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Garden Notes: Cleanliness is vital if you're growing sprouts, micro-greens

Dear Helen: What is the difference between “sprouts” that can be produced year-round indoors and “micro-greens?” Where can I find seeds and equipment for growing both? F.L.
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Cutting into the substantial “heart” of a Markant endive plant reveals its appealing creamy colour.

Dear Helen: What is the difference between “sprouts” that can be produced year-round indoors and “micro-greens?” Where can I find seeds and equipment for growing both?

F.L.

Sprouts are soaked and then rinsed and placed in a jar or special sprouting container. The seeds are rinsed several times daily until the sprouts have developed to a usable size. At that point, they should be used within five or six days.

Special jar lids with mesh screening are available to facilitate easy rinsing of sprouts in wide mouth canning jars.

Sprouting seeds don’t require sunshine to grow, yet they are highly nutritious. It’s important to use seeds sold specifically for sprouting, to be sure they are free of any chemical residues or harmful pathogens. Seeds and supplies are available at some garden stores.

The West Coast Seeds catalogue has two pages devoted to them, with several types of sprouting containers and jar lids, along with 15 individual types of seeds and seven mixtures (sandwich, salad and so on).

Micro-greens are grown in shallow pots, in a sterilized potting mix and in bright light. The greens are cut with scissors for use in salads and sandwiches. Popular micro-greens include sunflower, chard, arugula, peas and kale. West Coast Seeds lists 11 kinds and one blend.

Dear Helen: What kind of lime is best to use in gardens?

S.C.

For years, the common recommendation was to use dolomite lime, because it contains magnesium as well as calcium. Dolopril, a granulated form of dolomite, has become popular for its ease of handling and its speedy availability. More recently, soil experts have warned against the exclusive, regular use of dolomite because its magnesium content is not well balanced with its calcium content.

Ideal ratios of calcium to magnesium are 10 to 1 for general use, 7 to 1 for use on grasses and in sandy soils.

Dolomite, at 22 per cent calcium and 12 per cent magnesium gives a ratio of roughly 2 to 1. An excess of magnesium can lead to a calcium deficiency in plants and to soil compaction. Calcium carbonate has 40 per cent calcium and five per cent magnesium, a ratio of 8 to 1 — a better balance. It is available as marking lime in farm and garden supply stores.

I get mine from an outlet that keeps it stocked for surrounding municipalities to use for marking lines on local playing fields. Check before buying that the bag is clearly marked as containing Calcium carbonate.

I use Calcium carbonate mixed with a little Dolopril for general use in vegetable and flower plots. My garden’s soil is very sandy.

Dear Helen: My family is very fond of endive for bright, tart notes in salads. We try to grow our own because heads of frilly-leaved endive are almost never to be found in our local food stores. We have had no problems growing endive from spring to around mid-autumn, but we’d like to have it year round in the garden. Do you know of an endive that will endure in good useable condition in the winter garden?

S.G.

Most curly endive types do best when grown for spring through early fall harvesting, except for the “Wallone” varieties, which form broad, hefty plants with large, curled leaves.

They are the best choice for seeding in July to early August for cutting in autumn and winter. I seed this sort of endive indoors, where conditions are less extreme than in the outdoor summer garden, and transplant in August as temperatures begin moderating.

It’s not easy to find a Wallone endive, but West Coast Seeds has one called Markant.

It’s the only variety of endive I’ve grown that stays in remarkably fine condition in the low light and cold temperatures of winter. The heads are sturdy, nicely blanched in the substantial centre, and pleasingly flavourful.

Another endive you might consider for cold season harvesting is Sugar Loaf, which is seeded directly in the garden in May for cutting through the autumn. The plants grow like a tightly furled romaine lettuce. The sweet, tender heart of a Sugar Loaf head is a beautiful pale golden lime colour.

Dutch friends turned me on to this delightful leafy green. I chiffonade the heads for salads. Sugar Loaf can also be added at the last minute to stir-fries, or served as salad with a hot bacon and onion dressing.

Sugar Loaf is listed in the catalogues from William Dam Seeds (under Chicory-Radicchio) and West Coast Seeds (under Endive).