Rabbits are herbivores that enjoy a diet full of grass, hay, leafy greens, and the occasional fruity treat. But what about microgreens? Should these tiny, leafy vegetables have a place in your rabbit’s diet?
In general, microgreens are a good addition to your rabbit’s diet as they are packed with valuable vitamins and minerals. However, the primary component of a rabbit’s diet should be fresh hay or pellets.
Check with your doctor if you have any concerns about your rabbit consuming certain types of microgreens.
The microgreens sold at the grocery store tend to be very expensive. Fortunately, you can grow your own microgreens at home. Because several types of microgreens are ready to harvest within 7 to 14 days of sowing seeds, you can grow a variety of nutritious microgreens during a relatively short time period.
The following article will outline the benefits of growing microgreens for your pet and describe how you can get started growing microgreens.
What Are Microgreens?
Microgreens, which are sometimes called vegetable confetti, are small leafy vegetables that are harvested just after the cotyledon leaves develop. Cotyledon leaves are also known as seed leaves and are defined as the embryonic leaf in seed-bearing plants. The cotyledon leaves are the first to appear from a germinating seed.
Almost any vegetable can be grown as a microgreen. Commonly grown microgreens include sunflower, pea shoots, broccoli, kale, and beet. In general, microgreens are relatively easy to grow. However, some types of microgreens are more difficult to grow than others.
Why Grow Microgreens For Your Rabbits
There are a number of fruits and vegetables that you could be growing for your rabbit. So you may be asking yourself why bother growing microgreens?
Nutrition
First, microgreens are packed with nutrients. Research indicates that microgreens may actually be more nutritious than the full-grown plant. Research conducted by Dr. Qin Wang, who is an associate professor at the University of Maryland at College Park, has found that microgreens are four to 40 times more concentrated with nutrients than their mature counterparts.
Microgreen researchers believe this high nutrient density is due to microgreens being harvested right after germination when all of the nutrients they need to grow are present.
Quick And Easy To Grow
Many types of microgreens are easy to grow at home. In comparison to other vegetables, growing microgreens require very few supplies and little skill to grow depending on the species of plant. In addition, you can harvest most types of microgreens within 10 to 28 days of sowing the seed depending on the type of plant. It can other types of vegetable months to grow from seed.
Can Be Grown In Small Spaces
Finally, microgreens are very space-efficient. One 10″x20″ growing tray is large enough to produce enough microgreens for two adults to eat for one week. This means even those who live in apartments or in a small house can grow microgreens.
You Can Enjoy Microgreens Too!
Your rabbit does not have to be the only one who benefits from growing microgreens. These little vegetables are packed with flavor and make a great addition to many culinary creations.
Microgreens vs Sprouts
Microgreens are not the same thing as sprouts. Although microgreens and sprouts can be grown from the same seed, they look and taste different. This is because microgreens and sprouts are harvested during different parts of the growing cycle. Sprouts are germinated seeds. In contrast, microgreens are harvested after cotyledon leaves develop which a little further along into the growth cycle.
Alfalfa sprouts are good for rabbits and can certainly be grown at home. Like any type of fresh produce, sprouts can cause foodborne illness. However, sprouts are especially susceptible to contamination. Unlike other types of fresh produce, sprouts are grown in warm, moist conditions that are ideal for bacterial growth.
In addition, alfalfa sprouts are high in alkaloids, which are a class of naturally occurring organic compounds that mostly contain basic nitrogen atoms. This means that you should not feed your rabbit alfalfa sprouts with other high alkaloid vegetables such as peas.
Good Microgreens for Rabbits
The following table lists some microgreens that you can add to your rabbit’s diet.
| Microgreen | Growing Difficulty | Presoak Seeds? | Preferred Growing Medium | Harvest Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basil | Difficult | No | Hydroponics | 12-16 days |
| Beet | Easy | Yes | Soil | 10-12 days |
| Bok Choy | Easy | No | Soil or Hydroponics | 8-14 days |
| Broccoli | Easy | No | Hydroponics | 7-14 days |
| Carrot | Intermediate | No | Soil | 14-28 days |
| Celery Leaf | Intermediate | No | Hydroponics | 3-5 weeks |
| Cilantro | Difficult | No | Soil | 21-28 days |
| Clover | Easy | No | Hydroponics | 8-12 days |
| Collard Greens | Easy | No | Hydroponics | 10-12 days |
| Dandelion Greens | Easy | No | Soil | 12-25 days |
| Endive | Intermediate | No | Soil | 8-15 days |
| Escarole | Intermediate | No | Soil | 10-12 days |
| Mint | Easy | No | Soil | 14-21 days |
| Parsley | Intermediate | Yes | Soil | 21-30 days |
| Radish | Easy | No | Soil or Hydroponics | 6-12 days |
| Watercress | Difficult | No | Hydroponics | 8-12 days |
| Wheatgrass | Easy | Yes | Soil or Hydroponics | 8-10 days |
Microgreens to Grow Occasionally
Although the following microgreens are packed with nutrients, they should only be fed to your rabbits occasionally. Over time, these veggies/microgreens can cause kidney problems due to high calcium content.
| Microgreen | Growing Difficulty | Presoak seeds? | Soil or Hydroponic | Harvest Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kale | Easy | No | Soil and Hydroponics | 8-12 days |
| Spinach | Easy | Yes | Soil and Hydroponics | 8-12 days |
| Mustard Greens | Easy | No | Soil and Hydroponics | 7-12 days |
| Swiss Chard | Easy | Yes | Soil | 11-21 days |
How to Grow Microgreens
Growing microgreens is relatively easy. However, it is important to follow some key steps. These steps are listed below. If you are on a tight budget, you could probably get away with not adjusting pH or using a heating mat.
Some microgreens will do better when grown hydroponically (a technique that involves growing plants in a soilless growing medium) and others will do better when grown in soil. The table provided in the previous section lists the preferred growing medium for several types of microgreens.
For a more comprehensive guide on how to get started growing microgreens, check out my Ultimate Guide to Growing Microgreens article.
Materials
- Soil or growing mat if you are growing your microgreens hydroponically
- Seeds
- Heating Mat
- Grow lights if you do not have access to a sunny window.
- pH Up/pH Down
- Growing trays (make sure you purchase growing trays without drainage holes if you are growing microgreens hydroponically)
- Sharp scissors for harvesting
- Hydrogen peroxide
- White vinegar
- Warm, soapy water
Steps
- Compile the materials listed above.
- Sanitize your growing tray. Clean your tray with warm, soapy water. Then spray the tray with a hydrogen peroxide solution. After ten minutes, rinse the hydrogen peroxide solution off of the growing tray. Finally, use a clean cloth to dry off the tray. Alternatively, you can use StarSan to sanitize your growing trays.
- Sanitize your seeds by soaking the seeds in a mixture of 4 tsp of white vinegar, 4 tsp of food-grade hydrogen peroxide, and 1 quart of water.
- If applicable, soak your seeds overnight. In general, larger seeds like sunflower seeds should be soaked prior to sowing. However, smaller seeds do no need to be soaked. Make sure the pH of the water is 6.0. You can adjust the pH of the water using pH Up or pH Down.
- Soil Only – Fill your growing tray with sterile soil (if applicable). The soils should be no more than 2 inches deep. Lightly spray the soil surface with water.
- Hydroponics only – If you are using a growing mat, pour water into your growing tray. Make sure the pH of this water is between 5.6 and 6.5. Then place your growing mat on the water surface and allow it to absorb water. Tilt the tray and pour out any excess water.
- Evenly spread your seeds over the soil or growing mat.
- Place the growing tray on a heating mat and cover the seeds with another growing tray for 2-5 days. Note that the optimal blackout period varies depending on what microgreens you are producing.
- Upon completion of the blackout period, place the growing tray under your grow lights or by a sunny window. Your microgreens will be a pale yellow color. Do not worry about this. It is completely normal.
- Check your microgreens every day until it is time to harvest and water when necessary.
- Your microgreens will be ready to harvest 7 to 14 days after sowing. When harvesting, cut the microgreens right above the soil level or growing mat. If possible, it is best to harvest microgreens right before you or your rabbit consume them.
Introducing Fresh Food To Rabbits
If your rabbit only eats pellets, it is important to gradually introduce fresh foods into their diet. Start out by only introducing one new food item. Once the rabbits get used to one fresh food, it is easier for them to adapt to other fresh foods. Diet changes are more problematic when a rabbit has only been eating pellets and then switches to a diet consisting of a variety of fresh foods.
Also do not chop and mix microgreens in such a way that your rabbits cannot pick through their food. Your animals need to be able to pick through their food in order to get only what they need.