Please email us at info@nufields.ie, we will use any questions to improve this FAQ.

We accept Visa, MasterCard & PayPal. For Bank transfers get in touch. info@nufields.ie

We currently ship to all EU member states. Due to Brexit, we have halted all UK deliveries as our parcels are now subject to additional expensive checks and procedures. 

We do ship to Northern Ireland. Please email info@nufields.ie with your order and we will send you  a payment link. 

Your 100% satisfaction is important for us. We offer a 30-days Return & Exchange Policy:

• If a product gets damaged or was faulty upon a delivery - we offer 100% refund.
• Timing: we have a 30-days Return & Exchange Policy, since the day item was received.
• To be eligible for a return, goods must be unopened, unused, undamaged and accompanied by proof of purchase.
• For returns, please email info@nufields.ie with the subject 'Returns' and include your order number, name and the reason for the return.
• We will provide you with instructions where to send returned goods. We kindly ask for proof of postage when returning goods.
• Please note that customers are responsible for shipping costs of returned items.
• When returned item is received and inspected, you will receive a confirmation email, notifying you about the status of the refund.
• If the refund is approved, then it will be processed and a credit will automatically be applied to customer's credit card or original payment method shortly after.

If you selected tracked courier delivery, you should find your tracking link in your shipping confirmation email. Please check your email inbox and your junk/spam folder. Should you not have received this email, please email info@nufields.ie or call +353 83 893 3808.

If you selected standard shipping, please note that shipping times can take longer as these orders are sent with standard post and are untracked. Please email info@nufields.ie or call +353 83 893 3808 if you are concerned about the status of your order. 

If you order has not yet been shipped, please contact us immediately by email or phone and we will cancel your order or do our best to accommodate any changes. 

If you order has already been dispatched please see out refund and returns section. 

Our trays are BPA free. They are made from polypropylene, are inert and approved for food contact by the EU.  

Yes, we are certified by the Organic Trust and sell only certified organic seed and coco coir. 

Our seeds have a shelf life of at least 12 months. Most seeds will be viable for 2 to3 years if stored correctly. 

Store your seeds in a dry place that does not experience swings in temperature or humidity.  The ideal storage temperature is 10°C or below and less than 50% humidity.

Email us at info@nufields.ie and we will do our best to source them for you

Small trays

Our standard trays (22x18x5.5) require approximately 1 litre of coir to fill.

A single small brick from our 1ltr pack of 4 is 1 litre when expanded.

Large trays

Our large trays (38x24x6) require approximately 3 litres to fill. 

If you are using our 1ltr pack of 4 you would need to use 3 small bricks to cover a large tray.

If you are using a large 9ltr brick roughly 1/3 of that brick (300g) will be enough to fill it. 

Coco Coir is a natural coconut fibre that is extracted from the outer husk of coconut. It is compressed and makes an ideal growing medium for plants, espcially microgreens! It is a renewable byproduct of the coconut industry and is a more sustainable alternative to peat. Our coco coir is certified organic.

For single grow packets

If you purchased a kit, the seed packets are weighed out to give the optimal seeding density for one grow in our standard sized kit trays. 

For larger pouches

Depending on your tray size and the seed you are sowing the weight of seed needed will vary. 

We recommend starting with a tablespoon and scatter seeds over your soil, spreading seeds as evenly as possible. The seeds can be touching but avoid clumps of seed. Spread any clumps out with your finger if required. 

A great tool for calculating seed density can be found here. 

Just input the dimensions of your tray and let the calculator do the rest. 

If you are still not sure, reach out to us on our chat app, via email or WhatsApp +353 83 893 3808 and we will answer any questions. 

The weight pushes the seeds down and ensures contact with the soil. As they sprout, the weight will force them to push their roots down deep and stop any stronger seedlings getting a head start and overshadowing the weaker ones.

Choosing to not weigh your seeds will cause the seed to generate unevenly, resulting in your seedlings being at different lengths. So by weighing down your seeds, you will have a really nice even carpet like result at the end.

The blackout phase is used to allow your seedlings to grow very long in a short space of time. As we have forced the seedlings to build strong and deep roots, when we invert the top tray to a blackout dome they will double in height overnight. 

Use the blackout phase to "stretch" your microgreens to the desired length. When exposed to light they will not grow as tall as quickly. 

Generally speaking, larger seeds like pea would require 12 hours minimum. Smaller seeds like radish require 6 minimum but ideally 12 up to 24 hours will help give them a boost and get them all germinating at the same time.

Yes you can. We use Coco Coir due to its excellent water retention properties as well as it's ability to aerate the roots of your microgreens effectively. It is also easy to store and transport.

A mix of 80% coco coir to 20% compost is a perfect mix for strong and healthy microgreens. 

Answer: They are different stages of a plant's growth:

• Sprouts: Sprouts are the first stage of a seed’s development and are generally grown without a growing medium (soil), but are sprouted and rinsed in a sprouting tray, jar or bag. They are quick to grow, eaten soon after the seeds germinate and are delicious and crunchy.

• Microgreens: Microgreens are typically grown in soil or another growing medium and are the second stage of a plant’s life, where roots establish themselves and the first leaves (called cotyledons) appear. Microgreens are harvested at this stage just beofre or as the true leaves (adult stage leaves) emerge. Plants in the micro green stage are typically at their peak of flavor intensity and have had the opportunity to absorb trace elements and micro nutrients from the soil.

• Baby Salad Green: Baby greens are allowed to grow for a week or two beyond the micro green stage when the true leaves have emerged. Baby greens are harvested while they are still juvenile plants. The flavors are much closer to their full adult stage, and they have had ample opportunity to absorb more micro nutrients from the soil.

The seeds in our Starter kit are what we have found to be the easiest, most fun to grow and the best tasting! Other varieties that would be considered easy to grow are:

• Radish
• Broccoli
• Pea
• Rocket
• Cabbage
• Cauliflower
• Chia
• Buckwheat
  

They are not critical, sunlight is what plants have used for billions and billions of years to help them grow. We use both sunlight and grow lights. For grow lights, we prefer LED's as they are light, consume vastly less electricity, produce very little heat and give plants the blue and red ends of the spectrum which is what plants absorb.

Yes, you can. Microgreens require stable and warm temperatures to germinate effectively so if you are growing them in a greenhouse during winter from scratch you may not have much success. If you are determined during winter, start your seeds of indoors and place them outside once you have removed them from blackout.

Yes, you can grow them indoors or away from the elements 365 days a year.

Depending on your climate or time of year, it is possible to grow Microgreens outdoors but can prove to be difficult as extreme weather can cause the crop to fail. Not to mention hungry garden pests find them as delcisou as we do! 

Because of this, we would recommend they be grown indoors or in a greenhouse/glasshouse for a higher chance of success.

A reason for this could be temperature. Most seeds require warmth for germination (coriander is one variety that prefers cooler temperatures to germinate). Try putting your tray in a warm room or near a radiator. Not too close! We also supply waterproof seedling heatmats that help provide an ideal environment for your seedlings. Make sure your surface doesn't dry out. Which leads us to our second possibility: Your surface and seeds are not moist enough. If you are meant to soak your seeds, try soaking a few hours longer. Mist regularly to make sure everyhting is moist. If all else fails, email us at info@nufields.ie and we will take care of you.

They are probably not getting enough light, or they were in the blackout stage for too long. Try a sunnier spot or rotate the tray to make them lean back the other way. If they were too leggy after blackout they can be too weak to hold themselves up properly. Try reducing the blackout time next grow and you should have perfect healthy greens in no time!

Mold is a common occurrence in a dark moist environment. Most microgreens produce small fuzzy white root hairs. These are sent out to look for water and can be mistaken for mold. Here is an example of root hairs vs. mould:

Mold looks like a long stringy spiderweb creeping across the surface of the soil.

There are several ways you can combat mold. The most effective is with 3-6% Hydrogen Peroxide (h2o2). This can be purchased from most pharmacies and is the industry standard mold remedy for microgreens. You begin by filling your mist bottle with a few milliliters of h2o2 and top up with water. Only a small bit is needed as it degrades into water and oxygen very quickly. Be careful not to get the concentrated h2o2 on your hands. Shake to mix and spray on the affected area daily until the mold is no longer visible. Normally one of two applications should be enough to resolve the problem.

H2o2 is water with an extra oxygen molecule and is used as an antiseptic and anti-bacterial. It is considered suitable for organic gardening as it breaks down very quickly. It can be corrosive when unconcentrated so be extra careful with your skin and especially around young children. Store h202 in a dark location as it degrades when exposed to light. H2o2 will break down quickly into water and oxygen and even give your plants a boost. Rinse any greens well before eating.

Do not use on plants that have been exposed to light as it can burn their leaves. Mold will usually die off when there is a lot of air flow. If your greens are nearly ready for light, just bite the bullet and uncover them.

Place them beside an open sunny window and the mold will die off quickly and the surface dries out. An alternative to h2o2 is a teaspoon of baking powder mixed with water in your spray bottle. Vinegar mixed 50/50 with water and then sprayed on the affected area can be effective as well. If your mold problem does not subside or you have any other issues, email us at info@nufields.ie and we will look after you.

When crops are ready to harvest, use a pair of scissors or sharp knife and cut the crop roughly 1 cm above the soil level. Avoid pulling out any coir or soil.

We recommend using a new block of coco coir for each grow if using microgreens due to food safety concerns as the greens are so close to soil level. The process of removing the roots can introduce harmful pathogens into the soil. Once you have finished your grow you can reuse it for other garden purposes as it makes great compost and can be used for repotting.

It is possible with some varieties like Peas, however, second harvests are generally scraggly and weak, because of this, we recommend one harvest per crop and then disposing of the soil responsibly.

Our method of not covering the seeds with soil helps keep your microgreens clean. We recommend keeping your microgreens as dry as possible until you use them. So if you are storing them in the fridge, wash just before use. 

If you are using freshly cut microgreens, a quick rinse doesn't hurt to make sure there is no coir or soil present. 

Most seeds will benefit from a 6 to 12 hour soak. 

Smaller seeds like broccoli or kale need less time than larger seeds like peas or beans.

This depends on the size of your jar and how much you want to grow.We recommend starting with 1 - 2 table spoons of seeds. The seeds will grow quite substantially so what appears to be a small amount of seed could turn into a huge amount of sprouts! 

It is important to keep airflow and drainage in mind as too much seed can block up the mouth of your jar leading to problems. 

Start small and work up from there! 

Yes!!!

Like any fresh produce that is consumed raw or lightly cooked, sprouts can carry a risk of foodborne illness if they are contaminated.

We have done the hard work for you by supplying only fresh, traceable and rigorously tested seed. Every batch of seed is tested for foodborne pathogens so you can rest assured that the seed you are buying is clean, safe and delicious! 

All you need to do is ensure your jar and lids are clean and sterile for every new batch you grow. There are a few ways to sterilize your jars and lids. The easiest way is to run them through the hottest setting on your dishwasher. You can also place your jars and lids in a pot of water and slowly bring to the boil. Let the water boil for 10 minutes and let the jars cool a bit before removing.

Like any fresh produce that is consumed raw or lightly cooked, sprouts can carry a risk of foodborne illness if they are contaminated.

We have done the hard work for you by supplying only fresh, traceable and rigorously tested seed. Every batch of seed is tested for foodborne pathogens so you can rest assured that the seed you are buying is clean, safe and delicious! 

All you need to do is ensure your jar and lids are clean and sterile for every new batch you grow. There are a few ways to sterilize your jars and lids. The easiest way is to run them through the hottest setting on your dishwasher. You can also place your jars and lids in a pot of water and slowly bring to the boil. Let the water boil for 10 minutes and let the jars cool a bit before removing.

Depending on which stage of growth you are at this could be down to a few things. 

If you have just started, the temperature could be too cold for effective germination. Try a slightly warmer room. 

If your seeds have sprouted and there are still seeds collecting in your jar, these are most likely just the seed hulls from the sprouts. They will shed their hulls naturally and rinsing and draining will help dislodge them further. We can remove these when we have finsihed the process, check out our "de-hulling section below"

This is usually down to your sprouts not being rinsed and drained properly. These conditions are the perfect environment for fungi and bacteria to grow.

In short:

Rinse your sprouts twice a day, no less. 

If you are unsure - dispose of the sprouts, sterilize your jar and start again. 

To avoid bad smelling seeds always make sure of the following

• Making sure your sprouts are rinsed with clean water twice per day, every day. 
• Make sure your sprouts are drained properly getting rid of as much water as possible
  
• Make sure your jar has sufficient airflow and seeds are not blocking the drainage holes
  

We recommend a 45 degree angle for best results. The most important things to take into account are making sure your lids have suffienct airflow and that water can drain freely out of the jar.

Ensure seeds are not covering the holes on your lid. After each rinse, rotate your jar to disperse the seeds evenly around the walls of the jar. Doing this along with having your jar at a 45 degree angle will be enough to make sure any excess water is drained from your jar reducing any chance of bacteria or mould forming.

I don't know but bin them now!

When not rinsed daily with clean water sprouts can start to smell and harbour bacterial growth. 

If you suspect your sprouts have mould then unfortunatly there is no magic cure. Throw them out, learn from your mistakes and start again!

After you rinse, you need to remove any excess water from your jar. The seeds will have a fine layer of moisture on them so your goal is to get the remaining water out. grasping the jar firmly and carefully shaking the jar upside down should remove enough water. Ensure your sprouts are not blocking the mouth of the jar then to allow for airflow and effective drainge.

Be careful to to hit your jar off any surfaces and don't let go! 

Your sprouts are technically ready as soon as they sprout. Go figure! 

The longer you leave them to grow, the bigger they will get. We recommend leaving your sprouts to grow for another 2 or 3 days after they all have germinated. 

When your sprouts are ready, give them a final rinse and drain, shaking off excess water. Unscrew your lid and shake or pullout your sprouts. De-hull them now if required. 

Next you need to dry them well.

A salad spinner works great here, simply spin until touch dry. Alternatively you can place your sprouts on a clean kitchen towel or kitchen paper, pat dry and leave to air dry for half an hour to an hour. 

Your sprouts are then ready to eat and store! 

De-hulling is when you remove the loosened seed hulls from the sprouted seedlings.

This step is entirely up to you and a matter of preference.

To de-hull, place your sprouts in a large bowl and cover with water so they float. Stir the water and agitate the sprouts to dislodge any stubborn seed hulls. The hulls will float to the top at which point you can remove them with a spoon and discard. Drain your sprouts and dry them well with a salad spinner or let them air dry.

Your sprouts need to be as dry as possible prior to refrigeration. See "How do I harvest my sprouts" for more information. 

When your sprouts are dry, place them in a paper towel lined airtight container and store in the fridge. 

Sprouts will last between 3 and 5 days if stored correctly in the fridge. If you have any suspicion they are not fresh anymore, dispose of them and start a new batch.