We’ve hit a few bumps along the way. But we also learned a lot!

We learned that microgreens do not grow well in moldy environments. We learned that just starting out in 2018, when the building we were growing our microgreens had a problem with it’s air-conditioning system and the dehumidifier stopped working. 

We couldn’t understand why the microgreens we had just sold to one of our chefs, outlived the microgreens in our own grow lab. Turns out, good air flow is very essential to healthy microgreens. It was all about the humidity and air flow.

We learned about the need to diversify our business model. In February, 2020, we had the opportunity to participate in a farmers market with a large following. We had been on the waiting list for some time and we were excited to get the call that we could participate in the next month’s market. 

We planted quite a number of microgreen trays in anticipation of a good showing. Late, the night before the market, as we were packaging the microgreens, we received a dreaded phone call. The market was being canceled until further notice because of a coronavirus known as COVID-19. The market, along with most restaurants, would remain closed for several months. 

That’s when we learned not to put all of our eggs in one basket. We switched up our business model to concentrate on the customer at home, since that’s where most of us were spending our days, and to grow-to-order to reduce waste and to keep costs down.

What’s the best temperature for growing microgreens in a controlled environment? Well, we learned in February, 2021, that it wasn’t sub-zero temperatures, as millions of Texans lost power amidst the coldest temperatures in its history. 

With rolling power outages, we were without heat for several days straight. Microgreens typically like temperatures above 70° F, with low humidity and good air flow.  That’s why being able to control your environment is important when growing microgreens.