Microgreen Micromanagement

As of today here is my Microgreen set up.

I started out 4 weeks ago using a bespoke microgreen growing tray from Johnsons. Following the instructions scrupulously I sowed coriander and basil which, according to the packet, should be ready in 10-16 days and 16-21 days respectively. Well I am now 28 days in and it is time for some intervention.  Progress has been painfully slow, and I make the following observations:

The design of the kit needs to be modified.  What you get is a clear tray that holds a reservoir of water over which the growing trays are suspended.  At first sight I thought the clear tray was a cover to retain moisture in the atmosphere above the seeds but no, it is the base and there is no lid.  After the slow progress of three weeks I have enclosed the unit in a polythene bag to rectify this omission. 

Also after three weeks I was having doubts about the design from the point of view of the growing medium.  Spraying kitchen towel 2-3 times a day doesn't seem particularly onerous.  Once you have been doing it for 21 days without fail you begin to wonder who is the mug!  If you miss one session the kitchen towel soon dries out.

So after three weeks I took the third packet that came with the kit (Rocket - Ready in 16-21 days) and sprinkled it on the surface of a more conventional set up. A half sized seed tray with potting compost and a cover. This had the advantage of being moveable without the reservoir of water sloshing all over the place.  I put this enclosed unit in an internal cupboard and forgot about it for 4 days. On first checking it looked like this:

so I removed it to the kitchen windowsill alongside the designer model.  Given the time it has taken for germination of the first sowing I have to conclude that our kitchen is colder than your average kitchen.  (Although it gets hot from cooking and the boiler is located in there too, there is no radiator so the temperature can drop.) I also have become convinced that there is a decided lack of sunlight.
Time to deploy the growlight setup in our (former) coal cellar.  The tray can be heated but I haven't switched the heat on just yet.  Now that germination has occurred I feel sure that the level of light is the  crucial factor in producing green microgreens.

So, in conclusion, my purchase of the right kit for the right job turns out to be a bit foolhardy.  It is less faff  just to use the same system as I do for cut and come again salads but harvest them a bit sooner and pamper them a bit more with indoor temperatures and the supplement of some artificial light.  No bother really but it has taken a bit of working out! To grow a seed needs adequate moisture warmth - and light.