A very common question and concern when growing hydroponically at home is: Mold Prevention. Never fear, we are here to help you! More often than not, the fuzzy white material found growing around your micro-babies are root hairs and not mold. Root Hairs grow off of a Seed Radical making them look almost like a tiny Q tip. The seeds should not have anything white directly on them. They will only have the radical growing out of them. A quick test to determine if the white in your tray is a root hair or mold is to gently mist the white hairs with water and if they disappear, they are root hairs! If they just mat down and are still visible, then you have mold. Mold also looks more like a white spiderweb that grows on top of both the soil and the seeds. 

Mold is commonly caused by improper soil conditions. Luckily for you, we provide you with hydroponic hemp mats! This greatly reduces the risk of mold growth and allows the roots room to breath and properly drain.

Another significant cause for mold is to keep your greens in a warm location durning the incubation period. A warm moist environment will make mold feel entirely too comfortable. During the incubation period, be sure to keep your greens in a temperate place (60-75 F.) and not in direct sunlight or on top of a warm fridge. When you let them back into the light after the incubation period, a warm sunny spot is perfect and will only benefit your greens! 

Mold Prevention Tips + Tricks

Be sure to wash and sanitize your trays before using them. We use vinegar and water (2 tablespoons in 16 oz of water). Wipe down your trays then and let them air dry. 

When planting your seeds, try to not over-seed or clump them on top of one another. Not only does this provide pour growth conditions for your micro-babies, it provides an overcrowded growing tray that is more likely to cause disease issues with the restricted airflow. When you buy one of our kits, we proportion each seed envelope out to be the appropriate amount of seeds for each harvest. So you'll never have to worry about over seeding. 

Mold can also result from high humidity. Place a fan or dehumidifier nearby to promote optimal airflow. Keep the greens at 60-75 F/15-23 C.

Do not overwater or let water flood over the root line. Microgreens will grow slower in colder/damper conditions. This also creates a breeding ground for mold.

With our kits we promote bottom watering by providing you with two trays. These GREATLY reduces the risk of mold. Bottom watering allows the roots to drink as they become thirsty. Overwatering can cause the hemp mat to become too saturated.

In Conclusion,

When your greens are provided the appropriate amount of light and airflow in a clean and loving environment they will do just fine! If you have any struggles or further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We are always more than happy to help you better enjoy your harvest :)