How to Grow Microgreens at Home: A Beginner’s Guide
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Microgreens are the fastest food you can grow. They are ordinary vegetables and herbs harvested as seedlings, a week or two after sowing. You need a shallow tray, a windowsill and a few minutes a day, and you can grow them in any season.
- Supplies: a shallow tray with drainage holes, a second tray to catch water, seed-starting mix and seeds.
- Sow thickly on the surface, press down, mist and cover for 2 to 4 days.
- Then give light for 12 to 16 hours a day and water from below.
- Harvest with scissors at 2 to 3 inches tall, usually in 7 to 14 days.
What are microgreens?
Microgreens are seedlings cut just above the soil once their first leaves have opened. They are more intensely flavored than the full-grown plant, and they make a good addition to sandwiches, salads, eggs and soups.
They are not the same as sprouts. Sprouts are grown in water without light and eaten whole, root and all. Microgreens are grown in soil or on a mat, in light, and only the stem and leaves are eaten.
The best microgreens for beginners
| Microgreen | Flavor | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Radish | Peppery | Easiest | Fast and reliable. The best first crop |
| Broccoli | Mild, slightly cabbage-like | Easy | Small seeds; sow evenly |
| Pea shoots | Sweet, like fresh peas | Easy | Soak seeds for 8 to 12 hours first |
| Sunflower | Nutty and crunchy | Easy | Soak first; brush off the seed hulls |
| Kale and arugula | Mild to peppery | Easy | Grow like broccoli |
| Basil and cilantro | Like the herb | Trickier | Slow, and need more warmth |
Do not grow these as microgreens: tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes. The leaves and stems of plants in this family are not edible.
What you need
- A shallow tray with drainage holes, about 1 to 2 inches deep, and a solid tray underneath. Clean, recycled food containers with holes poked in the base work too.
- A growing medium. Fine seed-starting mix or coconut coir, about an inch deep. Grow mats made from coir or hemp are a cleaner alternative.
- Seeds sold for microgreens or sprouting. You need a lot of seed, so buy by the ounce, and choose untreated seed. Garden seed is sometimes coated with fungicide.
- A spray bottle for misting.
- Light. A bright windowsill works. A grow light gives sturdier, more even results, especially in winter. See grow lights for indoor plants.
Shallow trays in pairs, one with holes and one without, sized for a windowsill.
Several easy types in one pack, sold in the larger quantities microgreens need.
Cut to fit the tray. Less mess than soil, and compostable after harvest.
How to grow microgreens, step by step
- Soak large seeds. Put peas and sunflower seeds in water for 8 to 12 hours, then drain. Small seeds need no soaking.
- Fill the tray with about an inch of moistened seed-starting mix and level it gently.
- Sow thickly. Scatter seeds evenly so they nearly touch but do not pile up. Do not bury them. Press them lightly into the surface.
- Mist well, then cover the tray with another tray or a lid to keep it dark and humid.
- Wait 2 to 4 days, misting once or twice a day, until the seeds have sprouted and are pushing up.
- Uncover and move into light. The pale shoots turn green within a day. Give 12 to 16 hours of light daily.
- Water from below. Pour a little water into the bottom tray and let the mix soak it up, then pour off the excess. This keeps the stems dry and prevents mold.
- Harvest when the seedlings are 2 to 3 inches tall and the first pair of leaves is fully open.
How to harvest and store
- Cut just above the soil with clean scissors or a sharp knife.
- Harvest only what you need. Microgreens keep growing in the tray for a few more days.
- Rinse gently and dry well before eating.
- To store, keep unwashed microgreens in a container lined with a paper towel in the refrigerator. They stay fresh for about 5 to 7 days.
- Start again. Most microgreens do not regrow after cutting. Compost the used mix and roots and sow a fresh tray. Pea shoots are an exception and often give a second, smaller cut.
For a steady supply, sow a new tray every week. Two or three small trays in rotation give a household a constant harvest.
Mold or root hairs? How to tell
New growers often throw away healthy trays because of white fuzz at the base of the stems. Usually it is harmless.
| Root hairs (normal) | Mold (a problem) | |
|---|---|---|
| Where | Only around the root of each seedling | Spreads across the soil and between stems like a web |
| When misted | Vanishes for a while | Stays put |
| Smell | Fresh, earthy | Musty or sour |
| Look | Fine, even white fuzz | Gray or white patches, sometimes slimy |
To prevent mold: do not sow too thickly, water from below once the tray is uncovered, give the tray moving air, and wash trays in hot, soapy water between crops. If a tray is clearly moldy, discard it.
Other common problems
| Problem | Cause | Fix |
|---|---|---|
| Tall, pale, floppy shoots | Not enough light, or covered too long | Uncover sooner; move closer to the light |
| Patchy sprouting | Uneven sowing or the surface dried out | Spread seed evenly; mist twice a day while covered |
| Seedlings fall over at the base | Too wet, too crowded | Sow more thinly; water from below |
| Seed hulls stuck on leaves | Common on sunflower | Mist, then brush off gently with your hand |
A note on food safety
Microgreens are eaten raw, so cleanliness matters. Start with clean trays and fresh growing mix, use seed intended for microgreens or sprouting, wash your hands before harvesting, and rinse the greens before you eat them.
Frequently asked questions
Do microgreens regrow after cutting?
Most do not. Pea shoots can give a second cut. For everything else, sow a new tray.
Do I need a grow light?
No, a sunny windowsill works. In winter, or in a dim room, a small grow light gives greener, sturdier microgreens.
Can I use regular garden seeds?
Yes, if they are untreated. Seed sold for microgreens is simply cheaper, since you need so much of it.
Can I grow microgreens without soil?
Yes. Coir or hemp mats hold enough moisture, and they are tidier indoors.
