How to grow microgreens indoors

Posted by Valentine Belue on Sunday, August 25, 2024

Microgreens, the first two leaves that emerge on germinating vegetables, herbs and flowers, are a nutrient-dense and easy way to increase your daily servings of plant-based foods. You can buy them at many farmers markets, but they’re also simple to grow at home, whether it’s in your outdoor garden or in a small container indoors. An added benefit is that they grow quickly — typically ready to harvest in less than a month — which makes them the perfect year-round crop for small-space dwellers, including novice gardeners.

“Anybody who’s interested in eating them could grow microgreens; it’s easy and it’s cheap to [grow] one tray,” says Tami Purdue, a microgreen farmer and the owner of Sweet Peas Urban Gardens.

Experts suggest starting small, though, with one to three varieties, until you get the hang of growing them. Germination rates and watering needs vary based on the variety, so starting out with just a few will make it easier to observe and take notes, says Kasey Diffie, a microgreen grower and the co-owner of Joe’s Microgreens. Once the microgreen stem is 1.5 to 2 inches tall and the first two leaves have formed, it’s time to harvest and eat them.

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Many people may think of microgreens as being lettuces and other leafy greens. They’re not wrong; arugula, kale and other greens are popular options in this realm. But many other vegetables — think broccoli and cabbage, among others — can be grown as a microgreen. Beware, though: not every vegetable yields edible microgreens. Some plant leaves, including those from tomatoes, peppers, eggplant and potatoes, can be poisonous “because they contain alkaloids that are toxic to humans,” says Lorna Bravo, the director of the Broward County Extension at the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

As for using them, there are plenty of options. They can be added to smoothies, sandwiches, salads and roasted vegetables, or used as a garnish for soups and stews. Because they are typically eaten raw, there isn’t a loss of micronutrients during cooking. The flavor of any microgreen is similar to the full-grown vegetable, so if you love the peppery bite of arugula, you’ll enjoy arugula as a microgreen.

Skip the store. For fresh herbs this winter, try an indoor garden.

We spoke with Purdue, Diffie, Bravo and other experts about their favorite beginner microgreens and the best way to grow them indoors. Here’s what they had to say.

Five microgreens to try

Arugula. If you love arugula’s pungent flavor, you can use the microgreen version to jazz up some of your favorite dishes. Arugula is a personal favorite of Michael Beauchamp, an urban farmer and microgreens grower and the owner of Know Dat, Grow Dat, who adds them to his eggs, sandwiches and burgers. Harvest is five to 12 days after germination.

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Broccoli. One of the most nutrient-dense microgreens, broccoli has high levels of Sulforaphane, known for its antibacterial, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties. Diffie likes to add broccoli microgreens to sandwiches and burgers instead of lettuce. The flavor is mild with a hint of bitterness. Harvest is seven to eight days after germination.

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Kale. Fans of the earthy and slightly bitter flavor of kale will probably enjoy the micro version on sandwiches, in rice bowls or blended into smoothies. Bravo likes kale as a garnish for lentil soup or tossed in salads. Harvest is seven to eight days after germination.

Radishes. The micro version of radishes mimics their strong, peppery bite, making these greens great for sprinkling over a stir-fry or grain bowl, or using in wraps. Juanita Chavarria, a microgreen grower and the owner of Baby Chavs, says children love the flavor of radishes. These are some of the quickest microgreens to grow; harvest is five to 10 days after germination.

Red Cabbage. An eye-catching purple-stem microgreen, red cabbage has a mild, earthy flavor. Toss these into a salad or use them to garnish a soup or stew. Beauchamp likes their mild flavor and says they are ideal for smoothies. Harvest is seven to eight days after seedlings emerge.

How to grow microgreens indoors

  • Choose a tray or shallow plastic container with drainage holes, and place a plate or another tray underneath to hold water. Commercial growers typically use 1020 trays, which are 10-by-20 inches and can be found at garden centers or from online retailers. Diffie says this size tray will yield between 10 and 16 ½- to ¾-ounce servings of greens. Or you can upcycle plastic containers from cream cheese, hummus or yogurt; nursery seedling cups; salad clamshells; or aluminum trays.
  • Fill the container with one inch of potting soil or coconut coir, which are ideal for microgreens because they are light and airy. Beware of overfilling; it’s a waste of soil, Purdue says.
  • Plants can have wildly different germination times, so it’s best to plant only one microgreen variety in each, to make it easier to observe and harvest them. You can use any vegetable or herb seeds, but the planting method is a bit different. Rather than placing a couple of seeds in a hole and covering them with soil, sprinkle your seeds evenly over the soil and leave them exposed. “Make sure the seeds are not too thick or on top of one another,” Beauchamp says. Uniform distribution ensures that, when the seeds germinate, they have space to support one another.
  • After sowing seeds, add weights. “The weight helps the seeds take root and mimic being buried in the ground,” Chavarria says. She uses bricks; Purdue stacks up to 4 microgreen trays on her seeds. Keep the soil moist but not soaking wet. Watering them from the bottom is best because it reduces the chances of soil splashing onto the microgreens and helps the roots grow downward, Purdue says.
  • Keep the trays in a dark room until the seeds germinate. Once they emerge, place them by a window that receives at least six hours of sunlight daily. “The more sunlight you give them, it’s going to produce more chlorophyll and make bigger leaves,” says Diffie. An ideal temperature range is 60 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and they need good air circulation to minimize mold and mildew growth.
  • Harvest when the first two leaves have fully formed, known as a cotyledon. Use a knife or scissors to cut the microgreens near the soil level. Don’t wait too long to harvest because when a third leaf grows, the flavor can change from nutty or earthy to bitter, Beauchamp says.

    • Lauren David writes about gardening and sustainability.

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