Your brand new micropod is days into growing your first microgreen harvest. You open the lid and are dismayed to see white fuzz growing on the roots – what the fluff, is this mould!?
No, this is a common misconception, and the white fluff that you see are actually tiny microgreen root hairs and they are completely normal (and beneficial) to the microgreen growing process.
What are root hairs?
Root hairs mean normal root growth. They are tiny microscopic hairs that the roots sprout because they are thirsty. They are reaching out for nutrients and water to deliver to the growing plant and we can visibly see them because there are thousands of them. The root hairs can be so dense that they can be often mistaken for mould.
Mizuna seed mat with root hairs during germination (day 3)
The Difference Between Root Hairs and Mould
Root hairs are always white and fluffy, as well as odourless.
Mould on the other hand are blueish/grey in colour, can have a bad smell and have a long, tangled thread-like appearance.
Micropod is designed to prevent mould growth. Mould can appear when seed density is high which results in poor seed circulation and overcrowding. That’s why our micropod seedmats has perfectly spaced seeds for optimum growing. Our tray lids also allow the perfect amount of air circulation whilst providing the ideal level of humidity for the microgreens to flourish.
Keep Your Microgreens Healthy
If you can't finish your harvest right away, simply keep them growing in the tray and just top up the water if the mat starts to run dry. However the roots need oxygen to be healthy, so make sure not to top your tray water up too much throughout the growing process. Its best to have the white roots (beneath the honeycomb grills) only HALF submerged in the water so the roots can still wick up water when they get thirsty, whilst still having access to oxygen when they need a breath.
Now that you know the difference between mould and root hairs, you can enjoy your microgreens without worrying about the fluff!
Featuring micropod's favourite cat, Atlas
