Fenugreek is a delicious spice often used in Indian cuisine. In fact, it is one of the main ingredients found in curry powder. When grown as a microgreen, this delicious spice has a full flavor palate. This amazing microgreen provides you with three flavors at the same time – nutty, spicy, and bitter. You only need a few of these tasty microgreens in a dish due to its pungent flavor.
Fenugreek microgreens offer a number of health benefits. Fenugreek is filled with nutrients to keep your body functioning properly, including magnesium, protein, fiber, and iron. This delicious microgreen can improve metabolic function and help you manage your weight. It has also been shown to improve glucose levels, relieve PMS pain, and provide anti-inflammatory benefits which reduce the risk of several diseases, including cardiovascular disease.
Check out our quick view microgreen profile. It provides you with the information that you need to successfully grow fenugreek microgreens.
| Attribute | Profile |
| Flavor | Fenugreek has a potent sweet flavor with nutty, spicy undertones. |
| Pre-Soak (Yes/No) | Yes – Presoak for 4 to 6 hours. |
| Color | Fenugreek microgreens have pale green stems with dark green shiny cotyledons. |
| Germination Time | The germination period for fenugreek microgreens is 1 to 2 days. |
| Harvest Time | On average, fenugreek microgreens will be ready to harvest in approximately 2 weeks. |
| Green Thumb Level (1-5) | 4 – Fenugreek microgreens are easy to grow following our instructions; however, patience is required. |
Fenugreek microgreens are a delicious addition to your favorite Indian dishes. Although this microgreen is more difficult to grow than other microgreens, this microgreen can be successfully grown by novice growers as well as advanced growers as long as our directions are followed.
Typically, you will not be able to regrow fenugreek microgreens. If any fenugreek microgreens do regrow, the taste and texture will be negatively affected.
From planting to harvesting, it will take between two and four weeks to reap a harvest.
Fenugreek microgreens do not like the cold. Fenugreek can grow in temperatures between 50 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. However, like most microgreens, fenugreek grows best between 70 and 75 degrees Fahrenheit.
Fenugreek microgreens are resilient when it comes to diseases and pests; however, there are some pests and diseases that can affect your microgreens, including aphids, powdery mildew, root rot, and charcoal rot. Managing the temperature, moisture levels, and airflow can reduce the risk of these diseases and pests.
There are several methods that can be used to grow fenugreek microgreens. Each method requires certain pieces of equipment. Our preferred method uses a soilless growing medium and the following items. Using this method reduces the risk of pests and disease and ensures a large harvest.
A starter kit like the Deluxe Starter kit offered by True Leaf Market provides you with everything you need to get started other than the optional equipment listed below. These kits contain seed samples, growing medium, growing trays, misting bottles, and pH strips.
If you prefer to purchase individual pieces of equipment, refer to the list below. You may already have some of these items on hand.
Fenugreek microgreen seeds should be soaked for four to six hours. A pint mason jar with a screw on lid allows you to soak your seeds and drain any excess water after they have soaked for the recommended amount of time.
Choosing a growing medium is essential to the success of your microgreen gardening. Microgreens require a fine-grained soil that drains well. The two most common types of growing mediums are coconut coir and seed starting soil.
Coconut coir is a soilless growing medium that is produced from the husks of coconuts. Coconut coir is a fibrous growing medium that is able to absorb a lot of moisture. In addition to this, it is a pH neutral growing medium, making it a great choice for microgreen gardening.
Seed starting soil is a fine-grained growing medium that is filled with nutrients that young plants need for optimal growth. A seed starting medium can hold a lot of moisture while still allowing airflow through the growing medium.
In order to properly grow fenugreek microgreens, you will need a total of three growing trays. Two of these trays will not have drainage holes while one of them will. Typically, microgreen gardeners prefer using 10 inch by 2 inch growing trays; however, there are also other sizes available.
The drainage holes in a microgreen growing tray are designed to allow for safe watering while preventing overwatering and the diseases associated with overwatering. By placing your growing medium in a growing tray with drainage holes, you can water from the bottom, which helps prevent mold and other soilborne diseases.
One of the microgreen growing trays without drainage holes will be used to hold the water used in bottom watering. The second tray will be used as a blackout tray/ humidity dome during the germination process.
A misting bottle is used to gently moisten the growing medium during the germination process. The fine mist produced by the misting bottle will not disturb the fenugreek seeds.
Fenugreek microgreens require bright light for proper growth and development. One of the best ways to provide your microgreens with the light that they need is to use a full spectrum LED grow light.
During the germination process, the soil temperature needs to remain a steady 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. A heat mat allows you to regulate the temperature by providing gentle, consistent heat to the bottom of your grow trays. Once the seeds have germinated, the heat mat can be turned off as long as the ambient temperatures are within the recommended temperature levels.
A planter's rack allows you to house your fenugreek microgreens vertically. In addition to this, a rack il allow you to easily install both grow lights an/d circulation fans. When choosing a planter's rack, look for a sturdy one that is at least 12 inches deep and 25 inches wide.
A circulation fan for your microgreens improves airflow in and around your fenugreek microgreens. Increased airflow reduces the risk of mold and other soilborne diseases. Furthermore, circulation fans can help reduce the risk of pests.
Ground fenugreek microgreen seeds by Mountain Valley Seed company do not require presoaking and are ready for harvest in 8 to 12 days. The bright green microgreens have a high germination rate and are often used in Indian spice mixes and tea.
Organic Fenugreek microgreen seeds by Handy Pantry require a few hours of presoaking. You can expect a harvest within 6 to 12 days. With its pale green stem and shiny dark cotyledons, organic fenugreek microgreens have a sweet flavor with bitter undertones.
Following our easy to understand step by step growing instructions for fenugreek microgreens you will reap a large harvest of tasty and nutritious fenugreek microgreens. Although fenugreek can be grown hydroponically, we recommend using a growing medium for best results.
If your fenugreek microgreens seeds require presoaking, place the seeds in a pint mason jar and add enough water to cover the seeds. Allow the seeds to soak for the recommended amount of time. Drain the seeds and move on to step one of our instructions.
Begin by filling the grow tray with drainage holes with the growing medium. Fill to the top of the growing tray and then gently pat down, ensuring the growing medium is level and slightly below the top of the tray.
Once your tray is filled, you must thoroughly moisten the growing medium. This can be done by sitting the grow tray in a couple of inches of water for 30 minutes.
After your soil is thoroughly moistened, place your tray with drainage holes inside one of the remaining trays with no drainage holes. This setup will allow you to water from the bottom during the germination process.
Once you have completed step one, it is time to sow your microgreen seeds. Evenly spread the seeds across the entire grow tray, ensuring the seeds do not overlap. Then, add a small amount of soil over the top of the seeds and use the misting bottle to gently moisten the soil and seeds one more time.
In order for your seeds to properly germinate, you will need to mimic the normal germination process. Seeds are planted in the ground and subjected to darkness and pressure.
Invert the remaining growing tray with no holes in it and place it atop the newly planted seeds. Then, use a weight or a heavy stone to weigh down the top of the tray. Don't worry, this will not harm the microgreens. In fact, weighing down the inverted tray will strengthen the roots of the fenugreek seeds, resulting in proper development and growth.
The germination process will take a couple of days. To help improve germination rates, place the tray atop a heat mat. Over the next few days, check the moisture level of the soil every 6 to 8 hours. You want the soil damp; however, it should not be soaking.
Soil that is too damp is just as bad as soil that is too dry. If the soil has dried out, grab your misting bottle and spray a few squirts to remoisten the soil.
After your seeds have germinated, you must remove the germination/humidity dome and place the fenugreek microgreens under your grow lights. Your grow lights should be approximately six to eight inches away from the top of your grow tray.
During the growth period, you will want to keep your grow light on for 16 to 18 hours each day. The grow light will activate the photosynthesis process and ensure your microgreens grow straight and full.
After you have removed the germination dome and placed your microgreens under the grow lights, it is time to install and turn on the circulation fans. The fans should be installed on one side of the planting rack and angled so that it blows across the top of the microgreens.
Make sure that the circulations fans do not blow down on the growing medium as this will cause the soil to dry out too quickly. The goal of the circulation fans is to keep the microgreen stems and leaves dry while maintaining proper moisture levels in the growing medium.
Fenugreek microgreens should be harvested when the cotyledons have fully emerged, and the microgreens have reached a height of four to five inches tall. By this time, the cotyledons should have turned bright, shiny green.
There may still be some seed hulls left on the microgreens; however, this is not an indication that the microgreens are not ready to harvest. Gently brush your hand across the top of the microgreens and the seed hulls will fall off.
The best way to know when the fenugreek microgreens are ready to harvest is to taste the microgreens. The flavor of the microgreens can change within hours; so it is important to taste often once the microgreens reach harvest time, which is between ten days and two weeks.
Once the microgreens have reached maximum flavor, it is time to harvest the fenugreek microgreens. You will need a clean plate and a pair of sharp scissors or a sharp knife. If your knife or scissors are not adequately sharp, you will crush the fenugreek microgreens, which will reduce the storage time of your microgreens.
Fenugreek microgreens should be harvested slightly above the soil level. Hold the microgreens gently in one hand and cut the microgreens. As you cut the microgreens, lay them in a single layer on your clean plate.
If you will be using the fenugreek microgreens immediately, fill a bowl with cool, but not cold water. Plunge the microgreens in the water, swirling around to remove any dirt or debris. Then, place them in a single layer on a few paper towels and allow them to air dry before using.
If you will not be using the microgreens immediately, you want to keep the microgreens completely dry. Do not rinse them in water. Any moisture at all will reduce the life expectancy of your stored microgreens.
Loosely wrap your freshly harvested fenugreek microgreens in a clean, dry paper towel. Then, place the wrapped microgreens in an airtight storage bag. The microgreens should be placed in the crisper drawer of your refrigerator.
Fenugreek microgreens will remain fresh for approximately one week when properly stored. When you are ready to use the microgreens, plunge them in a bowl of cool water and allow them to air dry before using.
Fenugreek microgreens are extremely nutritious and are used in curry and other Indian dishes. Fenugreek microgreens are easy to grow. You can expect a harvest approximately 2 weeks after planting.
