How to Grow Microgreens
at Home
Tiny greens, big nutrition. Grow a dense harvest on your kitchen counter with nothing more than a tray, soil, and seeds.
What You Need
A shallow tray, growing medium, seeds, and light. That's it.
Shallow Tray
Any shallow container with drainage holes works. Place it inside a second solid tray to catch water.
Growing Medium
Organic potting mix, coconut coir, or hemp mats. About 1 to 1.5 inches deep in the tray.
Light Source
A sunny windowsill (south-facing) or a basic grow light. Microgreens need 12+ hours of light daily after the blackout period.
Microgreen Seeds
Seeds labeled for microgreens. Denser seeding than sprouts. Browse ours →
4 Steps to Fresh Microgreens
Works for every variety. Check the chart below for timing by seed type.
Prep and Sow
Fill your tray with 1 to 1.5 inches of moistened growing medium. Level it gently with your hand. No packing it down.
Scatter seeds densely and evenly across the surface. For microgreens, you want them close together. Press seeds lightly into the soil with your palm or a second flat tray. Do not bury them.
Mist the surface until damp. Larger seeds (sunflower, pea) benefit from a 6 to 12 hour pre-soak before sowing.
Cover and Blackout
Place a second tray (or damp paper towel) directly on top of the seeds. This creates darkness and gentle pressure, which encourages strong root growth before the stems stretch for light.
Mist once or twice daily under the cover. Seeds should stay moist, not soaked. Lift and check every day.
Weight on the cover tray (a book or small jar) helps stems grow thicker and sturdier.
Uncover and Grow
When shoots are 1 to 2 inches tall and pushing up the cover, remove it and move the tray to light. A sunny windowsill or grow light, 12 to 16 hours per day.
Switch from misting to bottom-watering: pour water into the solid bottom tray and let the soil wick it up. This keeps the leaves dry and prevents mold.
Yellow shoots will green up within 24 to 48 hours once exposed to light. This is completely normal.
Harvest and Enjoy
Harvest when the first true leaves appear, or when greens are 2 to 3 inches tall. Use clean scissors or a sharp knife. Cut just above the soil line.
Rinse gently, pat dry, and enjoy. Toss into salads, top sandwiches, blend into smoothies, garnish soups, or eat straight off the tray.
Harvest in the morning for peak crispness. Cut only what you need and let the rest keep growing for another day or two.
Ready to start growing? Pick your microgreen seeds.
Shop Microgreen Seeds →Growing Times by Variety
Timing for popular microgreen varieties. Tap to switch between greens for your kitchen and greens for your pets.
| Variety | Pre-Soak | Harvest | Flavor & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wheatgrass | 8-12 hrs | Day 9-11 | Sweet, grassy. Best juiced or blended, not eaten whole. |
| Radish | None | Day 7-9 | Spicy, peppery kick. Fast grower, great for beginners. |
| Broccoli | None | Day 8-10 | Mild, slightly peppery. One of the easiest to grow. |
| Sunflower | 8-12 hrs | Day 10-12 | Nutty, crunchy, substantial. Remove hulls before eating. |
| Pea Shoots | 8-12 hrs | Day 10-14 | Sweet, tender, delicate. Harvest tendrils and all. |
| Kale | None | Day 8-12 | Mild and earthy. Milder than mature kale. |
| Arugula | None | Day 8-10 | Peppery, bold. Perfect for salads and pizza. |
| Clover | None | Day 8-10 | Mild, fresh, clean. Very forgiving to grow. |
| Mustard | None | Day 8-10 | Sharp, spicy. A little goes a long way as a garnish. |
| Basil | None | Day 12-16 | Aromatic, sweet. Slow germinator. Needs warmth (70-75°F). |
| Beet | 4-6 hrs | Day 10-14 | Earthy, slightly sweet. Beautiful magenta stems. |
| Cilantro | 8-12 hrs | Day 14-21 | Classic cilantro flavor. Crush seed hulls before soaking for faster germination. |
| Amaranth | None | Day 8-12 | Mild, earthy. Striking red/magenta color adds visual pop. |
| Cabbage (Red) | None | Day 8-10 | Mild, slightly sweet. Purple stems are gorgeous on plates. |
| Variety | Pre-Soak | Harvest | Who It's For & Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cat Grass BlendOat, Wheat, Barley, Rye | 8-12 hrs | Day 7-10 | Grown for your cat, not your salad. Place the tray where your cat can nibble freely. Safe, digestive-friendly greens they love. |
| Golden Yolk BlendSunflower, Clover, Wheatgrass, Alfalfa | 8-12 hrs | Day 10-12 | Nutrient-dense greens for backyard chickens. Grow on a tray and place in the coop for fresh foraging. |
Warmer environments speed things up. Cooler environments slow them down. Harvest when first true leaves appear, regardless of day count.
Microgreens vs. Sprouts
Both are grown from seeds. The method and what you eat are different.
| Detail | Microgreens | Sprouts |
|---|---|---|
| Grow in | Soil or growing medium, on a tray | Water only, in a jar |
| Light needed | Yes, 12+ hours daily after blackout period | Indirect light only |
| What you eat | Stems and leaves (cut above soil) | Entire plant (seed, root, stem) |
| Time to harvest | 7 to 14 days | 4 to 8 days |
| Texture | Leafy, tender, more developed | Crunchy, juicy, delicate |
| Best for | Salad toppers, garnishes, sandwiches | Salads, wraps, stir-fries, smoothies |
Already growing sprouts? Check out our sprouting guide →
Tips for Better Microgreens
Small adjustments, big difference.
Seed Density
More is more. Microgreen trays should be seeded densely, almost shoulder to shoulder. This helps stems grow upright and supports even growth across the tray.
Bottom Water Only
Once the cover comes off, water from below. Pour into the solid tray and let the soil wick it up. Wet leaves invite mold. Dry tops, moist roots.
Airflow Matters
A small fan on low or a cracked window makes a real difference. Good airflow strengthens stems and keeps mold at bay. Avoid stuffy corners.
How to Store Your Microgreens
Cut fresh, eat fresh. Or store them right and they stay crisp for up to a week.
Cut with clean scissors just above the soil line. Only harvest what you need.
Rinse gently under cool water. Pat dry with a clean towel or use a salad spinner.
Place between layers of dry paper towel inside a sealed container.
Refrigerate. Best within 5 to 7 days. Crispest in the first 3.
Troubleshooting
Not enough light. Move them closer to the window or grow light. Microgreens reach for the nearest light source. Rotate the tray daily if using a window so they grow evenly.
Too much moisture and not enough airflow. Switch to bottom-watering only. Run a small fan nearby on low. Make sure the blackout cover is not trapping excess humidity. A light dusting of cinnamon on the soil surface can also help.
Almost always root hairs, not mold. Fine white fuzz right at the soil line on brassicas (broccoli, radish, kale) is normal root development. Mold is gray or blue-green, sits on top of seeds or soil, and smells musty. Root hairs disappear with a gentle rinse.
Uneven moisture or seeding density. Make sure the soil is evenly moist before sowing. Scatter seeds as uniformly as possible. Pressing them down gently with a flat surface ensures good soil contact across the whole tray.
Not recommended for a second microgreen crop, since roots and leftover organic matter can harbor mold. Compost the used soil and root mat instead. Start each tray with fresh growing medium for the cleanest results.
Most do not. Unlike sprouts, microgreens are harvested by cutting the stem, and the majority of varieties will not regrow from the cut. Pea shoots are the notable exception and can sometimes produce a second, lighter harvest.
Depends on the seed size. Roughly 1 to 2 ounces of small seeds (broccoli, kale, arugula) or 4 to 8 ounces of large seeds (sunflower, pea) per tray. Dense seeding is the goal. Check each seed packet for specific recommendations.
Footnote: *Microgreens can contain up to 40x the nutrient concentration of mature plants, per USDA research.
Ready to Grow Your Own Nutrition?
Pick your seeds. Grab a tray. Harvest in under two weeks.