How to Grow and Harvest Microgreens from Seeds
, by Swathi Arasu, 5 min reading time
Microgreens are tiny sprouts that are nutrient-dense and can be grown easily and harvested indoors fairly quickly. If you have limited space and time to invest in your garden, then microgreens can be the perfect plants to grow from seeds. You can grow your edible indoor garden of organic microgreens on a window sill or kitchen counter, in just a few steps.
Microgreens are tiny sprouts that are nutrient-dense and can be grown easily and harvested indoors quickly. If you have limited space and time to invest in your garden, then microgreens can be the perfect plants to grow from seeds.
They are popularly used in salads, as a garnish to many dishes, and also to add flavour to recipes. You can grow your edible indoor garden of organic microgreens on a window sill or kitchen counter, in just a few steps.
How to get Microgreen Seeds
If you’re buying seeds online, microgreens can be easily purchased through trusted online platforms such as Seed World Marketplace. It offers varieties of microgreen seeds such as ‘Green Buckwheat Seeds’, ‘Amaranth Seeds’, ‘Pea Seeds, ‘Broccoli Seeds’, and much more.
What supplies do you need to grow Microgreen Seeds at home
If you’re looking to grow Microgreen seeds at home through a DIY method, then you’ll need:
- A container with a lid (ceramic/glass/plastic food containers)
- Potting soil / organic coco coir bricks / grow mats
- Water
- Microgreen seeds
You can also buy commercially available microgreen growing kits or microgreen trays.
How to grow Microgreens from Seeds
Microgreens are the easiest ready-to-use food that you can grow indoors. Once they sprout and grow into leggy seedlings, it’s ready to be harvested. Following are a few steps that can be used to grow healthy nutrient-rich microgreens from seeds:
- Before you can start sowing the microgreen seeds, they need to be soaked. You can follow the instructions on the packet or soak for 6-9 hours.
- To avoid external diseases from attacking the young seedlings, you can sanitize the microgreen trays or containers before planting.
- If you’re using potting soil as a medium, you can directly spread them around the microgreen tray or container. With organic coco coir bricks or grow mats, they need to be soaked in water before use.
- Once the soil is prepared, spread the soaked microgreen seeds evenly.
- If you find the seeds or soil is dry, lightly spray water. This can help the seeds germinate faster with enough moisture and humidity.
- Cover the microgreen tray with a plastic covering or lid.
- Move them to a window sill, balcony, or an area that receives optimum sun exposure.
- The golden rule to water microgreens is to mist them once or twice every day or when the soil starts to dry.
- Depending on the microgreen seed variety, it can take up to 2-3 days for seeds to sprout.
When to Harvest Microgreens
Microgreens can be harvested about two to three weeks after planting, depending on the seed variety. Once the first ‘true leaves’ grow from the seedlings and reach just above the tray or container, it’s time for harvest. You can take a scissor and snip off the microgreens right above the soil line. You can use them fresh off the planting container or store them for future use.
FAQ’s
Here are a few frequently asked questions regarding microgreen planting, growth, and harvest. You can follow the easy steps and avoid common mistakes to successfully germinate and harvest microgreens from seeds at home.
How many Microgreen Seeds per tray?
You can spread about 9-12 microgreen seeds per square inch for each tray. Though they might be overcrowding the tray, you can make sure it’s not overlapping.
How often can you harvest Microgreens?
Depending on the microgreen seed variety, some can regrow after the first harvest while others don’t. Certain microgreen seed varieties with high chances of regrowth are pea microgreen, fenugreek microgreen, broccoli, bean, and basil.
What temperature is the best to grow Microgreens?
Microgreens grow well in moist soil with an ideal temperature of 70 degrees. The warmer the temperature the more healthy and faster the microgreens can germinate. In colder temperatures, there may be delayed and uneven growth.
Do Microgreen Seeds expire?
When stored in proper conditions, microgreen seeds can last for two to three years or even more. You can follow the instructions provided on the seed packet to grow healthy microgreens at home.
Do Microgreen Seeds need a lot of light to grow?
Microgreens need direct sunlight for about five hours every day to flourish. In winters you can use artificial grow lights to compensate for natural light.
Do Microgreen Seed trays need drainage holes?
If you use potting soil medium for growing your microgreens then you may not require drainage holes. For certain microgreens have shallow root systems that spread and contain excess water. But having drainage holes is also beneficial to avoid waterlogging that may result in mold and fungus. Depending on the seed variety, you can grow with or without drainage holes.
What are the healthiest Microgreens to grow?
Microgreens are rich in various nutrients and some of the healthiest microgreen seeds you can grow are radish, broccoli, amaranth, sunflower, peas, kale, and arugula, to name a few.
