Microgreens at Home

Microgreens are one of the most rewarding edible projects you can do indoors. From soaked seed to harvest is 7 to 14 days for the quick kinds, the equipment is two trays and a bag of seed, and the result is the fresh garnish that shops sell in small punnets.

Microgreens are the seedling stage of vegetables (pea shoots, radish shoots, sunflower greens, broccoli sprouts) eaten when they’re 5 to 10 cm tall, after the first true leaves appear but before the plant matures. Researchers who measured 25 commercially grown microgreens found that the amounts varied enormously from one kind to another, and that the seed leaves held higher concentrations of the vitamins and carotenoids tested than the figures on record for mature leaves. They taste vivid: peppery radish, sweet pea, nutty sunflower.

This guide gives you a complete day-by-day system that produces a tray every 10 days indefinitely - no grow lights, no special soil, no expensive kit.

Food safety - read this first. Microgreens are usually eaten raw, and the seed is where trouble starts. As of 9 October 2026 the US Food and Drug Administration was investigating a Salmonella outbreak linked to broccoli sprouts and microgreens grown from a contaminated seed lot, and several brands of broccoli sprouting seed sold to home growers had been recalled - check that page before using broccoli seed you already have. The FDA’s standing advice on sprouts is that children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems should avoid raw or lightly cooked sprouts of any kind, because a few harmful bacteria on a seed can multiply as it grows - at home as well as on a farm. Microgreens are a different crop, but they start from the same seed. Keep trays, scissors and hands clean, use drinking water, and rinse the harvest under running water.

What You Actually Need

The minimum kit:

Two shallow trays (one with drainage holes, one without) - standard 1020 nursery trays or 25 × 38 cm. A cake tin works in a pinch.
Soil - a fine seed-starting mix or a 50/50 mix of peat-free compost and coco coir. Two cm depth is enough.
Seeds - bought specifically as “microgreen seeds” (untreated, food-grade). About 30 grams per tray for most varieties.
A spray bottle for watering.
A bright spot - south-facing window or a small grow light.

That’s it. No heat mats, no humidity domes, no fertiliser. Once you catch the growing bug, the wider edible gardening section walks you through full-size vegetables.

The Best Beginner Seeds

Start with one of these - fast, forgiving, and great-tasting:

Radish (any variety) - 7 days to harvest, peppery, vigorous germination. If you enjoy the shoots, the full radish growing guide covers taking them to maturity.
Pea shoots - 10 days, sweet, easy.
Sunflower - 8-10 days, nutty and substantial.
Broccoli - 8 days, mild. Check the recall note above before using broccoli seed. See the broccoli crop guide if you want to grow full heads too.
Mustard - 7 days, spicy, beautiful in salads.

Avoid for first attempts:

Basil and other tiny seeds: slow and finicky.
Chia, flax, cress: they form a sticky gel when soaked and need a different setup.
Cilantro: slow germinator that often disappoints.

Never use eggplant, pepper, tomato or tomatillo seed for microgreens: Oregon State University Extension lists them as seed types to avoid (OSU Extension).

Radish Microgreens

Radish sits in Oregon State Extension’s “spicy” group, beside arugula and mustard greens. OSU’s overnight soak is for large seeds such as sunflower and peas, so radish can be sown dry: sprinkle it closely and evenly over at least 1½ inches (4 cm) of moist potting soil, press it in gently, mist, and cover the container to keep out light and hold in moisture, misting every 12 hours. Once the seeds sprout, around day 3 or 4, uncover them and move them to a bright window or under a lamp, which can sit as close as 3 inches above the plants and ideally run 15 hours a day. Cut above the soil with clean scissors, rinse and eat them straight away; wrapped in a paper towel inside a plastic bag, they keep 1 to 2 days in the fridge (OSU Extension).

Sunflower Microgreens

Sunflower is in the “mild” group with broccoli, cabbage, chard, kale and peas. As a large seed it should be soaked overnight before sowing for quick, even sprouting; after that it follows the same steps as radish, and many microgreens, sunflower among them, are ready in 10 to 14 days. Seed left over from past seasons works well; if you are not sure old seed will grow, sow a little extra (OSU Extension).

The 10-Day Timeline

Day 0 - Soak (some seeds)

Sunflower, pea, and beet seeds soak in water for 6-12 hours before planting. Radish, broccoli, mustard go straight in dry.

Day 1 - Plant

Fill the no-drainage tray with 2 cm of moist soil. Tap to level.
Scatter seeds densely across the surface: they should cover the soil with no gaps but not pile up.
Press seeds firmly into the soil with a flat-bottomed glass (no covering with more soil).
Mist with water.
Cover with the second tray inverted on top to create darkness and pressure (this mimics being buried).
Set aside on a counter: no light needed yet.

Day 2-3 - Wait

Lift the cover briefly each day, mist if dry. Seeds will start sprouting white roots and pushing the top tray upward.

Day 4 - Uncover

When sprouts are 3-4 cm tall (yellow and pale - they haven’t seen light yet), remove the top tray.

Day 5-6 - Greening

Move to bright indirect light or under a grow light. Sprouts turn from pale yellow to vivid green within 24-48 hours. Water from below - pour a thin layer into the cover tray and set the planted tray on top so soil wicks up moisture.

Day 7-10 - Harvest

Microgreens are ready when:

They’re 5-10 cm tall.
The first true leaves (the second set, different from the seed leaves) are starting to show or just about to.

Cut with clean, sharp scissors just above the soil line. Rinse under running water - the FDA’s advice for all produce: dry on a clean towel, store in a sealed container in the fridge and use within a few days.

Why Microgreens Often Fail

Three things cause almost every failed tray:

Mould. Looks like fuzzy white growth on the soil surface during the dark days. Caused by overwatering and no airflow. Fix: mist less, use less dense sowing, ensure the tray isn’t sitting in standing water.
- Distinguishing mould from root hairs: root hairs are fine white fuzz only on the developing roots and disappear when misted. Mould is on the soil surface and stays.
Leggy pale shoots. They didn’t get enough light after uncovering. Move closer to the window or use a brighter grow light.
Sparse uneven growth. Sowing too thinly, or seeds too old. Sow densely: coverage should be near-continuous.

A Continuous Harvest System

The trick is to stagger trays so you always have fresh microgreens.

Plant a new tray every 3-4 days.
After 10 days, you’ll harvest the first tray.
Compost the spent soil and roots (or use as garden mulch).
Restart the cycle.

With three trays in rotation you eat fresh microgreens daily.

Costs

We have not priced this out, because prices differ by country and by shop. The shopping list is short: two trays, a bag of seed-starting mix, and seed bought by weight from a microgreen supplier rather than in small garden packets. The trays are reused, so after the first tray the running cost is mostly seed and a little mix.

Using Microgreens in Cooking

Salads - toss a handful on top.
Sandwiches and wraps - replace lettuce entirely.
Eggs - sprinkle on scrambled, omelettes, or fried eggs.
Soups - float on top as garnish.
Smoothies - broccoli or kale microgreens are mild enough.
Pesto - pea shoots make a sweet variant; sunflower works nutty.

Microgreens wilt to almost nothing when heated, so they are normally added raw, at the end. If you are cooking for someone in the groups named in the food-safety note at the top, leave them off that plate.

Soil-Free Methods

Some growers skip soil and use:

Hemp grow mats - clean, mould-resistant, compostable. Best for sprouting trays in a kitchen.
Coconut coir pads - similar to hemp.
Plain water (hydroponic): works for pea shoots and sunflower; trickier for tiny seeds.

Soil grows the best-tasting microgreens; mats are tidier. Try both.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do microgreens take to grow?

7 to 14 days depending on variety. Radish, broccoli, and mustard are the fastest (7-8 days). Pea shoots, sunflower, and beets take 10-14 days. Basil and cilantro take 20+ days.

Do I need a grow light for microgreens?

No, if you have a south-facing window. Yes, if your window light is weak - a basic LED grow light on a timer gives more even greens.

What’s the difference between sprouts and microgreens?

Sprouts are eaten very young (3-5 days) with the seed and root still attached, grown in just water. Microgreens are grown in soil to 7-14 days, then cut above the soil - only the stem and leaves are eaten. Sprouts are grown warm and wet, and the FDA warns that a few harmful bacteria on the seed can grow to high levels during sprouting. Microgreens are grown differently, but they are not risk-free: an outbreak in 2026 was linked to both.

Can microgreens regrow after cutting?

Pea shoots will sometimes regrow once if you leave a few leaves. Most others won’t. It’s cheaper and faster to start a fresh tray.

Are microgreens really that nutritious?

Per gram, often yes: researchers who measured 25 commercially grown microgreens found higher concentrations of the vitamins and carotenoids they tested than the figures on record for mature leaves, with large differences between kinds. A serving is a pinch, though, so they add to a diet more than they change it.

Recommended Gear on Amazon

Microgreens seed mix - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
Microgreens growing trays - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.
Coco coir grow mats - browse current options and reviews on Amazon.

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