Boost Your Harvest: Mastering the Art of Cutting Microgreens

Growing lush, beautiful microgreens is only half the battle – you also need to cut and harvest them at peak maturity. Proper harvesting maximizes your usable yield and maintains quality. Follow these key techniques for collecting your precious microgreens crop. 

First, don’t cut the microgreens if they are wet. “Cutting Wet Microgreens? Don’t! Dos and Don’ts for Watering Pre-Harvest”

Choose the Right Cutting Tools

Having the right gear makes cutting easier and protects your microgreens, here is a list of the items you want to have on hand. For your convenience, I have linked each item to a recommendation from Amazon.

• Scissors or a sharp knife – The best tools for precision cutting. Opt for small, lightweight shears.
• Collection bowl or tray – For gently gathering cut greens and minimizing handling.
• Scale – To weigh harvests and servings for clients or recipes.
• Food-grade disposable gloves to wear while harvesting to prevent contamination.
• Cutting mat (optional) – Provides a clean, even surface and protects your counters.

Cut Above the Soil Line

Resist the urge to simply grab and rip microgreens from the soil. When harvesting microgreens, it’s crucial to hold and grasp the delicate stems and leaves very gently. 

Use one hand to lightly hold the base of the microgreens. Bunch several of the stems together, then use your other hand to carefully cut the stems with shears or a knife just above the soil line. 

Avoid compressing or squeezing the microgreens, as this can bruise and damage the tender greens. Cut a handful at a time, cradling each bunch in a loose palm to provide support while trimming. 

Keep your grasp on the microgreens light, and handle the cut greens with care as you transfer directly into your collection container. With a gentle touch, you can prevent harm to your microgreens during the cutting process.

A clean cut is best. But where to cut?

• Cut just above soil level – This removes roots but preserves most of the stem.
• Avoid cutting too high- This wastes usable greens.
• Usually, a cut just above the top of your tray height is best.

Cut in Organized Rows

Systematically harvesting in rows makes collecting all your microgreens easier:

• Work across rows in sections for uniformity.
• Be careful when grasping the microgreens so that you don’t pull up roots and soil.
• Keep cut greens separate from uncut plants.

Trim Stems Evenly

If you are going for the best-looking harvest, after cutting just above soil level, you can trim stems evenly for consistency:

• Spread microgreens out on a flat surface after cutting.
• Use scissors to snip stems to a uniform size, usually 1-2 inches.
• This improves the appearance and prevents long stems.

Keep in mind this will be a major part of your harvest if you are selling to restaurants that prefer much shorter stems.

Handle with Care Post-Harvest

Your microgreens are delicate after cutting and require gentle handling:

• Directly place cut greens in your collection bowl, don’t set down.
• Avoid compressing or bruising the leaves and stems.
• Transport your harvested microgreens with care.
• If weighing portions, place greens gently on and off the scale.

Store Properly After Cutting

Promptly store your microgreens correctly after harvesting to retain freshness:

• Gently rinse if needed to remove any soil debris. Pat dry with a towel.
• Place microgreen stems in clean water like a bouquet to rehydrate.
• Refrigerate harvested microgreens in airtight containers, loosely packed.
• Use within 5-7 days for best quality and flavor.

Clean Tools Thoroughly

Never underestimate the importance of sanitation when harvesting food crops:

• Wash cutting tools in hot, soapy water after each use.
• Disinfect scissors or knives occasionally by soaking them in diluted bleach.
• Use a cleansing solution to wipe down prep surfaces.

Conclusion

With the right approach, you can maximize yields and enjoy harvest after bountiful harvest of gorgeous microgreens. Follow these pro tips for choosing the right gear, cutting properly, handling with care, storing correctly, and cleaning up. 

Your hard work cultivating microgreens deserves an expert final step of harvesting success!

For even more growing tips or microgreens supplies, visit TinyCropCo.com today and boost your next harvest. Happy cutting!