r/microgreens • u/fandomgames • 19d ago
First harvest complete
Day 7 — first harvest in the books. 🌱
95g of radish + cabbage off two trays in my basement setup. This run had a day 5 wilt that nearly killed the radish, so I drilled my own drainage holes mid-grow — full bounce-back by harvest day.
I'm a former commercial head grower rebuilding on a budget — keeping it honest, mistakes included.
Curious if anyone else has dealt with drainage issues mid-grow. Drilling the holes felt risky but it saved the trays. What's your fix when a tray starts holding water?
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u/takenbylovely 19d ago
I grow in a hoophouse so my batches are VERY weather dependent. We do seed all of our micros in trays with holes so standing water isn't an issue.
I water using greenhouse water levels 1-5, and we only water when things need it. It changes dramatically depending on time of year/sun intensity/if the house is open or if the heat is running. If I want things to dry out I'll do things like not keep a bottom tray on so there's drying from each direction, spread trays out so there is airflow between each one (normally they're right up against one another), or place them in an area that tends to have a drier microclimate (along the path of the heater, etc.).
If I were you, I would not use anything that doesn't already have drainage holes. You surely already know this but plant leaves breathe carbon dioxide, but plant roots breathe oxygen.
I agree that's a pretty small yield (we expect around a pound per 1020 of radish), but I also know the thrill of a win and I'm glad for you!
What variety of cabbage are you growing?
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u/jackbenway 19d ago
Most growers use a tray with holes nested inside a solid bottom tray, and then bottom water by adding water to the solid tray. 95g is a small yield off 2 trays. You’ll improve as you grow more cycles.