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Microgreens offer a high concentration of nutrients in a tiny package, providing all the same tasty vitamins and minerals as their larger counterparts wrapped in delicate, little leaves. The vitamins they offer range from Vitamin C to beta carotene and many more.
Despite their recent spike in popularity, microgreens have actually graced the menus of restaurants for decades. Primarily treasured for their aesthetic appeal, these mini veggies add glorious hues to an otherwise monochromatic dish.
Now we have started to see more of these dainty greens popping up in homes across the globe, whether in an indoor garden, window boxes, or traditional planting beds. The increased use of these microgreens at home means an uptick in understanding how to harvest them as well.
Every good harvest starts with the best set of tools, and in this case, that means finding the right knife for the job.
Is a kitchen knife the right choice for cutting microgreens?
You can certainly use a kitchen knife to cut your microgreens, though it may not be the best tool for the job. Cutting microgreens involves shearing the tops of these plants and dislodging them from their stems. Since they are so small and dainty, the process is fairly simple and doesn’t require a ton of force.
However, there are many tools available that make this step in the process significantly easier. Rather than sawing away at the stems with a regular kitchen knife, implementing a heavy duty-cleaver or a garden sickle may prove more useful.
Take into account the size of your microgreen garden and how many plants you intend to harvest when deciding on the right set of tools.
What to look for in a knife for harvesting microgreens?
There are three critical things to look for when determining an efficient knife for cutting microgreens: durability, thickness, and a curved or squared edge.
The sturdier the blade, the more efficiently it tears through the stems of those microgreens, giving you and your biceps a much-needed rest from sheering. Ok, so it isn’t that intense of a process. But if a durable, sharp knife makes the method even easier, why wouldn’t you do it?
The thickness of the blade helps with cutting through the dense patches of microgreens. Having a wider blade is like using a machete to hack through a thick forest rather than a pocketknife.
Depending on the size of your garden, you may also want a tool with a longer reach. The curved or squared-off edge is another way to economize on space.
Similar to the other necessary features, it simply makes the cutting process faster and offers a clean cut across the veggies.
You may want to consider getting Coco Coir For Microgreens.
3 Popular Microgreen Cutting Tools
So how do you determine which knife to use on your microgreens? There are three main types of cutting implements to keep in mind when selecting your harvesting tool.
Each serves a particular purpose that is critical to the gathering process.
1. Zenport Harvest Sickle with Plastic Handle
Many harvesters of microgreens agree that a sickle-blade is the best way to go. It provides an effortless swipe across the veggies with a clean and even cut along the stems.
Differing from typical kitchen accessories, these sickles fall under the category of gardening tools. As such, the serrated edges are tough enough to slice through other plant parts like branches.
This particular model hits all three requirements for the perfect harvesting tool. Its 6.5-inch curved blade is thick enough to shear through the dense microgreens.
Being made from stainless steel, the sickle also meets the expectations of durability. In addition to these fabulous characteristics, its petite size makes it easy to handle, while the brightly-colored handle ensures easy identification in your tool chest.
2. High Carbon Steel Usuba Vegetable Knife
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The Usuba knife offers a different style from the sickle, taking on a more traditional appearance of kitchen utensils. The flat edge accounts for a clean cut with a wide blade that looks more like a cleaver than a regular knife.
Its high carbon stainless steel ensures this knife is not going anywhere any time soon. Even stronger and more reliable than basic stainless steel, the high carbon material means you are getting the top of the line in quality.
Its lightweight feel and small size also make it an incredible tool in the kitchen, serving more purposes than one.
After shredding the microgreens from their perch in your windowsill, use this same knife to chop the mini veggies into neat little pieces in preparation for eating.
3. MAIRICO Ultra Sharp Kitchen Shears
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Another effective tool many gardeners loved when harvesting microgreens is a heavy-duty set of shears. These don’t have to be the enormous gardening sheers used to trim hedges.
There are actually several smaller options available that work exceptionally well for cutting the mini veggies. While there are larger options that chop through big patches of the vegetation all at once, these kitchen shears trim away smaller sections at a time.
The shears act as a fabulous companion piece to either the sickle or the knife by trimming up any loose ends. They are also a marvelous way to clip off a few pieces at a time.
This strategy is especially useful if you only intend to use your microgreens as a quick garnish and don’t want to take a massive chunk out of your garden to do so.
Plus, these highly versatile scissors provide numerous uses in the kitchen, such as cutting meat, opening packages, and trimming the fat from foods.
Final Thoughts
Now that you have all the information you need to begin your microgreen cutting journey, the last step is to choose the blade you like best. There are a ton of different options out there, including differences in blade length, handle material, and even colors.
It ultimately comes down to personal preference and how often you intend to use the knife. However, since all the knives serve different purposes, it never hurts to purchase more than one to use at alternate times.
You might want to check 3 Best Rack Systems For Microgreens.
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