Ever thought of using bird seed for growing microgreens? Did you ever imagine microgreens would taste really good? They should, because they are a delicious and filling snack. Bird owners love them too, because eating these tiny little seeds is really a satisfying snack. Just imagine the fun of trying to grow and eat a variety of different berries all in one go!
You can usually get started buying sunflowers at local garden centers or even online. However, finding the lowest possible cost for some uncooked sunflowers to use as growing microgreens on your own is really on the cheap – in terms of cost-effectiveness and value-for-your-money. Why not try growing microgreens from home? Sunflower seeds are a safe, natural and low-cost way to get started with this enjoyable hobby. In addition, you can get started eating these wonderful berries almost immediately. So what are some great ways to make planting sunflowers a great way to kick start your morning or afternoon?
Planting microgreens in trays is a great way to ensure their freshness. When they’re still warm from being plucked from the sun, you can easily add them to a shallow glass jar or put them in your refrigerator. After about a week or so, you’ll likely be eating the tiny berries with your morning coffee and don’t even miss them! This is how eating health benefits goes.
Bird seed is a low-maintenance and very versatile plant. It can be planted anywhere there is a good amount of sunlight – but it’s especially an appropriate choice for sunny states since seeds don’t go dormant until after they have been exposed to sunlight for several hours. Because of that, it’s not uncommon to see birds starting to populate a sunny backyard within hours of planting sunflower seeds. (There are also some urban birds who eat sunflower seeds, but these birds are very different from those that you would typically see outside.)
You can use sunflower seeds for their resiliency or their ability to grow in areas that are too moist or hot. The heat tolerance is particularly helpful in hot, humid states where it’s hard to grow any other vegetation that can survive the heat – and the resiliency is very helpful when you’re trying to grow seedlings in containers. Some people have successfully grown their seeds on top of peat moss when they’re planting their first set of seedlings outdoors; the moss absorbs the moisture and protects the seeds against the drying out of the soil. You can also use the resiliency of sunflower seeds in containers to make them more resistant to fungus attack – a common problem for home vegetable gardeners.
If you’re planting microgreens, you can use any number of added water sources to make your seeds more readily germinate. A shallow dish of soapy water mixed with half a cup of bleach water should do the job. Some gardeners like to add a teaspoon of bleach powder to a shallow dish of water and spread it over the seedling containers before putting them into the ground, and some people like to add water to a spray bottle and spray on the seedlings directly. Whatever you do, be sure that you mix the chemicals with the water before adding it to the soil and be certain not to add too much.