Microgreens are more than cute tiny plants. For people with limited time, space, money and gardening skills, microgreens are a quick and easy way to create a miniature garden of edible plants bursting with flavour, nutrients and health benefits.

Chelsea Xu discovered microgreens through a friend in Shanghai sharing a video of her young daughter growing microgreens in their apartment. 

With everyone spending more time at home during the lockdown and being an apartment dweller herself, Chelsea started researching how growing your own food source, even with limited space, can benefit people’s health and wellness.

After much experimentation with growing microgreens, Chelsea decided to share her knowledge by starting a small business ‘Taorose Health’.

Taorose Health provides easy and high-quality options for customers to cultivate their own microgreens at home. ‘Tao’ is a Chinese word meaning alignment with the natural order of the universe, and ‘Rose’ comes from Rose Street Essendon, where Chelsea had originally planned to open a cafe business. 

“We sell two sizes of microgreen growing packs, each with packs of seeds and information and ideas on how to grow and eat them. I also designed a complimentary bookmark which is especially great for children after the last few years, to promote mental health, have some fun and find joy,” explains Chelsea.

“I wanted to offer something simple and affordable, like a growing pack for beginners. Through some research and experimentation, I came up with the products I now stock.”

Chelsea started working in the health industry after completing an Applied Science degree at the University of Tasmania, and Taorose Health is an extension of her passion for wellbeing. 

As well as selling Taorose Health products at local markets, she is currently working on building her website to make it easy for customers to purchase microgreen packs online and to provide quality care to her customers that aligns with her experience of care in the health sector.

Words by Joyce Watts & Photography by Anna EncIO