- If you grow microgreens, chances are you've heard about
the potential mold problems
or maybe you've even experienced it for yourself.
You need to know what actually causes mold
in the first place,
if you want to prevent it from happening.
So let me explain what's really going on here.
For the best microgreens content
be sure to subscribe to my channel and ring the bell,
that way you get notified every Tuesday at 2 p.m.
when I post a new video on microgreens.
I've been growing microgreens commercially for years,
and I've dealt with my fair share of mold problems.
In the beginning it was happening a lot
and I've lost quite a few trays due to
mold, fungus and damping off.
By paying close attention
and learning about mold in general,
I've been able to improve my growing techniques
and form my own conclusions about the true cause
of mold in microgreens.
Let me say right now that I have never
sanitized my microgreen seeds,
because I don't believe that that's the root of the problem.
This may sound surprising to you, but I rarely experience
any mold at this point and I'm excited to share with you
the truth behind what actually causes mold in microgreens.
Mold is in the air around us.
We breathe it in constantly
and it generally doesn't form any problems
until it starts proliferating.
The real problem isn't the mold itself,
but actually the conditions that are allowing the mold
to replicate and thrive.
Mold will start colonizing when it has a food source
and the environment is moist, warm and stagnant.
Mold specifically loves moisture and a temperature above
70 degrees fahrenheit will actually encourage rapid growth.
When air is stagnant, mold spores can settle and colonize
because they're no longer consistently just
being carried through the air.
Let's keep in mind also, that mold itself isn't bad.
It's actually an essential part of the cycle of life
because its purpose is to break down
or decompose natural materials.
Without mold and fungi, nothing would actually break down.
Mold spores are in the air around us and there's no way to
actually get away from them.
And this is why sanitizing your seeds
will not solve your mold problems.
All right so now that we know a little bit more
about mold in general and how it functions,
let's see how this information relates
specifically to growing micorgreens.
Take a second right now,
just to go below into the comments and let me know
if you've ever experienced mold in your microgreens.
The more I hear about your experiences,
the better I can educate moving foreword.
All right so mold spores coming in on your seeds,
is likely not the problem
and I truly believe that sanitizing your seeds
is just a waste of time and resources.
The first potential problem involves sanitation.
If you don't properly sanitize
your trays and your equipment,
they can start to harbor mold,
which may not even be noticeable until it's a real issue.
On the other hand,
excess mold due to preexisting conditions
like a damp basement,
will also likely cause problems
and is an important factor to consider.
Improper environmental controls within your grow room,
will also likely cause problems.
Like I mentioned earlier,
mold thrives in moist conditions.
So if the humidity in your grow room is too high,
it will promote mold growth.
Too high a temperature and stagnant air
will also encourage mold growth.
So be sure to consider these environmental factors
within your grow room, if you're dealing with mold problems.
Mold issues can also arise from
your farming practices and procedures.
Over watering will cause excess moisture, obviously,
and too high of a seed density
will reduce airflow across the plants,
and also caused more moisture
to be trapped underneath the canopy.
Ungerminated and dead seeds will also cause problems
in your microgreens tray,
because mold is naturally gonna come in
and try and decompose them.
Now you know what actually causes mold
in your microgreens trays,
there's a lot more to learn about
growing microgreens and microgreens business.
So be sure to subscribe to my channel and ring the bell,
that way you get notified
when I come out with a new microgreens video
every Tuesday at 2 p.m.
You probably wanna know how to prevent mold
now that you know what causes it,
so click that video below or use the other video
to see exactly how I grow my microgreens
from seed to harvest.
If you like this video hit the like button below,
subscribe to my channel
and share this video with your friends
if you think it can help.
Thanks again and I'll see you next time.