegetable/rice side dish. Experiments trying to freeze or dehydrate were gross, and the loss of nutrition I leave for nutritionists to measure. Supermarkets- our Kroger's has an organic section and struggles to sell broccoli slaw. I buy baby spinach and mesclun spring mix for the shelf life, adding microgreens in prepackaged bags will lessen the shelf life. The only customers who can reasonably buy in bulk are restaurants/caterers. Microgreens sold by the handful in a farmers market is a hard way to sell assuming you've got enough volume customers with a palate for them and cheap enough stall space. Price them too high customers (like me) can easily grow their own. It's not like waiting years for apple trees to start producing.

[@anotherplottwist]

Loved the video, as a home gardener who let's everything go to flower and seed out, you just inspired me to throw down some arugula seeds and try some micros.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Love arugula!

[@rooteddinfaith]

Just ordered some of the jar water lids off your Etsy store..have done microgreens before and have learned a new way to get away from soil..thank you,,cannot wait to get started..Patricia

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Awesome! Keep me posted when you start.

[@rooteddinfaith]

@@KeepOnGrowin I will I think I will have everything I will do a vid and let you know after trying..:)

[@lectrickitty]

I've been growing my own microgreens for a few years. There's no market for them in my rural area so I simply grow them for myself. I wish I could sell some because I could grow a lot more very easily.

[@michi641]

Warum jemand überhaupt Sprossen kauf, erschließt sich mir nicht. Die kann jeder der möchte, für ein paar Cents selbst anbauen.

[@rayjack]

@@michi641 laziness, it's very time consuming. I stand for 90 mins just to remove those empty seed hulls at end of 5 days.

[@michi641]

@@rayjack laziness is very better than stupid. A lazi think before it do. Faulheit ist viel besser als Dummheit. Ein Fauler denkt nach, bevor er etwas tut.

[@NikkichikkiMazie]

When I grow my microgreens for personal use, I just put seeds in a fine mesh fruit strainer that has a lid. I change the water only once daily and leave the lid on loose. I keep it near a window that lets light in, but not direct sun.

[@AntoinetteTapia]

I sure appreciate your videos. I have learned so many new things-starting my first passive hydroponic greens. You are a good force in the world.😊

[@maradall]

The whole point of growing microgreens is to have some greens you can harvest as needed, so they are absolutely fresh and vibrant! Once you get set up, they are easy enough to grow at home for yourself. I've been growing microgreens for a few years now, on and off, and I use coconut coir as a cheap and easy substrate. The biggest expense is for the seeds themselves - even though seeds sold as "microgreen seeds" are cheaper than the same seeds sold for growing plants, they can still be quite expensive. Especially if you have a high failure rate of germination (happens sometimes because of the heat and humidity where I live, and sometimes because the seeds themselves are past their best use date).

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Totally agree. I love having them around whenever you need. I save up and buy in bulk, comes out cheaper.

[@larrymarcum1673]

Hey mike how’s it going?!?! Just slid two trays between my kitchen cabinet and the refrigerator top and forgot about them for three days. They grew so much they pushed up with such force i could not get them out! Force of nature in action. Good to hear from you last week. Just letting you know after 8 years i still do something stupid from time to time.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Good to hear from you Larry. I do stupid stuff all the time, lol. Have a great week.

[@BiljnaIshrana]

Thank you for answering all these question. I am so happy I have found your channel.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Glad I can help! Happy you are here.

[@George-z4d]

Thanks for this. As someone who grows lots of vegetables every summer, I have always thought the microgreen industry was a bit of a scam. Like you said, you are just growing plants. We need more people like you and less of the get rich quick scammers.

[@dazie1245]

How funny 1 of those pictures you showed is 1 of my classmates from the expensive online course I bought t I started a microgreens business & I added all my cost of seeds - dirt - containers - labels & insurance breaking all cost down to per ounce so I could set a reasonable price 😞 selling them for 6.00 an ounce didn't even give me minimum wage = I made log sheets tracking each item & my time So I do agree it doesn't cost 50.00 per ounce PLUS I didn't make the big bucks others say they make IN FACT I went broke because most people don't know what microgreens are so I gave mostly free samples = over 1/2 of the free sample people did like them but didn't come to the market each week Therefore I needed to try home delivery by using the market to grow an email list SO allot more labor plus delivery gas bill with a really old junky car I could not afford to keep trying The Good News Is I still have 3 growing shelves in my living room with lights on timers LMAO even tho all my friends & family put me down for an ugly living room with super bright lights i do like my microgreens However I don't sell them without a way to afford business liability insurance Now I'm going to look up the science testing to see if I can find the per ounce nutrition of microgreens VS full grown 🙋 Thank you for a good video topic

[@KeepOnGrowin]

You are totally correct, there has to be a market for it. Sorry it did not work out. $6 an ounce actually comes out to $96/lb. Good luck on the experiment, keep me updated.

[@jakehvazdamusic]

Not more labor, just time spent differently. Instead of taking the time to work at the market, start by marketing by posting your ad in local Facebook groups a "local drop off" where you take orders throughout the week and drop off to a central location where customers meet you. Deliver to as many drop offs as you can, once a week (I suggest friday, Saturday or Sunday as people will have more time to meet you then, than during the week). This way you don't have to pay to rent a spot and you won't be using any of your time sitting there not making sales. You could cross market home delivery if people want it but it doesn't sound like there's a huge market wherever you are. This will reach more people and be more worth your time.

[@kallasusort2986]

Thank you for your honesty.

[@Igniteyourpassions]

Glad I found your YTchannel… you create some of the best videos I’ve seen on KZbin, thank you! 🌱💚

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you very much!

[@katharinawagner6361]

You are right. Thanks for your video. I hope that a lot of people make their own micrograms now.😊

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I hope so too!

[@Zbee167]

Great video! Thanks for sharing.

[@hotpepper7782]

Thank you the truth never hurts it liberates.

[@theanomaloushousewife886]

My salads are all microgreens. I love microgreen-only salads. They're like nature's noodles with nutrients! Take a basic salad seed blend, toss in your sunflower and pea shoots, or cucumber sprouts, you can toss in carrot micros instead of carrot shreds. The variety is endless and the turn-around time puts them into the instant gratification category of the slow food movement. You've been our inspiration for years. Your enthusiasm is infectious.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

That’s a great idea. I love the variety. Thank you very much and Keep on Growin'!

[@angelleigh9468]

I love you for all that you teach us. Bless you ❤

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you!

[@AndreaDingbatt]

Thank you this is very interesting and informative!! I like the humour of your content here as well!! Andréa and Critters.🙂💞 ....XxX....

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you too...and the critters!

[@normawingo5116]

Well said, thank you!

[@RiseBeautiful]

In order to evolve, we have to put the lies to rest. We are keeping each other stagnant. Thank you so much! God bless!

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you too! Keep on Growin'!

[@davidfarm8095]

I got into this to grow better salad toping and greens because of my low-carb diet because of health. I am also putting together small greenhouse as soon as i figure out how to keep cats off the plastic. I want to grow food year round.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I hear you. A neighborhood stray jumped on top of my shade house chasing a lizard, tore it to shreds.

[@dawnwhitehead]

I hear cats HATE the smell of citrus but I have never had the need to use orange peels so can’t confirm. Anyone else tried it?

[@robertmoore1215]

@@dawnwhitehead an essential oil book I had cites cats and ants are averse to citrus. Any version of essential oil repellents have always been met with limited success or the obligation to continuously apply. Polycarbonate greenhouse panels have insulating properties and would hold up to cats better than loose plastic. If a cat is driven to get inside pursuing something, it's going to get in. Removing what they're preying on is your best chance.

[@tomkrivacs1871]

Thank you for such a great interpretation.

[@911dips5]

I found there is a generation of people who think they have reinvented the wheel and needs to change the name of everything

[@PTBeverly]

@@911dips5 I agree, I’ve been watching videos of underground greenhouses, now called “Walipinis” . I was telling my dad about it because he had a hydroponic greenhouse inside a cattle insulage pit…I wanted to know why he decided to do that and why he stopped and where he got the idea from. He couldn’t remember…he is 89.

[@mercadoartesanal5339]

Thank you Mike! There is always a story behind the story, and you nailed it on this one. Be the Change! 😜

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Be the change indeed! Thanks for watching and Keep on Growin'!

[@sinclaire5479]

I've never bought into the craze, as someone who grows their own food and gives away the surplus to friends, family n neighbors. I do my part to save people money.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

That's awesome!

[@dmaddalena]

Sprouts, "microgreens", full sized plants, the only way to go is to do your own. I grow a garden, but prefer sprouting for all year production for "me and mine", but I also dabble in "microgreens". The nice byproduct to a good "microgreen" setup is if you can't service your plants for a day, or longer, you just end up with bigger plants. I see it as the further you go in the growing process, the more "waste" you have. I say waste as an average person would think of it. Everything goes through "the cycle". Me first, then the animals and what they don't eat, compost.

[@helengren9349]

One can dry those bigger ones & make powder. Last longer & useful in soups..👍 Blessings 🙏🕊️🌟

[@elijahsanders3547]

Don't forget the jar method for sprout. Seen em with special lids, I think just to keep them ventilated.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Yes, you are right. I have some of those.

[@robertmoore1215]

you don't need special lids. You need an awl to poke holes into mason jar lids. Starts getting signs of rust, toss it out, replace with a new lid with holes poked in.

[@kathyalexander5709]

​@@robertmoore1215 I have the mesh type plastic lids for wide mouth jars but wouldn't a piece of cheesecloth with the ring work better, especially with tiny alfalfa seeds? Also has anyone fermented their sprouts/greens?

[@robertmoore1215]

@@kathyalexander5709 Excellent point, the superfine seeds are a little tricky to retain, but as I recall the 'floating seeds' are mostly the lightweight hulls shed by the seeds as they were germinating. The reason I use the metal lids with holes is because they help retain light moisture and the seeds cling to the glass better. I imagine cheesecloth wicking moisture away in full sun window. Might as well experiment and share your results. Cheesecloth is going to be cheaper and may wind up being easier to work with. Hope you share those results in this thread. Fermenting- haven't tried it and I'm averse to flirting with botulism. I don't know enough or trust myself enough. The consequences for ignorance are severe. Folks with kimchi skills might try it but sprouts are so delicate I don't see how they'd hold up with cabbage strength vinegars or brines that are most closely associated with safe practices. I suggest you read the jars of minced garlic or bean curds in the fridge and see what they use to preserve. Citric acid and flavored oil might do it. Try arming yourself with a PH tester. How long you can keep it in the fridge is a question for the FDA's FAQ section of their website. I can say with certainty that spouts & microgreens get ruined by the freezer. Cell walls just explode.

[@kathyalexander5709]

@@robertmoore1215 thank you for your response, yes you are right, mesh lid or cheesecloth basically provide the same drainage or ventilation as your method. I asked if anyone had experience with fermenting spouts as I came across a recipe yesterday . No I am not afraid of of botulism per say as I've canned and preserved in many unorthodox (govt?) ways without any problems. Not to say be lax or oblivious to normal sanitation common sense, just they've overdone the hype to scare people I use ph paper to check low acid veges and meats.

[@BiljnaIshrana]

Thank you for exposing the truth! You are a rarely honest person. Respect!

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you. Have a great weekend!

[@helpgrowfood8372]

🔥❤🔥 love it! I'll be binge watching your videos

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you!

[@lindabackham7937]

I enjoy listening to you. Very educational! Thank you 🙏🏻

[@KeepOnGrowin]

You’re welcome, I’m glad you found it helpful. Keep on Growin'!

[@Falney]

Here in the UK what we call cress is a mustard microgreen. I mean there is proper cress as well, but typically if you go into a green grocer and buy cress, its a microgreen of a mustard. The UK has been eating them for at least a century.

[@Southwinn]

Thank you for sharing your insight and experiences with microgreens. ❤️💯👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👏🏾👍🏾

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you too!

[@AutoNomades]

Thanks a lot for your generous honnesty :)

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you!

[@GmamaGrowz]

I like the set it and forget it microgreen growing 🌱 TFS!

[@tb1197]

I've been growing sprouts in wide-mouth mason jars with screen-caps, and microgreens in trays with holes. Only sterilized water is needed, no messy soil or any other medium required. I've successfully grown radish, alfalfa, broccoli, sunflower, lentils and mixed seeds. I avoid arugula as it makes a stinky slime. This is my process: i) Sterilize water (in two 2.5 gal water containers) over night with UV-lights commonly used for aquarium tank. ii) Rinse seeds (in jars) thoroughly with tap water and dish soap, rinse repeatedly & drain to clear. In the subsequent steps, always use sterilized water to clean seeds, jars and trays. iii) Place measured seeds in jar, rinse again and soak seeds in jars. Grow & harvest: iv) For jars: rinse at least twice a day and drain. Position jars in an inclined position to drain. For trays: spread seeds and spray liberally 2, 3 times a day, change bottom water if necessary. Depending on seed type, may need to cover and use weight for a few days. v) Harvesting, may need to wash the produce, spin dry. Refrigerate in paper-lined vegetable bags. Never had any problem of mold or spoilage with this process.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Very cool. Thanks for the tips!

[@jeffolley2712]

When sprouts are young they are meant to have more nutritional value than that off a plant left longer and in the case of seeds like wheat they all have a inbuilt chemical that is like protection system but once sprouted it looses that so has all its potential health benefits

[@KeepOnGrowin]

all?

[@robertmoore1215]

Gourmet bread with sprouted wheatberries is selling for $4-$5 a loaf. Good luck finding a coupon. Make your own bread with wheat germ and winter wheat berries usually found in health food shops or vendors like Bobs Red Mill. Experiment with grinding the dry seed and adding sprouted (wet) during the final kneading. You'll find a ratio that works for you. If you have no talent for manual breadmaking, bread machines do work well and you won't break the bank investing in one.

[@alexandeurross4169]

I was one of the people who got swept up in the "make money with microgreens" crap. I never paid for one of the "classes", and I didn't have dreams of making thousands a week. But they did become a jumping off point for my farm. I now farm full time, and microgreens still exist on my menu. Even 5 years later, farming full time, I'd be lucky to make $100 in a week on microgreens. Part of the reason microgreens work for me is that they're able to be sold like lettuce, unprocessed. Sprouts are healthy too, but require health department permits and commercial kitchens where I am. In terms of different seeds- in my experience seeds marketed for microgreens are cleaner, and ideally higher quality. I have less mold in trays grown from "microgreens" labeled. Your super food description is just market economics. More demand is higher price. That's not underhanded. Cost of production is much higher in microgreens than gardening. A tray costs me $2-3 plus electric and labor. But my tomato plant takes pennies planted in the ground plus labor, so naturally I can sell many tomatoes cheaper than a one-time harvest tray of microgreens. I think it's silly to suggest the industry disappears because people learn to diy. If that's true, farming is dead generally.

[@debodeeful]

Outstanding Information Bravo 👏 👍 🙌 👌 😀 😎

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you!

[@TheJackrat]

This is simple. Plumbing is simple too. So is carpentry. But its not easy. Until you do physical labor it hard to explain to an office worker that its feasible to make that kind of money, but its not easy work. The potential for mold or bacterial infestations make me hesitant to want to sell my sprouts. How do you deal with liability?

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Follow local regulations and carry insurance.

[@sandralee3990]

Great to see growth by seeds & human. Keep being out there.the beauty of Inspiring.😊

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you!

[@ScullyPop]

Cheers, Mike!

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Cheers Scully!

[@ronm6585]

Thank you Mike. Cheers.

[@texasnurse]

I have a form of colitis, and find that microgreens are less irritating to my gut. It's nice to be able to eat salad again. I also don't have to pay the high prices for organic greens or worry about what was sprayed on them.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I’m glad you found something that works for you! You're right, it is awesome to grow and not spray anything on them.

[@KEENDARLING]

I grow micro greens from lambs quarters I found lamb quarters growing wild I brought some home and grew them to seed I save the seeds several hundred I grow some to full size but I also have a huge terra cotta pot that I grow the seeds as Microgreen They're delicious

[@nayaretquezada2584]

Thank you!! Please teach us to grow🌱

[@hopeinchristthesaviour4826]

While i appreciate your intention i think your ascribing wrong motives to the microgreens community. I think growing in soil is better and more natural. Youre promoting buying nutrients solutions over growing in soil. Why? You knock the product and service that microgreens growers provide while pushing your own socalled solution which itself requires effort and costs. It is misrepresenting to say microgreens growers put in very little effort. Also people pay for what they value. Its a market driven process. I dont see a big deal with the term microgreens vs sprouts, its a very useful term and a way to connect with modern times. Its actually a good name that conveys what is being grown. Its good to encourage prople to grow their own microgreens but most people cant or wont grow their own food so they're willing to pay for the convenience of someone doing it for them. Thats how the economy works bro as with any other crop. As for using blocks to weigh down seeds youre exaggerating that. Do your thing and let the microgreens greens do their part in encouraging health eating.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

If they are any good, they can easily overcome any criticism that comes their way.

[@a3_a3]

If you are only growing to harvest as sprouts, then you do not need soil, you do not need nutrients. All the nutrients are supplied within the seed itself, it's only when you plan to grow beyond the the true leaves that you need to worry about nutrients.

[@pixelrancher]

How 'bout you do your thing and let Mike and his followers do their part in encouraging healthy eating and not push your so-called solutions. Some people don't want to pay for the convenience of someone doing for them what they can easily and less expensively do for themselves. That too, is how the economy works, bro.

[@jameshunt2905]

@@KeepOnGrowin… this statement is entirely inaccurate and only reveals your own intentions while not looking at what you are doing to an established marketplace….. marketing for ones own benefit under a banner of education and effecting a destructive measure in market culture and industry only clarifies your efforts at the expense of others, the market and confusing what is being done, why and who it benefits. The picture painted here is that is you. Who is the mess and would benefit from better experience, exposure education and some healthier boundaries. Where as if this effort is intendeded to create market confusion and misinform those who are making the efforts on all sides of this marketplace again this is you exposing your own intentions while for your own benefit at the expense of many others and their efforts. Not too spiffy kiddo……

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@jameshunt2905 Well said. Agree to disagree.

[@diva555sg]

I am a meat eater. Do not like greens so much. Perhaps 1 portion on paper cup is manageable. Grow different types of seed every 2 days or 3 days so got variety. So what do I do?

[@KeepOnGrowin]

You got the right idea. I treat it like food prep. Just grow what you need. I buy in bulk but some varieties will take me a year to go through a bag.

[@susangriffith7546]

@@diva555sg Try sunflower micro green they are great look into the nutrition as well

[@michellebrooks203]

Thanks for the very good information.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Glad it was helpful! Thank you!

[@Aboriginal_Alien]

How about the seed cost?

[@bowtielife]

Nice expose, mike!

[@paul_domici]

I'm just getting into this for fun but I hear some people saying that the market is already saturated and some can't sell their product!

[@OfftoShambala]

Yep… you gotta find buyers.

[@a3_a3]

every single business has a huge failure rate of 90% or something insane like that, it really just comes down to timing/hustle/discipline or whatever things make entrepreneurs successful or not

[@robertmoore1215]

True but oftentimes it also comes down to local culture. Some folks are never going to depart from the meat & taters or beans & cornbread standard they grew up in. If they don't recognize a food they call it foreign. The adventurous sort and vegetarians will happily give it a try but the rest tend to act like 5yr olds expecting comfort food they know. A reason why Chinese food had to become so Americanized to cater to what's familiar. I've met a native Italian or two lamenting what we call Italian food here in the states.

[@dimitardobrev3296]

Great video, thank you. Can someone explain the concrete block thing, i completely missed the point/process there. Many thanks.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Many of them weight the microgreens saying it promotes better root growth.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@Kevinsball Love you

[@KRay-fb2vf]

We are taught that plants contain various minerals and vitamins. So how does this happen if micro greens are planted in water? How does the good stuff get to the plant in water?

[@KeepOnGrowin]

It's called photosynthesis.

[@jillfriedman4797]

It depends on the plant and how long you grow it. Seeds already contain nutrients for the seedling to get started so sprouts and most microgreens don't need fertilizer. Plants grown past the early stage in soil or water need fertilizer. So hydroponic growing of full sized plants involves a nutrient solution. Through photosynthesis edible plants turn water, light and fertilizer into the vegetables we eat that contain the vitamins and minerals we need.

[@Coe_PhD]

I love this. thanks for the content. subscribed. have you done any experiments with grow medicinal herbs as "microgreens" and using them in teas/tinctures/oils?

[@KeepOnGrowin]

No but that does sound interesting.

[@Coe_PhD]

@@KeepOnGrowin well then, I guess I'll need to do some experimenting when I start my microgreens garden.

[@just1john]

Thank you for this!

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you!

[@RoseQuartz728]

Brussel Sprouts are at least cruciferous. I totally get your rant on superfoods… however maybe they highlight specific nutrients that we don’t normally eat on the standard meat/potatoes diet. Yes, fads are real and marketing influences everything. Kale causes kidney stones, which is what got me off of it! I loved microgreens until I tried to grow them- too much mold & issues… gross!

[@loyd8789]

Microgreens may have have come down in price. I found ad in my local FB Marketplace offering microgreens for C$15/26oz (=US$6.60/lb) and C$10/26oz (=US$4.40/lb) if ordered weekly.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Cool. $4/lb is really cheap. Someone found a way to streamline the process.

[@clucier1]

Superfood is just a marketing term, as is Milk, since Real Milk comes from the mammary glands of mammals, not from a plant.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Right but if they called it nut juice, no one would buy it.

[@OkTxSheepLady]

The pictures of full trays of tiny plants are lovely eye candy. I could hardly keep my attention on your message.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thanks! Look very cool in my backyard!

[@hfyaer]

I tasted kale for the first time in NY. When I complained about it tasting disgusting, they told me it was good for my health... So they were basically serving me herbal medicine as a snack. Can't a food be good and good for you at the same time?

[@freckrpeckr]

Brussel sprouts have actually become a lot tastier over time, plus instead of boiling them, people are roasting them for much better results. This is what made them good. Bad example.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I appreciate your opinion but you basically said the same thing I did.

[@freckrpeckr]

@ thanks for the reply. Yes, similar, but your take is more that it is a marketing gimmick, rather than there being other tangible reason for its increased popularity, that don’t indicate consumers are simply being dooped.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@freckrpeckr Yes, but that's all opinion. You are free to have yours.

[@freckrpeckr]

@@KeepOnGrowin sure, so now it’s not the same thing you said. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but it doesn’t mean they are correct. Anyways keep up ur great vids.

[@spritzpistol]

I do wonder about nutrient deficiency in micro greens. We grow our plants in soil, dusted with few inch of compost at the time we change crops. All our compost is made from the waste veg, fruit, woody and soft pruning, weeds, egg shells, layered with spadefuls of soil and manure . All these contain a vast array of nutrients. The plants have explored the soil, exchanged nutrients with the soil biology and roots have searched for nutrients at varying soil depth. Does the hydroponic (or little soil plant) still have the array of nutrients a soil grown plant has? We don’t feed our plants. We occasionally water, with rainwater, if we get a really dry period (which isn’t often here in 🇬🇧 😊). Is the water used in micro green growth chlorinated? Some plants do well in riparian areas, roots damp and some floating, but the thought of a mini beetroot, Pak Choi or cabbage with its roots suspended in water 24/7 doesn’t shout out “I’m nutrient rich” unless it’s fed with chemicals? Please enlighten me…..😅.

[@schneiderjudit2650]

thanks for this

[@jujubasolta]

Obrigada pela inspiração 🙏😊🖖

[@marydeeny5943]

Excellent!

[@kaitnip]

The biggest issue is the space. The second biggest issue is critters. My kids - young and curious - and my cats - not young but still curious - are a deadly combination to any and all plants. If I ever found the space, that is 🙃

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I feel ya! My kids are grown but cats are curious creatures. I have to be careful growing in sand, lol.

[@robertmoore1215]

Mason jars & herb garden on window sills. What passes for a house plant in my house is cat grass/ cat greens. Helps their digestion and also helps me adjust their grooming schedule or vet visits.

[@KelleyStrzelczyk]

I just imagine how much food and energy the full plants have. Mind made up.

[@Alien2799]

I was going to get peas from a supermarket to grow as microgreens. It is not recommended? I would imagine that they are cheaper than the ones specifically for microgreens growing. Thank you

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I believe that is ok, it's made for consumption. I have used lentils and mung beans from the store. Peas are a pretty cheap microgreen. They check the germination rate where as peas at the store are meant to be eaten so that is not important.

[@Alien2799]

@@KeepOnGrowin Thank you for getting back to me. There are split opinions on that. Some people say that they use the store seeds with no problems others say the opposite that you need specifically the microgreen seeds because of the reason you mentioned above that the germination rates are not as good for the store seeds and also apparently the store seeds might be treated with some stuff, having some pathogens, bacteria, mold etc. I do not remember the details now. Like you, I also thought of using lentils and mung from the store. So you never had issues with the store stuff? Thank you

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@Alien2799 Personally, no, but I was getting most of mine at ethnic shops. The mung beans were bigger than the ones I get online now. I also sprouted fenegreek which was cheap and really fragrant.

[@patriciawarder4641]

I just use raw seeds from the Bulk Barn store that are sold for eating.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Great tip.

[@innovationsanonymous8841]

I have decent results sprouting the seeds from the ethnic grocery store. I'm assuming their seeds are more... heirloom. Actually growing them to microgreens has too high a failure rate, though. Main problem seems to be heat and humidity.

[@mikefriendjr]

Interesting info. Definitely shatters what’s out there on the internet! ps your course link redirects to a 404 page…

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Hmm...works for me. I will check it out. Thanks.

[@nicksprung8873]

Im experimenting with microgreens. I’ve got the space to grow large amounts of high value seeds. If anyone has any suggestions on what I should grow (zone 6 central Missouri, heavy clay soil) i would appreciate it. Peas and sunflowers are already on the list

[@rachelanderson-z6n]

Have grown microgreens for market -- and found that they are very prone to fungal infections no matter how well you ventilate them. I also found that you do need the weights.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Thank you for your opinion. I never weight mine.

[@jameshunt2905]

This is pointing more to hydroponics which have entirely missed the intent of microgreen production. Hydroponics are indeeed expensive and are not the nutrient dense, soluble fiber rich food source for humans and animals. Hydroponics feed an investment and profit model where microgreens are a rich source of nutrition available and consumable for many situations and benefit people animals and the soil enriching benefit of these activities. Where hydroponics may have short term and emergency recovery applications its certainly no model system or approach that is sustainable in any way!

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I respect your opinion but disagree. Thank you for your input.

[@Ghekko-kw3zz]

​@@jameshunt2905 I've seen hydroponics done with mostly recycled containers. The cost of manufacturing, transporting hydroponic fertilizer compared with transporting finished produce is a strong point for hp. Farmers markets are 5-10x more carbon intensive than mega agriculture just because it's more efficient to have 20 tonnes of produce on a truck than a few boxes. Another point for hp is accessibility for urban gardeners with no yards or not much.

[@PTBeverly]

Yep, my dad did hydroponics for a couple of years, he tried all kinds of stuff as a farmer. I think he would have stuck with it if it had of been profitable.

[@geraldc5165]

Yep. As a farmer I know that the high prices are based on marketing. Like black cows being better eating than other cows. The whole industrial farming scam is based on marketing (propaganda).

[@DelmaRaySmithJr]

Thx

[@DJJonPattrsn22]

Surprising (& confusing) that you would cite USDA as your source reference regarding superfoods...

[@KeepOnGrowin]

There is no definition. It is a vague term.

[@michi641]

Herrje was ist daran besonders, ich mache den ganzen Winter Sprossen....Weizenkeimlinge und Weizensprossen für die Hühner. Ohne meine Stromkosten zu erhöhen, die stehen einfach an der Fensterbank. Wenn ich Lust auf Kresse habe, ebenso.

[@ancaomhnoirrua]

Where do you source your seeds from?

[@gentlemanx7987]

Thank you for making things clearer. I am a hobby grower. And yes, if I would calculate selling prices, they would be quite high, but that is - mostly - due to the outrageously high energy prices here in Germany. (Not kidding, as far as I know and as of now, we have the highest energy prices on the planet. Given that Germany is not exactly on or near the equator, you need lamps for growing, at least for a sizable amount of time per year.) Yes, I love my little plants, I really do, but somthing about the claims others make in their (mostly) KZbin videos, does not add up. But then again, it's KZbin, so it does not add up in many areas, not only microgreens. YT is a business in itsself and a title like "Make 10k per month with only 400$ investment and only work 5hours a week" just makes for better click rates. I get it. Discernment is key. As always. If it sounds way too good to be true... well, it most certainly is. ;)

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Right on. We are on the same wavelength.

[@krevor4095]

So, not necessarily a "sham". Assuming those claims are fairly accurate, it's more the principle of marketing and what the market will bear and what people are willing to pay. If I sell a widget for $5 that cost me $.50 to make, that's a good profit. However, if I rename it to a "wadget" and sell it for $10, and people are happily paying that, then.....

[@KeepOnGrowin]

what if you claim it is 10x better than the widget and it's not?

[@jillfriedman4797]

I find the video and the claims about the sham less than coherent. On the one hand you say microgreens are easy for anyone to grow and on the other hand you say they're overpriced but on the third hand you seem to be saying it's not so easy to make a profit. These claims are all contradictory. So I don't see where the sham is. Of course it's not easy to earn a living doing anything. Having been self employed and having a degree in accounting I know. So I don't think the microgreens are especially overpriced. They're like any other product that you COULD make or grow yourself but most people don't have the skill, time or interest to produce everything they use. That's what markets are for. There are plenty of instructional videos, though the ones I grow don't usually grow as fast or perfectly full as the videos but that's also true of gardening magazines and videos in general. You say the seeds are exactly the same as the ones used to grow other food plants but they're not. The garden seed packets in the store are much more expensive for the amount in the package, plus they're not intended for edible sprouts and microgreens and are sometimes treated with chemicals like fungicide. So I just don't see where the sham is.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

I did address getting microgreen seeds because they were untreated. Marketing all microgreens as a "superfood" and always using "up to 40x" when only broccoli was found to be that much.

[@jillfriedman4797]

​@@KeepOnGrowinok. I understand the superfood 40× the nutrition is probably a false statement but that doesn't mean the whole industry is a sham. It's a product that people like and they're willing to buy it at the store or buy the seeds and grow it at home. And people mostly eat foods they like. They're not eating it just because they think it's healthy.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@jillfriedman4797 Most people are drawn to microgreens just because of the health thing. It's called transparency. If the 40x is the extreme, don't use that as the standard. Every micro seller does that.

[@KeepOnGrowin]

@@jillfriedman4797 You are entitled to your opinion but you are basically agreeing with my statements. Show me one microgreen grower who is selling just based on taste and does not mention health one time.

[@dazie1245]

How funny 1 of those pictures is 1 of my classmates in the expensive online course I bought about starting running a microgreens business = it was helpful BUT only 1 person made big money for a short time then lost everything = we are still told we aren't making money because we don't apply ourselves well enough & we are offered another course to buy = these courses are good information BUT it is misleading about how much money can be made from microgreens alone ALSO I have long term experience with chief's & restaurants so I know they can't have crop failure They Have To Have Their Product To Match Their Menu Without Glitches = it's sad watching growers teach & think it's about their manners & not going during busy hours There's Allot More To Know About Restaurants so even the well mannered farmers are giving microgreens a bad service reputation

[@KeepOnGrowin]

Lol, right. I was a manager for several years in some restaurants. I can't imagine someone coming in to sell me stuff during peak hours.

[@iantalmadge]

Thanks for the video! Im building a business and since I have no capital I'm growing herbs to sell as fresh rooted plants that people can use for cooking and regrow as much as they want, I also post my non-traditional permaculture method and everything so people can do the same, Im not concerned if people want to know my secerets for groeing cause i just want to make the world a better place (and survive to do that is why i do sell what i can, i do give more than i sell though)