How to Maximize Microgreens shelf life
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- Опубліковано 5 вер 2024
- How do you make microgreens last so long? Well that is the what I hope to answer in this video.
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First of all, those micros look AMAZING for being 16 days old. So congrats on that.
A couple of things I would add to the otherwise great info in this video. 1) If your micros are a little wet when you harvest, you can always put them in front of a gentle fan to blow dry them. 2) I use dri-loc pads in the bottom of my clamshells to absorb moisture - they are quite cheap and also very effective. Prior to the pads I was folding up bits of unbleached kraft paper towel origami style, and this also worked well. 3) I have started putting my harvested micros in large bins in the fridge before packing them in individual clamshells - this mitigates the crop heat factor, and leads to less condensation. 4) Thank you for mentioning the issue with being close to lights on store shelves - I hadn't thought of this, but it's good to know it could be as much or more of a factor than temperature.
I'm sure there are more bits and pieces I am missing, but this is a great topic. Thanks for sharing!
Approximately how long in the fridge?
All great additional information! I should have touched on what to do if they are damp. I use your fridge method to remove dampness sometimes. I usually will pack them and leave in the fridge with the lids open for a few hours, it helps a lot.
I kept giant bowl for almost a month... it looked great on top, but had visible mold in it. I even ate some the day before👀... I'm still here kickin it.✌❤👊🍻
jacob where do you buy the dri-loc pads?
@@crystalwinks2772 I buy them from a local distributor. They focus on sanitary and restaurant products.
When I refrigerate my microgreens I always put a few
Paper bags on the back wall and sort of cover the top to make sure they don't freeze.
Was searching this exact topic the past few days and none of the videos were that informative. Thanks a ton!
Thank you, that’s great to hear. I always feel like I’m forgetting something and just hope the video is helpful.
About compostable plastics.. I have two vermicompost bins in my cellar. In one of them I had two of those compostable plastic bags in it for two years (when I started with those)! Yes they started to degrade and got some holes etc... but after 2 years having to fish it out when harvesting from the bottom still mostly intact and putting it back on the top I just gave up on those and put them in bin.
In my area there are 2 microgreen companies and they use thin cardboard box (5 sided box, top empty, so that you can see the plants) with a plastic foil over it as a cover. Im sure there is a thin layer of plastic inside the box as well to prevent it from getting wet.
This way you really minimize the plastic usage.
Edit: No holes.
Edit2: it's a shallow box, something similar to the box new mobile phones come in nowadays.
Thanks Corey, I'm getting back into growing microgreens and had been wondering about this topic recently.
Awesome, I hope this video helps you.
Such helpful information! I'm new to growing microgreens and super excited to increase the shelf life with your recommendations. Thank you!!
You’re welcome!
Great topic, great presentation.
Thanks Corey's Cave.
Thanks buddy.
Great stuff Corey! I struggle with condensation down here in FL, so I’ve been putting paper towels in the bottom. Not ideal but not sure how to combat this. Thanks for the video!! 🌱💕🌱💕🌱
One thing I forgot to mention, if you find the microgreens to be wetter than you would like, you can leave them in a refrigerator in an open container for a few hours. This will help remove excess moisture and you can then package them.
I know one microgreens farmer in fl. uses those absorption pads they use in raw meat packs for his microgreens. I put mine in the fridge in an open container like Corey suggested for a half hour and haven't had any issues myself.
Thanks for the great tips and I am impressed how those 16 day-old greens looked. Good job
Thank you
maybe not the best production but the best vids everytime
Thank you very much. I put little effort into the production and try to focus on value, I should try to do better though.
Thank you for your informative video. I do have 2 questions for you if you don’t mind.
1. Do you use one of those moisture packs that pull out moisture?
2. Do you have a special method of soil blend that produces bigger leaves on your micro greens?
Great video 🎉
About plastic containers. I use PLA-containers which are great and biodegradable.
Love the channel, thanks for making the videos. Would love some information on the walls in your grow space. It looks like some kind of liner, does this help with sanitation? Any trouble with air flow? Maybe a new video idea? Keep up the good work!
The walls are covered in Panda plastic. It is black on one side and white on the other. I like it because it reflects light well and does give a nice sanitary feel to the room.
I stop watering 3 days before harvesting and the microgreens are still wet. I believe this is because I seed densely 30 grams per 10 by 20 tray. Thinking I need to turn on dehumidifier and fans a day before harvest to mitigate the wet microgreens issue. Great video btw!
A dehumidifier will help alot.
I also use absorbent pads
Those help too but you don’t need them if you harvest the greens dry enough. My packaging is typically more expensive than the microgreens that are in them so I don’t like to add cost.
@@CoreysCave how is your packaging cost more than the micros? The dri-loc pad is maybe 10 cents, and I think I pay around 40 cents per clamshell.
@@CoreysCave In this video you suggest not watering for 24 hours before harvest, and I have seen other people suggest this as well, however any time I have tried that I walk in to find wilted micros every time. In fact I tried this last week with broccoli - simply gave them less water the night before and the next morning several trays were half wilted. I would rather slightly wet greens that I can fan dry than wilted greens that will go bad more quickly.
Great info, I get the question of how long they last quite often as well. I grow them for my CSA when I have the time
It really does depend on how they are packed and handled. I hope your CSA continues to do well.
Good advice right across the whole subject, thanks Corey
Thank you!
Enjoy learning from your videos. Good job.
Thank you, happy to help
Great video sir. Liked and subbed. Today is harvest day for my peas and radish. First attempt at growing and id say they look great. I dont know how im going to sell these but the experiment was a success id say. They look big and healthy. I have 16 ounce genpak clamshells. Would it be advised to put 2 oz of product in each? what price would you sell a 16 ounce genpak container full of micros for?
Great video, thanks Corey!
Hi Corey! Love your channel, on the spicy salad do you have a lot of hulls that end up in your mix? I know mine do, no one has seemed to mind, but wanted to see if you have that issue, or if not, how do you avoid keep the hulls out?
Thanks a lot Corey. I love your video. Very honest and informative.
We also found the vented containers suck the Microgreens dry nearly overnight.
Good stuff Corey! Great info!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Corey 😊
You’re welcome!
Great stuff as always !
Thank you!
this is such great info thanks Corey!
Thank you very much
Good content, gotta check out your channel for more.
Thanks! Great info!
Thank you
Awesome video! Do you use a certain machine or stamp to put the best by date and harvested date on your packaging Corey?
I use a date stamp I bought at staples.
Great video and information as always thanks! Can you give us a link on where you got your containers from?
Thank you! Here is a link to the Dart container on Amazon amzn.to/3kMAkG3 looks like they are raising their prices too.
Good vid as always Corey. Thanks mate 🙏🏼
Hey Corey. Thanks so much for these videos. Or a wealth of good practical information.
Quick question. So-reading between the lines I’m assuming dry lock pads is not in your repertoire. Is that right? I’ve seen these pads used in packaging from some vendors but it sounds like if you’re careful about your timing of waterings you can just eliminate this issue altogether. Just checking on your thoughts.
Exactly, I know a lot of growers package with the pads or a paper towel in the bottom, I never have and haven’t needed too.
I searched information, some say put a dry paper towel to absorb moisture in a zipper bag and store in fridge. Some say put a damp paper towel…😅
Can anyone please tell me, should it be damp or dry?
Dry
That's pretty crazy that someone would get bent out of shape because you said you could fit 2 OZ of micros in a 16 OZ container. I packed today FOUR OUNCES of micros in a 16 OZ container!! it was a mix of various micros, and the container was abundant, but everything looked great in it.
Perhaps the difference of perception comes from whether you grow fine, young micros, or if you let them grow big, and also depending on what you grow. If you try to fill 4 oz of peas that are not super super young, there is no way 4 oz would fit in a 16 oz container.
I grew broccoli and similar micros, very small and very delicate, you can fill every little space in the container. My container is not flat either, so all micros were placed vertically, and one little layer filled maybe half the height of the container, making it look really empty, unless I added more.
I am pretty new to this, but in my experience customers seem to be attracted to a container that looks really full and that conveys abundance.
A container that is empty from the middle line up, looks pretty sad.
Corey, can I ask about the distance from the bottom of your lights to the microgreens? How close are they? It looks like those micros are quite close to the lights. Have you had any trouble with the micro being too close?
Thank you for your informative videos!! =)
When using LED's you are almost never too close. In general you want to be as close to the lights as possible without touching, but my lights are usually about 8" away.
I'm finding my greens are lasting over 4 weeks in the sealed clamshell containers. I have some that are approaching 6 weeks. I put a piece of paper towel in my containers that contain Sunflower, Broccoli, Radish, and Mixed greens. The Pea greens just seem to last no matter what. I overgrew too much to consume and sell
Yeah the sealed containers work great. I don’t use the paper towel but I know a lot of people do.
@@CoreysCave for some reason the ones I mentioned that I put paper towels in the container seem to have moisture problems between 3 and 4 weeks if I don’t take preventative action. The peas don’t
@@MaynardFreek Pea shoots seem to last forever. I mark everything with a best by date 14 days past harvest. But how they are kept really matters.
@@CoreysCave yes it does!!!
Hello i wanted to ask about microgreens i read that microgreens can make you sick with salmanela and e coli if someone eat them raw but the most of people eat the raw how can i prevent pathogens in my seeds or plants so i can be sure 100%
11:17 Out of curiousity: What exactly is Brabant?
My last name.
@@CoreysCave as it is a province / region in Holland at border with Belgium. Now you know what your name means :)
Corey, I am about to venture into the commercial micro greens business. Your videos have been a big help! Keep them coming. I have watched several UA-cam videos from growers claiming they make upwards of $3,000-$10,000 per month- is that figure REALLY feasible? Thanks in advance for the response...
Yes that kind of income is feasible but it takes a really solid customer base and a lot of work.
Hi Corey, do you have an affiliate link for the Panda Plastic? I looked around but didn't find one, wanted to get some, but want to do it with your link. Thanks
Here you go amzn.to/3ruVc7m thank you for asking!
@@CoreysCave Thanks Corey, just placed the order, your videos are so great, anything I can do to help out is well worth it.
@@jonthompson665 I really appreciate that!
Grounded plants do better everytime.
Grounded people are more healthy.
Yes, I literally mean grounded.
I’ve been told it is healthy to walk around barefoot as it keeps you grounded, literally.
Where you from where you don't pronounce the g in ing
I live in NH but I think I somehow made up my own accent.
FIRST
What about using sea salt on wash them..i haven't yet. Have you heard about it? Thanks