Microgreens are becoming more popular around the world because they’re packed with nutrients. These tiny greens aren’t just tasty; they’re super healthy too. Recently, a study focused on a type of microgreen called Ethiopian kale, which is native to Africa. This really caught our attention since anything from East Africa gets us excited—especially since Suzan grew up in Kenya.
The study looked at how different LED light colors and growing substrates (the stuff you grow plants in) affect the growth, yield, and health benefits of Ethiopian kale microgreens. They tested different LED lights—blue, red, cool white, and a mix of all three—along with three types of growing substrates: cocopeat, sand, and a mix of both.
What The Kenyan Scientists Found
The researchers discovered that the best results came from using a combination of all three LED light colors (blue, red, and white) and growing the microgreens in a mix of cocopeat and sand. This combination led to the highest yield, tallest plants, and the biggest leaves. The microgreens also had higher levels of nutrients like carotenoids and flavonoids, which are great for your health. Interestingly, using just blue light increased the chlorophyll content, making the plants greener.
One thing to note is that the plants grown under the mixed LED lights in pure cocopeat had higher nitrate levels, which is something to keep an eye on.
Our Perspective: Growing Microgreens in Canyon, Texas
Here at our farm in Canyon, Texas, we’ve never grown Ethiopian kale microgreens before, but we’re definitely interested in giving them a try. The fact that they’re from Africa, particularly East Africa, makes them even more intriguing to us.
In our microgreen production, we grow our plants under super bright white, 6500K full spectrum LED lights. Our microgreens seem to really love this light. Growth is even and consistent, plants are healthy, and our yields are great. We’ve noticed that this bright white light is easier on the eyes compared to LED grow lights that use blue and red light. While those lights are great for seed germination, the bright pink glow they produce isn’t very pleasant to work under for long periods.
We’ve also found that peat-based mixes are effective, but they’re expensive and can really drive up our production costs. Currently, we’re using a general-purpose potting soil mix with consistent success. However, as we look to scale up our operation here in the Amarillo area, we’re considering switching to Pro-Mix HP High Porosity with Mycorise, even though it’s $90 a bale.
Final Thoughts for the Canyon and Amarillo Area
This study shows that both the type of light and the growing substrate can make a big difference in how well microgreens grow. For Ethiopian kale microgreens, a mix of blue, red, and white light along with a cocopeat-sand mix seems to be the best approach. As we think about expanding our microgreen production in Canyon, Texas, this information could help us make better choices moving forward.
Trying out Ethiopian kale microgreens could be an exciting addition to our controlled environment agriculture efforts, especially since they have roots in Africa. We’re eager to see how they’ll turn out in our setup, grown indoors using vertical farming techniques right here in the heart of the Texas Panhandle!
Thank you for reading! We are Dawn Farm, a USDA-registered Urban Farm located in Canyon, Texas, owned and operated by Tim and Suzan Triplett. We grow microgreens indoors using sustainable agricultural practices. We offer free deliveries to the Amarillo area. In the summertime, you can usually find us at the Canyon Farmers Market. Our mission is to provide fresh, nutritious, and eco-friendly greens to our community. Follow us for more tips, recipes, and updates on how we bring the best microgreens to your table.
Reference: Maru, R.N., Wesonga, J., Okazawa, H., Kavoo, A., Neondo, J.O., Mazibuko, D.M., Maskey, S., & Orsini, F. (2024). Evaluation of Growth, Yield and Bioactive Compounds of Ethiopian Kale (Brassica carinata A. Braun) Microgreens under Different LED Light Spectra and Substrates. Horticulturae, 10(5), 436. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10050436