What are Baby Greens?
Baby Greens begin as Microgreens, but have an extended life cycle. Given plant food and bright light on your Gardyn at the right time, Microgreens grow into Baby Greens, offering a small salad per seed pad when harvested. Unlike mature crops that take months to grow, you can harvest and eat Baby Greens in 3-4 weeks when they are just a few inches tall!
Which varieties of Baby Greens can I grow? Are some varieties better for Baby Greens vs. Microgreens?
You can grow any of our Microgreens varieties into Baby Greens, though we highly recommend 6 for Baby Greens: Lemon Basil, Carrot, Spicy Blend, Kalefetti, Arugula, and Mild Blend.
Left to right: Carrot Baby Greens, and Lemon Basil Baby Greens grown to 2 different stages
From left to right: Spicy Blend, Kalefetti, Arugula, and Mild Blend Baby Greens
How are BabyGreens different from Microgreens? What about sprouts?
Each of these are different and unique stages of plant growth.
- Sprouts are the first stage of a seed's growth, eaten just after germination and before cotyledons fully show.
- Microgreens are the second stage of a plant’s growth, marked by early root growth and the appearance of the cotyledons. Plants in this stage have even more flavor and nutrients than if the same plant were to fully mature.
- Baby Greens are the third stage of a plant's growth, starting with the first true leaves to emerge (following the cotyledons). Plants in this stage taste less intense than the Microgreens stage, and more closely match the flavors of the mature plant. Baby Greens offer a more substantial, leafy texture than Microgreens while still providing more nutrition than the mature plant would.
Why should I grow and eat Baby Greens?
Baby Greens are a quick and easy way to harvest a whole salad from a single seed pad. Baby Greens add great flavor, nutrients, and freshness to your diet. Plus, they are exciting to grow, and count as vegetables! If you prefer slightly less intense flavors than Microgreens but still want a tasty, fast-growing reward, Baby Greens are a perfect choice.
How do you use Baby Greens?
Baby Greens are incredibly easy to incorporate into your meals as a side salad, or a larger salad if you harvest several at once! They add a boost of flavor and nutrients to any dish. You can also add Baby into sandwiches, burgers, or tacos.
How nutritious are Baby Greens?
Because you harvest Baby Greens shortly after the Microgreens stage, their nutrient levels are still extremely concentrated. Baby greens offer a nutritional punch rich with potassium, iron, zinc, magnesium, and copper. Baby Greens are also a great source of beneficial plant compounds like antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals offering a wide range of health benefits.
Are Baby Greens easy to grow?
We’ve made growing Baby Greens easy with a unique combination of our Microgreen Kits and the Gardyn! All of the varieties we offer are easily grown using the same simple steps and materials. All you need to do is add potable water to your clean nursery and pop in a Microgreens plate with a bamboo wick and seed pad. Then, once your Microgreens would be ready to harvest, you move them to your Gardyn for a larger, Baby Greens harvest in another 1-2 weeks!
Do I need a Gardyn to grow Baby Greens? What about a nursery?
We design our Baby Greens to start their life as Microgreens in our Sprout Nursery, then flourish on the Gardyn to grow into Baby Greens. So yes, both a Nursery and Gardyn are required to grow Baby Greens.
Where is the best place to put my nursery to grow when starting my Baby Greens? Do they need a special light to grow?
The best place to put your nursery is either on the lid of your Gardyn, or in direct sunlight by a warm window. While you do not need LED lights to grow to the Microgreens stage, they will grow faster on your Gardyn’s lid due to the consistent light. When you’re ready to grow your Microgreens into Baby Greens, you then need the Gardyn’s LED lights (and plant food in your Gardyn) to help your Baby Greens develop.
Where is the best place on my Gardyn to put my Baby Greens?
Because it only takes a few weeks of plant food and light on your Gardyn for Baby Greens to be harvest-ready, their specific location does not matter. Simply pop on the support plate with your seed pad wherever you have an open spot on a column!
Why can I place Baby Greens on the Gardyn at the Microgreens stage, without true leaves - won’t that hurt them?
The Microgreens seed pad develops roots much faster than a yCube, so even though there are no true leaves showing, their roots are more robust and able to take up plant food without harming the Microgreens. This follows our guidance on plant food readiness, where roots are just one of three possible indicators that a plant is ready to be nourished, rather than harmed, by plant food.
Can I germinate yCubes alongside my Microgreens in the Nursery at the same time?
Nursery hygiene is incredibly important for Microgreens, so we recommend designating your Nursery for Microgreens only. If you do choose to sprout new yCubes alongside your Microgreens, be sure to keep your nursery clean.
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Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us. We're here to help!