Gardener reveals easy trick for sprouting microgreens at home: 'You can grow your own food in a week'

TikToker Martha (@marfskitchengarden) found a creative way to sprout microgreens using leftover small tin cans. The video showed how one can grow food indoors and recycle at the same time.

The scoop

"You can grow your own food in a week on a window sill," Martha narrated. The video's description added, "You can grow them in practically anything." 

@growingfruition Givin out this knowledge is crazy. But i love yall and i do it happily👨🏼‍🌾🌱❤️ #microgreens #sidehustle #microgreensbusiness #sidehustleideas #businessideas #indoorgarden #indoorfarming #verticalfarming #verticalgarden ♬ Calm - Faneo sound

Martha chose sardine cans to grow the greens because "they're nice and thin and easy to make drainage holes in." The holes were made using a small hammer to drive a nail through the bottom of the container.

The simple process starts with soil made from rehydrated coconut coir discs, followed by sowing the microgreen seeds right on the surface. Close the cans and stack them in the kitchen closet or pantry, where they germinate for a few days. After they begin to sprout, they can go on the window sill. Harvest what you need and they'll continue to grow, as long as you keep them watered.

Don't worry if you're not a fan of eating sardines. You can use the same process Martha showed to grow a range of sprouts like pink kale, radish sango, or broccoli in a mushroom tray, cream cheese container, tapas dish, or other small container.

How it's helping

The cost of eggs is just one concern regarding food stability. Food costs have remained 24% higher than pre-coronavirus pandemic prices, per the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. 

Such prices (and shortages) caused many people to seek budget-saving alternatives by growing their own food and returning to old preservation methods like canning — a topic that returned 69.5 million posts on TikTok, per the Seattle Times. 

Unfortunately, everyone doesn't have a large backyard to plant a vibrant garden or fruit trees, but self-sufficient food production is still possible despite that.

Gardening hacks, such as growing microgreens in a tin, can show people ingenious ways to utilize small or indoor spaces to grow healthy food and repurpose items like cans or food containers instead of sending them to already-packed, methane-producing landfills. 

Home-grown veggies and fruit often taste better, make it easier to get more nutrition, and are free of harmful GMOs. Many people also get a physical and mental health boost from gardening, as referenced in PubMed Central's journal Elsevier Preventive Medicine Reports. 

How often will you be gardening this summer? Every day 🥗 At least once a week 🥕 At least once a month 🌱 I don't garden 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

An outdoor garden also benefits the environment by attracting friendly pollinators like bees. Such creatures help gardens thrive by promoting biodiversity, and they keep the world's food chain circulating. 

What everyone's saying

The video was flooded with lots of positive comments and questions. "I eat microgreens every day, I need to try this!" said one. 

A mint fan noted, "I've got Altoids tins. I never thought of using them for growing!"

Some commercial businesses are also using a similar method, "Saw a lot of restaurants in Germany growing these for their food bars — love this idea!" commented one person.

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