Sunflower Organic Shoots
Sunflower shoots have a mild, nutty flavour. Can be eaten fresh, added to salads, used as a garnish, or used in a wide variety of dishes. Growing shoots is a fun and easy project that gives you nutritious greens to add to your salads or sandwiches any time of the year. Plant in a tray of soil and harvest at their nutritional peak, generally when about 3" tall.
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Details
Growing Information
Planting:
Sow seeds thickly in a shallow tray of 1-1.5” of potting mix, press into surface, it is not necessary to cover. To speed germination you can soak the seed for a couple of hours before planting. Keep the soil moist but not wet. Cover the tray with black plastic or another tray to block out light. This will encourage the sprouts to stretch, otherwise they will be too short to harvest.
Harvesting:
Once the seedlings have reached the desired height of 3-5” (in approximately 7 – 21 days) they can be harvested yellow or remove the cover and leave in the light for a day to develop green colouring. To harvest, cut the seedlings off just above the ground level with a sharp knife or scissors. Place shoots in plastic bags or sealed containers and refrigerate. The plants will not regrow, so discard the leftover soil and start again.
Pests & Diseases:
Damping off can be a problem. Be sure and use fresh potting mix with each batch, do not over water and allow air to circulate around the seedlings.