How to grow microgreens at home

To grow microgreens at home, spread seeds thickly over a shallow tray of moist growing medium, keep them covered and dark for the first few days, then move them to bright light and water from below until they're ready to cut. Fast varieties like radish are often ready in about a week or two. You don't need a garden, special skills, or much space: a windowsill or a shelf with a small grow light is enough.

What you need to grow microgreens

The supply list is short, and most of it is reusable:

• Seeds sold for microgreens or sprouting. They're untreated and packed in larger amounts, which matters because you sow thickly.
• A shallow tray with drainage holes, plus a second tray without holes to sit underneath for bottom watering.
• A growing medium, such as a fine potting mix, coconut coir, or a fiber grow mat.
• A spray bottle for misting.
• Light: a bright, sunny window or an inexpensive LED grow light.
• Clean, sharp scissors for harvesting.

Which microgreens are easiest for beginners?

Radish, broccoli, arugula, and mustard are good first crops. They sprout quickly, grow evenly, and don't need soaking. Peas and sunflowers are also popular and very forgiving, but their larger seeds do better after soaking in water overnight before planting. Basil and cilantro can be grown as microgreens too, though they're slower and a little fussier, so save them for your second or third tray.

How to plant microgreens step by step

1. Fill the tray with about an inch of growing medium, level it, and press it down gently.
2. Water the medium until it's evenly moist but not soggy.
3. Scatter seeds evenly across the surface. Aim for seeds close together without piling on top of each other.
4. Mist the seeds and press them lightly into the medium with your hand or a flat object.
5. Cover the tray with another tray or a lid to block light. Some growers set a light weight on top to help roots grip the medium.
6. Keep the tray covered for the first few days, misting once or twice a day, until most seeds have sprouted and lifted the cover slightly.

Light and watering after germination

Once seedlings have sprouted and are an inch or so tall, remove the cover and give them light. Pale yellow sprouts are normal at this stage and turn green within a day of light exposure.

Place the tray in your brightest window or under a grow light for much of the day. If the seedlings lean hard toward the window or grow tall and floppy, they need more light, so move them closer or add a grow light.

Water from below: pour water into the solid tray underneath and let the medium soak it up for several minutes, then pour off the excess. This keeps the leaves dry, which helps prevent mold. Check the medium daily and water when the surface starts to feel dry.

When and how to harvest

Harvest when the first leaves (called cotyledons) are fully open and the greens are a few inches tall. For quick crops like radish, that's often within one to two weeks of planting. Slower types can take longer, so check the seed packet for a typical range.

To harvest, hold a handful of greens and cut just above the growing medium with clean scissors. Cut only what you'll eat soon, because uncut microgreens keep best on the tray. Rinse right before eating, not before storing.

How to store fresh microgreens

Pat harvested greens dry, wrap them loosely in a paper towel, and keep them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. They're best eaten within several days. Damp greens spoil faster, so dry them well.

Common problems and fixes

Is that white fuzz mold?

Often it's root hairs. Microgreen roots grow fine white hairs that look fuzzy, especially on radish and broccoli. Root hairs grow from the roots and disappear when misted. Mold looks like a gray or white web spreading across seeds and the medium, often with a musty smell. If you see mold, improve airflow with a small fan, water from below only, and sow a little less thickly next time.

Why are my microgreens tall and floppy?

They're stretching for light. Move them to a brighter spot or lower the grow light closer to the tray.

Why didn't my seeds sprout evenly?

Uneven sprouting usually comes from uneven moisture or seeds that weren't pressed into the medium. Keep the surface consistently moist and covered until germination.

Can you regrow microgreens after cutting?

Most microgreens don't regrow well after cutting, because the growing point is removed. Compost the used medium and roots, wash the tray, and start a fresh batch. Many home growers plant a new tray every week so there's always one ready to cut.

Prefer to buy them fresh?

Growing your own is fun, and buying from a nearby grower saves the wait. See our Local Microgreens home page for tips on finding microgreens grown near you, If you're in Florida, Coastal Greens Farm grows microgreens with aquaponics. Disclosure: the farm is run by Rob Steele, who writes this site. You can read more about Local Microgreens and its author.