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Last Updated on April 23, 2024 by Paul Clayton
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Eliminate Microgreens Containing Mold
Mold in microgreens poses a significant health risk, so it is crucial to eliminate them. Mold can occur due to various factors, such as high humidity, poor ventilation, or excessive watering.
- Recognize Mold: Identify white, fuzzy growths and musty smells on microgreens.
- Separate Infected Greens: Isolate any microgreens with visible mold from healthy ones.
- Dispose of Infected Greens: Remove the entire plant if mold is present to prevent spread.
- Check Watering Schedule: Avoid overwatering; moisten the microgreens’ soil but not soak.
- Improve Ventilation: Ensure proper air circulation to reduce the risk of mold growth.
- Sterilize Growing Trays: Clean and sterilize trays to remove mold spores before reusing them.
“Could that possibly be mold growing on my microgreens? Do I need to get rid of them completely?”
Thankfully, the answer is “No” virtually all of the time. The white fuzzy stuff often found surrounding microgreens is not mold but root hairs 85 percent of the time.
Root hairs are typically white and fuzzy. They emerge from the root radicle and look for water and nutrients. Both can be true in some situations. The seed and the soil are covered in a fuzzy mass of white mold that is now expanding.
The root radicle is coated with another white mass that is made up of tiny individual root hairs as it searches for soil.
Is That Mold on the Microgreens or Root Hairs from the Microgreens?
We are here to alleviate some of your concerns and save you time immediately. Most of the time, the white hairs that appear fuzzy are root hairs, particularly if you intend to cultivate more typical microgreens such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, or radishes.
Mold often does not grow on seeds with such a smooth and rigid hull as those. There is always the possibility of an exception, but in most cases, the problem is not the seed. In the following sections of the text, we will go into further detail on these issues.
Mold can grow on microgreen seeds, so watch for them. Mold is more likely to grow on seeds with one or more characteristics: a softer shell, rough surface, or soaked in water before planting.
Microgreen seeds such as sunflowers, peas, and cilantro are included in this category. We also believe that spores clinging to the porous and rough surface of the seeds of Swiss chard and beets are the source of the damping-off disease that is affecting your crops.
It’s possible That The “Mold” you see on microgreens is root hair. The vast majority are root hairs, a natural occurrence for most microgreens.
We are aware of the panic that has been caused. We are all quite eager to see what has grown over the blackout time, and when we finally remove the cover, we hope to find that our plants have developed magnificently.
And what exactly do we see here? It’s possible that the fact that we know we’ve poured water, placed the tray in a dark spot, and laid weight on top of the soil to trap moisture has led us to anticipate mold growth.
It’s also possible that we’ve never noticed root hairs since we’ve always covered our seeds with dirt in the garden, but root hairs are the most likely explanation for what you see.
Root hairs may be identified by their white filaments that grow from the seed radicle. Even though the fuzzy white spread on your tray seems more like mold on microgreens, it is OK to root hairs that are, in some cases, spreading over surrounding seeds.
A little bit further into this content, we will demonstrate how to distinguish mold root hairs from other types of mold.
One further way to recognize that these are root hairs. Spray some water over them. They shouldn’t be sprayed under a great deal of pressure. Only mist the objects that are white and fluffy.
If they are root hairs, they will fall out. They don’t adhere to the radicle, but you won’t be able to see them anyway.
On the other hand, mold will just spread out and cover everything. After the misting, you will still be able to see it.
Your root hairs will disappear after a few more days. As the root penetrates deeper into the soil, the root hairs will fall off in a few days. Mold won’t kill it.
When grown on mats, microgreens’ root hairs are visible more often than when grown on other media. The radicles are never dragged down to the same extent as with dirt.
We believe that using matting results in a more significant amount of moisture being accessible at the surface.
Therefore, the root hairs will continue to exist since they can fulfill their purpose in their current position.
Therefore, your white fuzzy mass does not resemble your root hair. If this is the case, then it most likely is mold. There are occasions when mold on microgreens is very noticeable.
It is possible that the problem was caused by the insufficient decomposition of the organic matter before the soil was bagged and sent out for delivery.
Compost is an essential component of every high-quality potting soil mix. Once the components are mixed, they will begin the composting process again.
The microorganisms will devour the nitrogen, which will result in the production of heat whenever nitrogen supplies are combined with carbon sources.
If the fresh potting mix is bagged before the composting has equalized, for lack of a better description, it can generate heat.
Warm and moist conditions increase the likelihood of mold growth on microgreens. However, the increased temperature of the working potting mix may not be sufficient to stimulate mold formation.
However, we have effectively produced an oven when we place microgreens in a blackout period and cover them completely.
Mold may quickly grow in this environment since the composting process generates additional heat, and the lid ensures consistent moisture.
If the room’s temperature is excessively high, especially during the summer months in a home without air conditioning, you will also see a pattern like this.
Or even when utilizing heating pads throughout the colder months of the year. The microgreens developing on the outside corners of the tray, where the temperature is lower, will flourish wonderfully.
However, in the dead middle of the tray, there will be concerns with germination and damping-off disease. At the moment, we are focusing on refining the usage of heating mats in conjunction with trays that are covered in microgreens.
Thus, it is recommended that you do not use a solid cover on the top during the warm months or if you are using heating mats. Instead, it would help if you utilized a ridged plant tray, as this will allow heat and moisture to dissipate from the center of the tray.
Mold on the Seeds and Stems of the Microgreens
The radicle, the first component of the seed to develop roots, will invariably have root hairs on it. Yes, the root hairs of neighboring seeds can grow over other seeds.
Mold is present; however, fuzzy white growth may develop on either the seed husk itself or on the plant’s stem.
Microgreens cannot produce root hairs on their stems. A mold of this type is typically seen on microgreens grown inside domes, but it is extremely unusual to find it on microgreens cultivated using the weighted approach.
Mold on microgreen seeds has the potential to spread to the surrounding soil as well.
The amount of water being applied was excessive, and as I was planting it, the tray became completely saturated with water.
The liquid rises through the soil and collects on the cover, which causes the top layer of the soil to become saturated. Mold commonly results from using seeds with a tough husk, such as borage.
How to Prevent Mold from Forming on Microgreens and Where to Buy It
Mold spores may be found almost anywhere, and we are perpetually engulfed in a spore storm.
Consequently, the most effective method for preventing mold growth is eliminating the conditions that allow it to flourish.
Here are five ways to reduce mold growth: Let’s start preventing mold before sowing microgreen seeds.
Put Your Focus On The Ground
The fact that soil is typically packaged in plastic bags has positive and negative aspects. It is essential to use plastic bags to protect the soil from moisture in the air. Additionally, they are longer-lasting than paper bags or paper bags coated with plastic.
Commercial soil bags do have holes in them. These holes maintain the bag’s moisture content (albeit harmful to fungus gnats and mold spores) and prevent the bag from bursting if it is dropped or if anything is put on it.
On the other hand, plastic does act as a barrier. When the bag’s temperature changes from lower to warmer, whatever moisture is already present in the soil will condense and become more concentrated.
The Remedy
Always open a bag of soil when you receive it at your house or when it is delivered.
The next step is to get a storage container, after which you will move the soil into the container to increase air circulation.
Your local DIY store will have black bags. Find the strong ones that do not bend or fold, can be stacked, and come in various sizes.
A 2-cubic-foot dirt bag may be stored in containers with a 17-gallon capacity. If you purchase smaller bags of 8 quarts of potting mix, you need to unzip the bag at least once so that excess moisture may escape.
Both should preferably be placed inside a compact container that has some headroom for storing purposes. It is acceptable even if it does get dry. It will become moist again, particularly coconut coir.
Wash And Sanitize The Trays
After each use, the trays used for growing microgreens must be cleaned and disinfected. It’s possible that mold grew on the planting material during the previous batch and then spread to the trays via airborne spores.
Or the soil itself may have spores that were not successful in growing in the prior batch of microgreens. That doesn’t rule out the possibility of their doing it again.
How to Properly Sanitize Platters. There are a lot of different approaches to take here.
Dishwasher
It is possible to rinse it out and place more compact trays in the dishwasher, such as the 1010 planting and watering trays; an upper rack is recommended. Alternatively, you can use the procedures listed here: bleach, Vinegar, or Hydrogen Peroxide—soak or Spray the Area.
After removing any residual dirt from the trays, either soak them in one of these solutions or spray them with one of them. These solutions will eliminate or significantly reduce the amount of mold spores that may be present on the trays.
Use approximately one tablespoon of bleach for every eight ounces of water.
When using vinegar, the appropriate amount is two teaspoons for every 16 ounces of water.
When it comes to sanitizing trays, we believe the brown bottle of 3 percent hydrogen peroxide sold in pharmacies is fine.
When the spray dries, the stabilizer will be destroyed, and it will no longer be available for absorption by the roots in the future.
However, you should only apply hydrogen peroxide approved for food use on living microgreens or soil.
Sanitizing Seeds
Mold can frequently be seen to be growing on microgreen seeds. As was previously stated, seeds of sunflower, peas, cilantro, borage, and Swiss chard that have a rough and uneven husk are particularly prone to transporting mold spores.
How to Properly Clean Seeds
All of the different kinds of seeds can be sterilized before they are planted. But it’s a hassle to spread out little wet seeds, and they typically don’t provide much of a mold danger since it’s difficult for the mold spore to cling to the smooth spherical seed. This can be a problem.
However, the mold spore count in the other items described above can be reduced by soaking them for ten to fifteen minutes in food-grade hydrogen peroxide at a three percent concentration.
After that, wash the seeds with clean water. If you feel that further practice is required, you can carry out this procedure many times.
For example, if you experienced problems with mold when you bought this batch of seed in the past.
We always try to grow a batch of seeds on our own first before we sterilize them. If the planting does not develop mold, we will not sterilize that lot until we have issues.
Make Use of Soil That Has A Decent Drainage System
Soil with components such as perlite, old forest products, volcanic rock, and similar materials is beneficial to drainage.
Particles and materials with irregular shapes and varying degrees of porosity can direct water away from the plants, down and from the soil.
Utilizing a soil medium with uniform particle size, shape, and porosity will allow water to be retained.
There is no need to remind you to use trays with holes as planting trays. You already know how to do that, don’t you?
Pre-wetting the Soil Is Not Recommended
When planting seeds, we strongly recommend not overwatering the soil.
When sowing microgreen seeds, we water the top one-third of the soil profile. The soil in the tray does not need to be completely saturated with water before sowing seeds.
It is sufficient to moisten the top third of the soil during germination.
Saturating the entire soil profile heats the inside of the soil, causing it to become saturated, which provides the ideal environment for the growth of mold.
Don’t Plant Too Many Seeds or Clump Them Together
Many individuals have questioned the seeding density of Home Microgreens. It is commonly believed that we seed our trays too lightly.
This is not the situation at all. We rigorously test all of our suggestions for seeding density and arrive at the final rate after considering a wide range of characteristics relevant to producing microgreens at home.
The quantity of seed that other people advised was one of the primary motivating factors in my decision to establish Home Microgreens.
The tray’s interior remained consistently damp, the plants were overcrowded, and the microgreens consisted almost entirely of stems with very few leaves.
In addition to causing disease problems when the microgreens mature in an environment with reduced ventilation, over-seeding can lead to problems during germination.
Mold seems to grow in places with a concentration of gathered seeds.
This can happen due to mass over-seeding of the tray or spots where seeds tend to gather, such as low spots in the soil or around the trays’ perimeters.
The retention of moisture that occurs when seeds come into contact with one another is exacerbated by the fact that most mold is thought to originate in the seed itself. To minimize the risk of mold growth, spread the seed as uniformly as possible.
Choose Smaller Trays Instead of Larger Ones
The use of smaller trays will assist in enhancing the airflow that passes through the microgreens. Mold is more likely to grow in the trays’ center sections.
Plants growing on the outside edges benefit from significantly greater ventilation and drier conditions than those in the center.
Instead of cultivating microgreens in a huge 1020 tray, consider growing them in a few 1010 trays or even smaller trays. Mold growth on microgreens can be prevented by increasing the edge area in the bulk of the microgreens.
Only the Water at the Bottom
Maintaining a dry environment for microgreens is essential to lessen the likelihood of mold growth. Overwatering microgreens will only lead to more problems in the long run.
Yes, significant producers of microgreens do irrigate their plants from above. However, these establishments have a far higher airflow volume than your home and considerably more powerful lighting.
This lesson will cover how improving ventilation and lighting may help eliminate mold problems.
After the seeds have germinated, the most straightforward strategy to prevent mold from spreading or developing is to water the soil only from the bottom and only when the soil is dry.
Mold thrives in damp soil and may quickly spread across the garden.
Proper Air Circulation
Ensure adequate ventilation throughout the crop to limit the likelihood of mold formation during microgreens’ development.
Growing racks with USB fans attached may reduce mold. The fans don’t need to run constantly, but they should do so when the temperature and relative humidity are high.
Although it might not look like much, they draw a significant amount of air through the fan, given that they are continuously operating.
Bring Down the Humidity
It would be beneficial to bring the relative humidity in the growth region down to a lower level. If you want to cultivate a significant amount of microgreens, putting a dehumidifier (one that also boosts airflow) close to where you will be growing them is a smart move.
You may also lower the relative humidity by cooling the space, which is another option.
Treatments for Mold that Can Be Found on Microgreens
Even if you notice mold on the microgreens, it is possible that you do not have to give up. When determining whether or not a tray may be reused, we want you to use your discretion. Always err on the side of caution while making decisions.
Additionally, wash the microgreens before using them, not before storing them as some people do, but before eating them.
Boost the amount of airflow that is available in the region. It would help if you welcomed any movement of air.
Although the microgreens shouldn’t appear as though the wind is blowing around them, it is desirable for them to have some movement in their leaves and stems.
It would help if you placed them in direct sunlight, beneath lights with a greater lumen output, or even relocate them closer to the lights.
Mold on Microgreens and the Treatments Available
You have the option of selecting from at least three different therapies. We have tried two effective methods, provided the mold problem is not insurmountable.
Hydrogen Peroxide
Mold may be eradicated by spraying it with one tablespoon of a 3 percent solution of food-grade hydrogen peroxide and sixteen ounces of water. There is no discernible odor, but you may need to spray the mold more than once.
There is no need to be concerned because the hydrogen peroxide will eventually break into oxygen and water.
When applied to a wound, you will notice that the mold begins to bubble like peroxide.
Because it is stabilized to extend its shelf life, hydrogen peroxide sold in pharmacies is not something you should use.
Vinegar
Dilute 5 percent vinegar, offered in grocery shops for cooking, at 1 tablespoon for every 16-ounce bottle of spray vinegar.
The dilution should be sprayed onto the mold. Again, it’s possible that more than one misting will be necessary.
It will smell, well, like vinegar. It is also possible that it will attract fruit flies.
Either cider vinegar or white distilled vinegar can be used. Both of these options include additives.
Extract from Grapefruit Seeds
Mix one teaspoon of the extract into a volume of water equal to eight ounces. The mold was eliminated with just a single treatment. The extract of grapefruit seed is the one that we prefer to use the most. It worked very immediately.
Mold on microgreens should be evaluated according to your criteria. I cannot be held responsible for any decision you make on whether or not you should throw away a tray of microgreens with mold growing on it.
Root hairs are what you see most of the time, incredibly shortly after the blackout, and there is no need to be concerned about them.
However, if you are growing one of the microgreens that has a tough husked seed, you need to look at it very carefully. If it is mold, you will need to assess its widespread before deciding whether to cure it and whether or not to throw away the tray.
Spray it once with any of the treatments described above, then move the tray into direct sunshine or bring it closer to the lights and see how the tray’s surface appears the following day.
We hope that this post will be helpful to you and answer any issues that you may have. If not, you can reach out to us using the contact page or share your experiences using the comment box below.
This video has been included to clarify the topic. Credit goes to UPSCALE HEALTH
How Do You Clean Microgreens?
Cleaning microgreens is a delicate process that should be handled carefully to maintain their nutritional value and freshness. The first step involves cutting and placing the microgreens in your salad spinner basket.
This basket functions like a colander, where a gentle stream of cool water can rinse the greens. It’s essential to ensure that the water flow isn’t too strong to prevent damage to the microgreens.
After rinsing, transfer the greens into the spinner and spin them. The spinning action helps to remove any remaining dirt or debris, leaving your microgreens clean and ready for consumption.
Wrapping Up
The process to eliminate microgreens containing mold starts by recognizing its presence. Mold manifests as white, fuzzy growth and can produce musty smells.
When mold is detected on microgreens, the infected greens should immediately be separated from the healthy ones to prevent cross-contamination.
Disposal of these infected greens is crucial, and if mold is present, the entire plant should be removed to stop its spread.
In addition to removal, prevention plays a significant role in tackling this issue. The watering schedule must be checked regularly, as overwatering is often a leading cause of mold growth. The soil for the microgreens should be kept moist but not soaked.
Improving ventilation can also significantly reduce the risk of mold growth. Proper air circulation prevents the build-up of excess moisture, thus creating an environment less conducive to mold growth.
Lastly, sterilization of the growing trays is an essential step towards prevention. Cleaning and sterilizing trays can effectively remove remaining mold spores, ensuring they are safe for reuse.
Following these key steps can successfully eliminate microgreens containing mold and prevent its recurrence in future crops.
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