What are microgreen mats and how do they benefit me? Microgreen, also known as aophyllia, is an aquatic green plant. You can germinate small plots of sterile soil in your kitchen on top of a baking sheet. Then, you can sterilize small doses of sterile soil on a hot baking tray before planting.

Heat above 160 degrees (320F) for two hours and then use a vacuum to remove as much of the soil as possible, leaving behind the root structure. Be careful not to burn yourself! Planting microgreen mats will provide year-round water absorption. This benefit makes hemp an excellent drought tolerant crop to grow in heavy, drought conditions.

To sterilize your hemp planting beds, you can simply place them in a pot with sterilized holes cut in the bottom. Place the holes in the bottom of the containers one at a time. You can then put a lid on the pot and bring the plants inside. Once inside, cover the bottom of the container with the Terra cotta tile or other container, and secure with a lid. Let this sit for a couple of days, until the plants start growing roots.

If you are growing hemp from seed, be sure to buy a pre-sterilized growing medium. Do not use the compost version. Microgreen and hemp mats come in a variety of sizes and shapes. The size of your tray and the size of the hemp plant will determine the size of mat or tray you need. There are many different ways to prepare these mats for use. Below are some suggestions:

Disinfect – You can spread a very simple organic disinfectant on the bottom of your hemp matting. Try to use a solution that is designed specifically for growing plants. You may also want to consider using vinegar as a disinfectant. You should rinse the mat thoroughly after spreading the disinfectant. Some other disinfectants to use are borax (borate) and bleach. You should try to rinse the plant thoroughly after spreading the disinfectant as well.

Heat – Many people wonder how to get their plants growing in the warmth and organic matter that a compost pile provides. Most good quality hemp growing matted systems will include a heater or it will be extremely inexpensive to upgrade to. It is best to place the heater directly over the growing medium, to ensure it is getting the proper amounts of warmth.

Light – The best growing mediums will be provided by indirect, not direct sunlight. This means that you will have to find a spot with the proper amount of shade and light. Microgreen matted systems are a good choice for growing on hydroponics soil. These mats are a great option for growing medium that is not too heavy, or one that is not too wide.

You should use this type of re-using soil trays for any hydroponic system, are they flowers, vegetables, fruits, herbs or even plants and flowers indoors. They will provide an abundance of healthy nutrients that will be vital for your plants to thrive. You will be able to easily and quickly recycle your nutrient rich waste and convert them into plant food. A nutrient dense growing medium such as a micro green mat will allow you to grow healthier plants and flowers without composting. This is ideal for green home veg enthusiasts as well as green roofers.

Easy maintenance – If you want to try out re-using mulch or cardboard then buying a readymade microgreen tray is a great way to save money. However, making your own tray is easy and fast. It’s also good for the environment because you are recycling all of the cardboard in your house! Just purchase a square tray from your local DIY store and cut it down to size. Then you can simply add a layer of shredded newspaper and then a layer of your choice of organic mulch or material. It’s that easy!

Save money – Re-using mulch and newspaper saves you a lot of money over the course of the year. If you need to make more than it’s great because it’s cheap to buy bulk supplies. There are many different suppliers of both mulch and microgreens so you will not have any problems finding a supplier who stocks both. Another great reason for using microgreens and compost as growing media is that they are both extremely cheap to buy. The fact that they have been used for centuries means that they are high quality products with a long shelf life and therefore should be able to give you plenty of use for the money you spend on them. If you are interested in saving money then it’s a no brainer really, and saving money is always important.

Decorate your garden – You can use microgreen growing trays to decorate your garden. These are not only cheap but they are unique because they are made from hemp. Although you can’t grow hemp in the garden, you can certainly decorate it. A great way to decorate is by using hemp woven jewellery or hemp plants.