MicroMats vs Burlap for Microgreens — The 2 Hardest Grow Mediums Face Off!

Burlap vs micro mats for microgreens: we grew an Asian mix on both, and the burlap trays harvested 183 g and 195 g while the micro mats molded. We have struggled with both of these hydroponic grow mediums in past grows, so we put them side by side. We seeded two trays of burlap and two trays of micro mats (a pressed wood fiber mat) with the same seed and followed them from seeding to day 10. How we set it up: ✔ Four 1020 trays, 15 grams of Eastern Sun Asian microgreen mix per tray, about 1 1/4 tablespoons ✔ Burlap: cut from a spool to length, about 30 cents per tray ✔ Micro mats: about $1.30 per tray ✔ Lightly misted both mediums before seeding so the seeds stick instead of bouncing around ✔ Stacked the trays in a random order with two bricks on top, then moved them to the blackout germination rack What we noticed: ✔ Burlap barely retains water, so it needs careful watering. It also likes to curl at the corners ✔ Micro mats expand when wet and tear easily, and the ripples create high spots that push seeds away ✔ Day 2: good germination on both ✔ Day 3: the burlap had strong root hairs. About 90 percent of the seeds on the micro mat trays were stuck to the tray above instead of rooting down ✔ Day 4: the micro mats were sticking less, but patchy germination made us expect mold. All trays went into blackout, with a reversed tray on top and no weight ✔ Day 5: the burlap stood up well and shed most seed hulls. Seeds on the micro mats that could not root began to mold, so we spot treated with a hydrogen peroxide anti-fungal and started bottom watering with Ocean Solution 2-0-3 ✔ Day 6: we moved the trays under T5 shop lights so we could see the crop better and stretch it out ✔ Day 10: radish in the mix grew huge while the brassicas stayed small. The micro mats had black spot mold along the sides and faded cotyledons, and the burlap trays looked even and rooted ✔ Harvest: burlap came in at 183 g and 195 g and was easy to harvest from a slotted tray with a sharp knife. We did not harvest the micro mat trays because of the mold, so there is no weight comparison In our experience, burlap was the better of the two, as long as you do not over water or under water it. Some people have raised concerns about additives in burlap. Ours came from a grow supply company that sells it for growing microgreens, but check with your supplier. This is our own first-hand testing in our specific growing space, with two trays per medium and one seed mix. It is not definitive, and your results will vary with your supplier, seed and conditions. Logging your medium, seed grams and daily notes makes comparisons like this easy. Our Microgreen Tracker app is a web app that installs to your home screen. Start My Free 7-Day Trial: https://www.microgreentracker.com/ (nothing charged for 7 days) 🔗 LINKS Hydroponic Grow Mediums for Microgreens: https://onthegrow.net/blogs/microgreens/hydroponic-grow-mediums-for-growing-microgreens Seeds (True Leaf Market, affiliate): https://www.pjtra.com/t/8-11415-203835-153185?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.trueleafmarket.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3DMicrogreen%2BSeeds ⏱ CHAPTERS 0:00 Burlap vs micro mats, what are we testing? 0:44 How do we prep burlap and micro mats? 2:34 How do we seed 15 grams per tray? 4:03 How do we water and stack the trays? 5:19 Day 2: how is germination looking? 6:03 Day 3: why are micro mat seeds stuck? 7:04 Day 4: when do the trays go into blackout? 8:57 Day 5: what happens when mold appears? 11:48 Day 6: why switch to T5 shop lights? 13:20 Day 10: how do the trays compare? 17:21 How much did the burlap trays harvest? 19:14 What does each medium cost per tray? 📚 MORE FROM ON THE GROW Shop: https://onthegrow.net/ Blog: https://onthegrow.net/blogs/microgreens Free Microgreen PDFs: https://onthegrow.net/collections/free-microgreen-pdfs Masterclass: https://onthegrow.net/products/microgreen-masterclass Book: https://onthegrow.net/products/becoming-a-microgreen-master-physical-book Microgreen Tracker (7-day free trial): https://www.microgreentracker.com/ Sprouting Tracker (7-day free trial): https://www.sproutingtracker.com 📲 CONNECT WITH US Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/onthegrowfarms Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/onthegrowfarms All Our Links: https://linktr.ee/Onthegrow DISCLAIMER: Some links are affiliate links, which means we earn a small commission on qualifying purchases at no extra cost to you, including as an Amazon Associate. More info: https://onthegrow.net/pages/disclaimer #BurlapMicrogreens #MicroMats #GrowMediumComparison #Microgreens