If you are a gardener, then you probably already know that one of the most important things you need for your plants to thrive is a good quality soil. Your soil is the foundation upon which your garden grows. Choosing the best microgreen soil mix for your garden can mean the difference between a healthy garden that thrives or one that goes dormant and withers away. You do not want your garden to die out, only to look beautiful when it does. Microgreen, or organic soil building materials, are vital for providing the right amount of nutrients and minerals that will help your plants thrive.

Most gardeners choose one of two primary sources of organic growing media: peat moss or coconut coir. Both of these organic growing media are excellent for creating the perfect growing medium for growing microgreens. They provide the necessary nutrients needed by your plants for good root growth, develop a healthy soil that will retain moisture, and release oxygen to benefit your plants. Microgreen is a high quality ingredient that goes beyond simple mulching to improve the quality of your soil mix.

Microgreen growing media are made up of finely ground organic material like peat moss or coconut coir. These materials are combined with organic fertilizer and drainage solutions. This combination allows organic matter to be decomposed quickly, which is important to improve water retention. The decomposed material also allows larger water absorption and evaporation, so your plants get the moisture they need.

When selecting the appropriate microgreen growing medium for your project, there are a few key things to consider. One of them is the medium’s water retention ability. The amount of water and depth of absorption your medium should retain is an important consideration when making a composting or tilling mix. Other important considerations are the nutrients the organic matter and mulch mix can provide to your plants. Nutrients like phosphorous, sulfur, copper, and magnesium are important to plant health and growth.

For example, adding one tablespoon of fine pine needles to a gallon of warm water will provide the nutrients needed for a number of plants. However, it will not provide enough nutrients for success. Adding one tablespoon of coconut husks to the same water will do the same thing as the pine needles, but will also provide enough nutrients to improve root growth. Similarly, adding one tablespoon of sphagnum peat perlite coir to a quart of medium will do the trick, but will not provide the benefits to your plant that the pine needles will. The mixture will retain water well enough to allow moisture to permeate deep into the soil for maximum root development.

Composting and tilling are not the only options for creating the best soil for growing microgreens. You can also use other organic materials such as straw, decomposed garden waste, or lawn grass clippings as a mulch for growing. Microgreens grown in this way will retain more moisture and nutrients than growing media alone, but will not be as nutrient-rich as tilled or composted material. Adding half a cup of wood ash to six cups of medium in a computer will do the trick.

Once you have found the right microgreen potting soil mix for growing microgreens, you need to make sure that it is well-drained. Any potting media that retain too much water will encourage the growth of weeds. Adding a good drainage solution, such as rock salt, to the mix will help keep the soil moist while your plants grow.

The best combination for growing microgreens will depend on the microgreen species you intend to grow, your area’s moisture level, and your personal preference for the texture and nutrients in your organic mix. However, most people find that a espoma organic seed starter mix works well for most species. Espoma organics are extremely popular because they are completely organic. There are no chemical fertilization and no farming by-products in any of the ingredients in Espoma organic seed starting mixes. Organic farming is an important step, but organic micro greens go a long way toward fulfilling that goal.