You may be unsure what to do with the microgreen soil after harvesting the microgreens. Can you reuse microgreen soil? Of course, you can reuse the soil for the next planting round.
However, the remaining root and stem structure must be broken down before they can be used. So just get rid of them, right? No. If you sift out the remaining soil and reuse it right away, the microbe may cause problems for your new microgreen. The soil must first be treated.
Check out how we deal with mold on microgreen.
There are a few simple steps you can take to completely break down the root. It takes about 10-20 days to complete. We will explain further below.
Are there any Nutrients left in Microgreen Soil after Harvest?
Yes, even after several rounds of planting, the microgreen soil still has plenty of nutrients. As a result, you should never waste them. That’s because microgreens don’t require much soil; for more information, see “The growth stage.”
The reuse microgreens soil will become darker after composting the remains. After that, it’s ready for the next round of microgreen. You can also combine them with topsoil, compost, or fertilizer for a better result.
Learn how to make the best potting soil mix.
The soil can be reused repeatedly — it is sustainable!
Can you Reuse Microgreen Growing Pads?
Growing pads are preferred by some microgreen growers over soil planting. I previously discussed the advantages and disadvantages of soil and hydroponic systems . Continue reading.
Most growing pads, however, cannot be reused.
This is due to the fact that they are typically made from fibrous structures, such as coconut coir and hemp fiber, which are compostable but not reusable. That means you’ll have to re-order the pads on a regular basis, which isn’t really feasible as a microgreens business.
Another source of concern is microbial contamination…
Growing pads (also known as substrate pads) are high in nutrients, promoting the growth of microbes. If you simply reused the pads, you will most likely notice a slow growth rate or other issues.
Insist on reuse…
Although it is not recommended, the growing pads can be reused. First, bake/heat the pads for a few minutes. Then soak them in diluted food-grade hydrogen peroxide (like this one). Finally, use selective nutrients to wash the pads. That being said, reusing them will require a lot more effort. Some heat-sensitive nutrients will also be destroyed.
As a result, people will simply discard the growing pads and begin again. Running that as a microgreens business can be quite costly; see the calculation here.
How to Reuse Microgreen Soil
After microgreen harvesting, there are a few options for reusing the microgreen soil. I’ll explain the two most common approaches below.
Vermicomposting: Combine all of them in a compost bin/pit.
Worms adore organic material. They eat the root, stem, and anything else that decays, and then return to you the amazing black gold soil for your next planting.
Composted soil contains so many nutrients that it no longer requires fertilizer. Indeed, many organic farmers prefer vermicomposting to chemical fertilizers.
If you’re not sure how to make a compost pit, check out the video below. In this manner, you can reuse the potting microgreen soil in a matter of weeks. Make a few compost pits to alternate the new and old soil.
Flip the Old Microgreen Soil to Reuse
A clever solution is to turn the reuse microgreen soil upside down and grow the new crop on the back side. This will allow the remaining microgreens to degrade while the new batch grows at the same time.
Composting takes longer than the first method mentioned above, but it is more convenient and saves time. However, if done incorrectly, you may encounter mold issues.
For a new batch, simply sprinkle some seeds on top and cover them with soil.
Before you leave, consider this: Can you regrow the microgreens?
