Microgreens are some of the most popular types of green foods today because they are so rich in nutrients and are arguably more nutritious than their full-grown counterparts. Growing microgreens isn’t even difficult at all, and you can easily grow some in your home as long as you have the seeds. But, because they are basically just sprouted versions of seeds and are yet to grow into full-grown plants, can microgreens grow to full size?
Theoretically, microgreens can grow to full size when you provide them the environment to do so. They are still plants that grow from normal seeds, after all. However, because microgreens are grown in conditions that can halt their growth, they probably won’t be able to grow into full-sized plants.
There is a growing number of people who are avid growers of microgreens themselves as they find these foods nutritious and delicious enough to fit their daily requirements. But because you want microgreens to stay as microgreens and not grow as full-sized plants, you need to make sure that you know what you are doing when you are growing them from their seeds so that they won’t be able to grow to their full size.
Microgreens have exploded in popularity in recent years as a nutritional powerhouse ingredient. But these tiny seedlings are typically harvested just 1-3 weeks after sprouting, leaving many to wonder – can microgreens grow into full-size plants? In this article we’ll explore the growth cycle of microgreens and reveal their untapped potential to transform from nibble-sized shoots into fully matured vegetables and herbs.
What Are Microgreens?
Microgreens are the young seedlings of vegetables and herbs, harvested just after the first true leaves emerge They usually reach 1-3 inches tall Popular varieties include sunflower, pea, radish, broccoli, and arugula. Microgreens pack exceptionally high concentrations of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants compared to mature plants. Their tender texture and intense flavors make them a coveted ingredient for chefs.
The Stages of Microgreen Growth
Microgreens undergo 3 key phases of growth
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Germination – The seed sprouts and the first leaves (cotyledons) emerge.
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Seedling – The cotyledons fully expand and the first true leaves develop. This is the ideal stage to harvest microgreens.
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Maturation – The plant continues maturing, growing more leaves, stems, eventually flowers and seeds if left unharvested.
So microgreens definitely can grow into full-size plants if allowed to complete their entire lifecycle. But they are usually harvested for consumption during the seedling phase.
What Happens When Microgreens Grow to Maturity?
If you can resist the urge to snip those seedlings, here’s what happens as your microgreens keep growing:
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Plant size increases from 1-3 inches to full maturity.
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Stems and leaves elongate and toughen.
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Flavor profile evolves to resemble the mature plant.
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Nutrient density per gram declines as the plant gets larger.
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Time from planting to harvest extends from 2-3 weeks to several months.
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More space is needed to accommodate plant growth.
Benefits of Letting Microgreens Mature
Allowing microgreens to fully develop offers some advantages:
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Grow full vegetables and herbs at home.
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Save money on buying mature plant seeds.
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Experience the flavor and texture changes during growth.
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Add visual interest with plants at varying stages.
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Enjoy nutritional diversity as nutrients transform over time.
Drawbacks of Letting Microgreens Grow
However, there are also some potential drawbacks:
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Plants lose their signature tender crunch.
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Nutrient density significantly decreases.
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Vibrant microgreen flavors mellow out.
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More time, space and care is required.
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Higher disease, pest and mold risks.
Tips for Growing Microgreens to Maturity
If you want to experiment with maturing your microgreens, follow these tips:
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Use adequate lighting as plants get taller.
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Transplant into larger containers or garden beds.
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Maintain optimal water, nutrients, airflow and temperature.
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Monitor closely and address any pest or disease issues promptly.
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Harvest outer leaves to encourage continual growth.
The Verdict: Should You Grow Microgreens to Maturity?
Microgreens are intentionally grown for an early harvest, but they can keep maturing into full plants if left uncut. This transition alters their flavor, texture and nutritional profile compared to microgreens. With proper care, growing microgreens to maturity can be an interesting experiment. But whether it’s worthwhile depends on your goals – microgreen flavors or mature greens!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can microgreens regrow after cutting?
Some varieties of microgreens can regrow after cutting, but many are too fragile and experience stunted regrowth. It’s best to start fresh with new seeds each time.
Why are microgreens more nutritious than mature greens?
Microgreens contain the same total nutrients concentrated in a smaller plant. So you’d have to eat the entire mature plant to get the same level of nutrients found in microgreens.
How often do microgreens need watering?
Microgreens need their water level checked and replenished daily. Consistent moisture is essential for germination and growth.
How long do microgreens last after harvest?
Harvested microgreens typically last 10-14 days when properly stored in the refrigerator. Staggering harvests extends your enjoyment of fresh microgreens.
Can any vegetable be grown from microgreen to mature plant?
Most common veggies and herbs can fully mature from microgreens. Some hybrids or sterile varieties may not be capable of flowering and producing seeds though.
Conclusion
Microgreens hold the potential to grow into full-sized vegetables and herbs since they are simply young versions of these plants. However, intentionally growing microgreens using shallow trays and dense planting often restricts their ability to mature. With enough space, light and nutrients from seed onward, microgreens can fully develop given the right conditions. Whether to grow microgreens for early harvest or mature plants depends on your goals and resources. But experimenting with their growth can be an educational and rewarding endeavor.
Do microgreens keep growing?
In relation to the previous question, do microgreens keep on growing? Well, of course not! The fact that microgreens won’t be able to grow to their full size means that they will stop growing at some point in their lifespan. Again, let us go back to how microgreens are grown.
Skipping to the part where the microgreens are already competing with one another for nutrients in the thin layer of soil you planted their seeds in, these plants will no longer have the energy they need to keep on growing as they are already in a very stressful situation wherein they want to grow but they can’t because you didn’t put them in an environment that will allow them to reach their full size.
So, in that sense, the microgreens will stay as microgreens or at the stage where they are ready to be harvested because of how stressed they are. They are too malnourished at this point in their lifespan to keep on growing as they have all but used up all of the energy they had stored up when they were seeds.
We mentioned before that cutting off the microgreens from the rest of the plant will cause the roots to die out due to how stressful the situation is. The same thing will happen even if you don’t harvest the microgreens as they are already too stressed to be able to continue growing and living and will eventually die out. So, in that sense, even if you don’t harvest the microgreens, they will stop growing and eventually die.
In the same way, a harvested microgreen will also prevent the roots from ever-growing a new plant again due to the stress. In other words, microgreens are merely one-hit wonders that will never grow and will eventually die out as a result of the stressful situation they are placed under.
What if you give the microgreens more soil and nutrients?
So, assuming that the microgreens have reached their full size as microgreens and are ready to be harvested, can you transport them to your garden and give them enough soil and nutrients for them to continue to grow?
Probably not. The reason is that microgreens have already been stressed out too much at that stage in their lives to actually grow more even if they were given enough soil and nutrients after their growth has halted. You have done too much damage to them to the point that they won’t ever start growing again even if you wanted them to.
It’s a different story if you planted the seeds for the purpose of actually growing mature plants. As long as you give the seeds enough space, nutrients, and soil from the very beginning, they will have the capacity to surpass their microgreen stage and eventually grow into full-sized plants.
But since we are talking about seeds that are planted for the purpose of growing microgreens, then no, they probably won’t ever reach their mature sizes as plants. Theoretically, the seeds should have the potential to grow into full-sized plants but the fact that you grew them as microgreens will take that potential away from them.