Recently, I wrote about my successful experience with growing microgreens,
using Hamama Seed Quilts. I thought it would be helpful to also review both
the decorative accessories and most helpful extras I use and love for
growing these delicious and extremely nutritious microgreens indoors, in the
comfort of my living room.
Although the Hamama's bamboo grow tray frame, seed quilt label holder, and
other decorative accessories are designed specifically for the company's
innovative, patent-pending growing system, the other recommended products
I'm reviewing here would be both useful and beneficial to anyone who enjoys
gardening, cooking, or both!
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My favorite accessories and useful supplies for growing microgreens
with Hamama's seed quilt growing system
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Microgreens are a delicious, nutritious way to add essential vitamins,
minerals and antioxidants to salads, sandwiches, and other dishes for those
of us who try to live a healthy lifestyle. Since health was my primary
motivation for
losing nearly 60 pounds on a keto diet, my new healthier lifestyle focuses quite a bit on healthy eating, and
especially on getting more nutrition from food and relying less on
supplements, something that is especially important when following a
ketogenic approach to eating.
My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Growing System Accessories and Helpful
Supplies
As I shared in my previous post, the
Hamama microgreens seed quilt growing system
is so easy, even this “brown thumb” gardening amateur is successfully
growing delicious, healthy, nutrient-dense microgreens throughout the year,
even here in New England. Now that my husband and I are no longer are at the
mercy of the unpredictable and often scant selection of packaged microgreens
at our local stores, we use our fresh, home-grown microgreens for more than
just garnishes. In fact, they make up half the dark, leafy greens in our
large, nightly dinner salads!
Along with Hamama's seed quilts and grow trays, the core of their unique
container gardening system, I've also purchased a few accessories and
supplies that have made the process of growing my own fresh, nutritious
kale, broccoli, clover, daikon radish, zesty salad mix, and other varieties
of microgreens more enjoyable and convenient.
Hamama's Custom Growing System Accessories
Bamboo Grow Tray Frames and Seed Quilt Label Holders
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I love the way the bamboo grow tray frames and seed quilt label holders
dress up my microgreens growing setup by our living room windows
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Since counter space in our small kitchen is at a premium, I grow my
microgreens in our living room, which has a wall of floor-to-ceiling windows
(although Hamama microgreens seed quilts don’t require a lot of light). So,
I successfully harvested a few different varieties of microgreens using this
unique growing system, I decided to spring for Hamama’s proprietary bamboo
frames and seed quilt label holders. The bamboo frames fit either style of
the company's grow tray. I started with Hamama's white ceramic tray. See how
nice the bamboo frame looks with it?
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The white ceramic grow tray is thicker (and heavier) than the black
plastic tray.
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Not long after, I decided to switch to the black plastic grow trays, which
weigh very little and are much easier to carry back and forth to the kitchen
(on the other end of our house) for cleaning. Although I try to avoid buying
plastic for disposable items, these trays are reusable, and I plan to be
using them for the foreseeable future. The walls are much thinner, allowing
a narrow margin around the seed quilt, so it's much easier to check the
water level in relation to the coconut coir mat (and to add a bit more
water, if it's evaporating faster than expected). The marked fill line is
also thinner than on the white ceramic tray, so it's easier to gauge how
much water to add for soaking the seed quilt.
Whether you prefer the black plastic or white ceramic grow tray, the
simple, sleek and stylish bamboo frames make them much more attractive and
blend well with any style of home décor. There is a Hamama logo in the
lower left corner of one side of the frame. Usually, I'm not a fan of
displaying brand names, especially on decorative items. But in this case,
I think the logo has been done quite tastefully and doesn't detract from
the look. However, it can easily be hidden by facing that side of the
frame toward the window, if you prefer.
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The Hamama bamboo grow tray frames and matching seed quilt label holders
give my microgreens growing setup a more attractive, "finished" look.
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The matching bamboo label holders are great for displaying the coated
cardstock labels that come with each seed quilt at an easy-to-read angle.
These labels provide a useful reminder of which type of microgreens I’m
currently growing, as well as the approximate number of days until the paper
cover should be peeled, and the total number of days until harvest. Before I
got these label holders, I used to tape the cardstock labels to the grow
trays. The tape left a sticky residue and wasn’t very attractive. Now, my
bamboo seed quilt label holders coordinate perfectly with my grow tray
frames.
Each holder is a nicely finished, rectangular block of bamboo the exact
length of a Hamama seed quilt label, with a thin slot for the label.
Whenever you start a new seed quilt, simply slide the label that comes
with it into the slot, which holds it upright and angled slightly back for
easy reading. When you finish harvesting your microgreens crop, just
remove and discard the label from the holder, so it’s ready for the label
from your next seed quilt.
More Matching Bamboo Accessories
Hamama makes a matching seed quilt holder for storing your extra seed
quilts, but since I don’t store mine out where people can see them, I
didn’t need one. The company has just announced its brand new bamboo "grow
shelf," a gorgeous self-standing, five-shelf, open shelving unit to
current customers, who can preorder one now. I expect it to be added to
the Shop section of the website soon, so everyone who wants will be able
to order one.
Extra Hamama Grow Trays
Once I knew I was going to be using this unique microgreens growing
system regularly, I ordered two additional grow trays. As of this writing,
the price of two black grow trays is only four dollars more than the price
of just one. And, since it’s essential to clean each grow tray thoroughly
after harvesting one seed quilt and before starting another, it’s nice to
have an extra tray so there’s a clean one standing by to start my next
microgreens seed quilt as soon as I harvest the previous one. I can soak,
scrub, and disinfect the used tray at my leisure (it’s also safe to clean
in the top rack of the dishwasher).
Hamama Microgreens Harvesting Kit
The company offers a convenient set of three tools for harvesting the
microgreens grown with their proprietary seed quilts and grow trays. The
kit contains:
- 1 reusable Stasher silicone bag (sandwich size)
- 1 pair of scissors (with the Hamama logo)
-
1 bamboo scrub brush with natural fiber bristles (for thoroughly
scrubbing your grow tray)
It's a very useful kit, particularly if you prefer to harvest your
microgreens by trimming them just above the top of the seed quilt, rather
than pulling them out, roots and all. Alternatively, you can purchase a
Stasher silicone food storage bag, a pair of sharp, stainless steel
scissors, and a bamboo scrub brush with natural fiber bristles (or use
equivalent items you may already own) to create your own customized
microgreens harvesting kit.
Save Money on Your First Hamama Grow Kit, Seed Quilt, or Accessories
Order!
Don't miss my Hamama shopping link and discount code at the
end of this article to save 10%!
My Favorite, Practical Products for Growing, Harvesting and Storing Fresh
Microgreens
Stasher Silicone Food Storage Bags
You don't have to grow microgreens to fall in love with these fabulous
food storage and cooking bags
In August 2019, I wrote a review of my favorite silicone kitchen tools
and accessories, including silicone food storage bag. But, after trying
the Stasher silicone bag in my Hamama Harvesting Kit, I fell in love with
it. I purchased three more in larger sizes, and I definitely plan to add
more over time. Although they cost more than other silicone bags, they're
totally worth the price!
These Stasher silicone bags are a cinch to open and close, unlike any
other brand of silicone food storage bags I've tried. Yet, they're also
airtight and watertight. Many people use them for sous-vide cooking,
placing the sealed bag of raw food in a pot of boiling water. And since
these bags are leakproof, They're also perfect for marinating meats,
poultry, seafood, fish, or vegetables to infuse them with extra
flavor.
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The Stasher silicone food storage bags I have purchased to date
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The Stasher bag that came with the Hamama Harvesting Kit is the sandwich
size (7.5" x 7.5" x 1"), which has a 15 oz. capacity. (It's the smallest one
in the photo of my current Stasher bag collection.) However, since I wrap my
harvested microgreens loosely in a paper towel before placing them in the
bag to store in my refrigerator, I find that I need a larger size if I want
to harvest all (or most) of a seed quilt at one time.
The sizes I use to comfortably contain an entire crop of paper
towel-wrapped microgreens from a Hamama seed quilt are the tall Stasher Silicone Reusable 1/2 Gallon Food Storage Bag
(10.25” x 8.25” x 1.5” with a 64.2 oz. capacity), and the Stasher Silicone Reusable Stand-Up Food Storage Bag
(7.75" x 7" x 3" with a 56 oz. capacity) that, true to its name, stands up
on its own for easy filling and removal of the contents.
Dedicated Scissors
If you prefer to harvest your microgreens with scissors, it's a bad idea
to use your general-use utility scissors that are also used to cut paper,
crafting materials, etc. I highly recommend dedicating a pair of scissors
exclusively to harvesting microgreens and herbs, and cleaning the blades
scrupulously before each use. They don't need to be fancy kitchen shears,
but they should be sharp and comfortable and have stainless steel blades.
(Who wants specks of rust in their microgreens or herbs?)
If I were putting together my own harvesting kit, it would include the
Fiskars 01-004761J Softgrip Scissors with 8-inch stainless steel
blades (or something similar), which are backed by a lifetime
warranty.
Bamboo and Natural Fiber Bristle Scrub Brush
It's important to
clean Hamama grow trays
very thoroughly before starting each seed quilt. Although the trays are
top-rack dishwasher safe, the top rack or our modestly sized dishwasher is
usually filled to capacity with glasses, cups, bowls, long-handled
spatulas, cooking tongs, etc. So, I prefer to scrub my grow trays by
hand.
It can be challenging to clean between the ridges inside the black grow
trays, particularly at the corners and around the perimeter. That's why
the Hamama Harvesting Kit includes the small, round, bamboo handled scrub
brush with natural fiber bristles, which I find invaluable for this
purpose.
When I looked for a similar brush, most of them had either synthetic
bristles or components made of plastic or other non-biodegradable
components. After considerable searching, I finally found a palm-sized,
mildew-resistant
round bamboo scrub brush with organic, natural fiber bristles, very similar to the one in the Hamama Harvesting Kit. As a bonus, it
comes with soap dish that can also be used to store the scrub brush out on
the counter, if desired (just make sure both the brush and the dish are
completely dry first).
This versatile brush has medium-hard bristles that can also be used to
clean even non-stick pots and pans, dishes, vegetables, and more.
3% Food Grade Hydrogen Peroxide and Fine Mist Spray Bottle
Only one of my Hamama seed quilts has ever developed mold, back when I
was still a seed quilt "newbie." It was hot and humid in our living room,
since we don't have central air conditioning and only turn on each room's
A/C unit when we are actively using the room. I made the common rookie
mistake of over-watering that one seed quilt, so that the paper covering
was wet. When, unsurprisingly, about a third of the sections failed to
germinate. I then compounded the problem by covering those water-logged
sections with strips of newspaper for two days, after reading a
troubleshooting tip for a different problem. (I did say I had a brown
thumb!) Of course, when I pulled off the newspaper strips at the end of
two days, there were signs of mold, and unfortunately, the seed quilt was
unsalvageable at that point.
Before throwing away the moldy seed quilt, I took a couple of photos and
shared them in the Hamama Friends group on Facebook and asked how I could
prevent a recurrence. The answers were very instructive. One of the best
recommendations I got was from a woman who recommended that spraying the
surface of the water in the grow tray with food-grade 3% hydrogen peroxide
before soaking future seed quilts. She also said she mists the leaves with
it after peeling off the paper cover, and hasn't had any mold issues since
she started doing that.
I immediately ordered a bottle of
food grade 3% hydrogen peroxide. A while ago, I had purchased a dozen small,
cobalt blue glass mister bottles. I filled one of them with the 3% hydrogen peroxide and labeled it
(since the rest of my cobalt glass misters are also filled with clear
liquids), and it now lives next to my Hamama grow trays to remind me to
spritz the water before soaking each new seed quilt. And, like the helpful
person who suggested I use the 3% hydrogen peroxide for this purpose, I
haven't seen a speck of mold since I started following her excellent
advice!
I find these pretty and practical cobalt blue glass spritzer bottles
useful for many different purposes. They spray a very fine mist, which
makes them ideal for evenly and lightly moistening metal clay with
distilled water, since this material dries out very quickly when exposed
to air while working with it. I keep another filled with isopropyl alcohol
for sanitizing makeup brushes, tweezers, manicure implements, etc. in
between full soap-and-water cleanings. I also find that they don't leak,
so I'm considering keeping another bottle filled with a CDC-approved
alcohol-based disinfectant in my purse for when I leave the house. The
cobalt glass isn't just pretty; it also helps protect the contents against
UV rays.
Save 10% on Your First Hamama Order!
If you haven't ordered directly from the Hamama website before, you can
use my Hamama shopping link
(or click on the image below), add the products you want to the shopping
cart, then use the discount code SUPERGREENS
during checkout to get 10% off your product total. And if you're lucky
enough to have receive a Hamama grow kit as a gift, you can use this link
and discount code to save 10% on the beautiful bamboo accessories made
exclusively for the Hamama seed quilt and grow tray system.
My Favorite Hamama Microgreens Seed Quilt Accessories by Margaret Schindel
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