How To Grow Microgreens

Many Americans would love to grow their own food but there’s just one thing stopping them, a lack of garden space.

Microgreens are the perfect answer for all would-be gardeners, they take up almost no space, can be grown indoors, and they’re super easy to grow and cost almost nothing to grow too.

Here’s what you need to know about how to grow microgreens.

What Are Microgreens?

Sometimes, also called vegetable confetti, microgreens are green vegetables whose seeds have been allowed to sprout and then a small amount of edible immature green is allowed to grow on top before harvesting.

The plants are harvested when they are two inches tall and it takes less than a month to grow them from seeds, once the seeds have germinated.

The best choices of seed for these are salad greens, herbs, and leafy vegetables, though some people swear by edible flowers too.

To begin with, start with a single seed type (say broccoli or mustard) and over time, learn to mix them up a bit for more variety.

First prep the area.

You want a windowsill that’s warm and sunny during the day (your plants ideally want to bathe in the sun pouring through a south-facing window).

You also need a small container (which should be clean).

There’s no need to buy anything, use an old plastic take out carton or a fruit box or a salad box.

Then just make sure there are some drainage holes in the base (poke a few in, if there aren’t).

Then follow this process:

Check for special planting instructions on your seed packet (just in case).
Fill the base of the container 1-2 inches deep with potting soil.
Gently flatten the soil with your hand but don’t compress it.
Sprinkle some seeds on the soil and then gently press them into the soil with your hand.
Sprinkle a thin layer of soil over the top and spray it with a misting spray (just water).
Then, on a daily basis, go back and spray the mister again – you want to keep the soil moist but not soaking, if you need to spray twice in a day, go right ahead and do so.
Your seeds will sprout in about 7 days, once they do, you need to keep spraying that mister once or twice every day.
They must get at least 4 hours of sunlight a day, if that’s not possible buy a grow light and use that, to top up the natural light.
Don’t panic if your microgreens collapse – this means they’re out of water, mist spray them again and they’ll soon bounce back.
When they’re ready to harvest, trim them with scissors and rinse the plant material under the tap,and then dry it on kitchen towels.
Then it’s ready to eat – use it in salads or as a garnish or get some ideas from our best vegan cookbooks guide! If you don’t use all the microgreens, you can pop them in the refrigerator in a plastic bag.

One final note, you can also grow microgreens outdoors if you have the right climate but they need to be well protected from wind, extreme weather and pests if you want them to survive.

Final Thoughts On How To Grow Microgreens

So, there you have it, it’s so easy to grow microgreens at home that absolutely everyone should do it.

It takes almost no space and requires almost no budget to do, so why not get started growing your microgreens, today?

If you’re keen on gardening at home, you might want to check out Urban Gardening for Beginners which is a great book or our guide on how to grow your own food in the city.