1. How many seeds are in a Seed Quilt?
Each Seed Quilt seed quantity varies due to the seed size. As an example, the Spicy Daikon Radish has at least 1350 seeds while the Red Cabbage has 2700.
2. What type of water should I use?
We do not recommend using distilled water because it will pull minerals out of the growing media - filtered water or regular tap water both work just fine, though filtered is recommended.
3. How much does the Seed Quilt yield?
Each Seed Quilt yields on average about 3.5 oz of greens. One harvest is enough greens for 4 side salads or 6 sandwich toppings, for example.
4. What is the fiber content of microgreens?
Check out this USDA link showing the tested fiber of some grocery varieties such as Radish & Sunflower. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/436807/nutrients
5. What if my Seed Quilt doesn't grow?
Nature can certainly be unpredictable, but we don’t want your microgreen harvests to be! We batch test all of our seeds for quality & they must pass minimum germination standards in order to be used in our Seed Quilts. Still, we understand that growing mishaps may occur due to the fact that we’re dealing with living seeds whose performance relies on factors such as temperature, light, water, humidity and the care provided by the grower. Sometimes, despite all your best efforts, things just don't go as planned. We are here to support you through all scenarios!
If your Seed Quilt is not growing as expected, please reach us at hamama.com/help right away so our experienced team of Grow Coaches can offer troubleshooting advice, tips and tricks to get it back on track. We ask that you please include a photo of your Seed Quilt along with any other details that would assist us in diagnosing the issue (growing process, location, environment, etc).
In the event the Seed Quilt has the potential to be saved, we kindly ask that you act on any proposed suggestions before requesting a replacement. If a Seed Quilt fails to produce a successful harvest, we are happy to provide you with a replacement or credit equal to the value of the lost harvest. Credits are applied directly into your Hamama account and can be redeemed towards any future Hamama purchases.
6. How do I consume microgreens?
Microgreens are super versatile. They can be added to salads/sandwiches/wraps, blended into smoothies, or used as garnish on anything from tacos to eggs or soups.
Many of our growers prefer the more mild ones (cabbage, kale, broccoli) for smoothies, and the more flavorful ones for salads and sandwiches (Zesty Mix, Super Salad, Clover).
The spicier ones, like Radish or Wasabi Mustard, are especially great on Asian or Mexican cuisines!
The best way to eat microgreens is raw - while you can cook with them if desired, doing so will reduce their nutrients & vitamin content.
Here are some recipes: https://www.hamama.com/blogs/recipes from Hamama Growers for some inspiration.
7. What is Fragrant Fenugreek?
Fenugreek is from the Fabaceae family. The maple smell and flavor of fenugreek has led to its use in imitation maple syrup. The seeds are rich in protein, and the plant is grown as animal forage. The remaining residue is rich in nitrogen and potassium, and is used as an agricultural fertilizer. Learn more about our Fenugreek here.
8. How nutritious are Cabbage microgreens?
Our Refreshing Red Cabbage microgreens are beautiful & have 40 times more Vitamin E & 6 times more Vitamin C than mature red cabbage.
9. Are microgreens nutritious?
Microgreens are actually the older version of sprouts and the more nutritious 10-14 day old version of a full-grown vegetable. Microgreens are concentrated with a diverse set of vitamins and antioxidants.
Red cabbage, for example, is at the 40 times end of the spectrum of nutrient density, showing high concentrations of Vitamin C, E and Beta-Carotene.
For further reading, please visit our blog post here.
The study is below:
https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/download/59409/PDF
10. Do you have the nutritional information for each microgreen variety?
Many studies have shown that, depending on the variety, microgreens are more concentrated in nutritional value than their mature counterparts! :) Red cabbage is at the 40x end of the spectrum, containing high concentrations of Vitamin C, E and Beta-Carotene.
We cannot provide specific nutritional advice, but recommend you talk to your healthcare provider or check out some studies on our blog, like this one! https://pubag.nal.usda.gov/download/59409/PDF
11. Is the bamboo frame required for my Hamama Grow Kit?
The Bamboo Frame is sold separately as an add-on item that goes around our special Hamama grow tray but it's not required for growing your green onions or microgreens.
12. What is in the Zesty and Super Salad Mix?
Our Zesty Mix includes broccoli, kale, arugula, kohlrabi, cabbage & mustard.
The Super Salad Mix is broccoli, kale, arugula, kohlrabi, cabbage, and cauliflower.
Included on each quilt is Seed Quilt label describing the specific varieties as well. It is a great reference for instructions, microgreen uses, and additional seed information.
13. Can I eat microgreens if I have thyroid issues and can't eat non-cruciferous vegetables?
Fragrant Fenugreek, Sweet Wheatgrass and Earthy Clover are all three of our non-cruciferous microgreens that will fit your diet. Please discuss with your healthcare provider or nutritionist for further information.
14. How do I store microgreens without using plastic?
Cut a piece of cotton cloth (about half the size of a standard tea towel). Run it under water, wring it out, fold it in half and then spread the sprouts out loosely in a row across the top. Then fold the bottom just up and over them so they are in a little "pocket" with their heads upright. Roll the cloth from end to end (like a Jelly Roll), loosely so the sprouts are secure but not crushed. The roll fits into a mid-sized tumbler and goes into the 'fridge - but you could use a wide-mouth jar or full size coffee mug.
15. Can microgreens be grown to full size vegetables?
Growing your leftover seeds from your Seed Quilt into full veggies may seem tough (and it’s not what the product was created for, so we cannot guarantee this!), but some awesome experimental Hamama Growers have shown us some pretty awesome success stories!
We do not use any fertilizer in our system due to the seeds only being grown for a maximum of two weeks. During this two week time, the seeds supply the nutrition they need without any extra inputs such as soil or fertilizer.
Microgreens have enough nutrition from the seed to grow for 2 weeks, but after that period of time they need supplemental nutrition sources to continue growing. Soil or a hydroponic fertilizer can provide this.?
Once your microgreens have grown and are ready to harvest, instead of harvesting them all, take some of the microgreens and transplant them to a pot or raised bed. You can plant the roots just below the soil, fertilize, water and watch them grow!
Check out our micro-gardening blog post here: https://www.hamama.com/blogs/hamama-blog/micro-gardening
16. Do you test the seeds for bacteria?
We test all our microgreen seeds for the common strains like e-coli and salmonella and of course, they must pass in order to be packaged into our Seed Quilts.
We also batch test all of our seeds for quality & they must also pass the minimum germination standards in order to be used in our quilts.
We do not currently have specific testing done regularly for the presence of pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, or glyphosate from possible drifts from neighboring farms.
17. How does Hamama pricing compare to purchasing microgreens in the grocery store?
With each Hamama Seed Quilt, you will be able to harvest about 3-3.5 ounces of microgreens. Growing your own microgreens at home with Hamama will cost about $30/pound of microgreens versus purchasing less fresh greens from the grocery store anywhere from $35 to $40+ per pound of microgreens. With Hamama, you know exactly what environment your food is grown in, what kind of water is used, and you are in charge of the entire process. With our grow system, your homegrown microgreens will be fresher and have less overall waste as well as a much smaller carbon footprint.
Check out our article 5 Reasons to Skip the Store and Grow Your Own Microgreens for more information.
18. How do you avoid bacteria?
We test all our microgreen seeds for the common strains like e-Coli and salmonella; they must pass in order to be packaged into our Seed Quilts. The Seed Quilt system is also specifically designed to fight this problem. With the Hamama grow kit system, your seeds are never soaking in water, unlike sprouts, but rather the Seed Quilt wicks up water from below as needed.
There are 3 components to the Hamama Grow Kit:
1. Hamama Grow Tray
Grow a lifetime of harvests with these reusable, high-quality, sturdy microgreen grow trays, designed for use exclusively with patented Hamama Seed Quilts. With built-in risers to lift your coco mat to ensure optimal airflow for root respiration, fill line to indicate water level, easy clean up, dishwasher safe (place in the top rack, upside down), #5 Food Safe, made from BPA-free Polypropylene, and fits inside the Hamama Bamboo Frame.
2. Seed Quilt
Each Seed Quilt is made with felt and soy wax paper. Our Seed Quilts are made of materials designed for food and agricultural use, and all materials are compostable in your green food and yard waste bin.
3. Coconut Fiber Mat
The coconut fiber mat is made out of coconut husk and is specifically sized to fit underneath the Seed Quilt, resting on top of the grow tray risers, which allows for airflow around the roots, that in turn help to combat the growth of bacteria.
When you harvest your greens, you can throw the Seed Quilt into the compost, give your tray a quick wash, then plant your next seed quilt.
The coconut fiber mat is reusable and can be upcycled as well. Check out the article Upclycling Your Hamama Coco Mats for more information.
Note: Microgreens grown with Hamama products come into contact with coconut, latex, soy, and corn-based materials. If you are allergic to any of these ingredients, please consult your doctor before using Hamama products.
19. Are your seeds organic?
All seeds are non-GMO, and most options are organic.