These tiny plants are big on flavor and loaded with antioxidants and vitamins.
Plus, they’re super easy and quick to grow yourself.
Here’s how to start growing microgreens yourself.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
What Are Microgreens?
Even though they’re small, these plants pack a big, bold flavor.
Don’t confuse microgreens with sprouts, even though they look similar and both are seedlings.
Credit: Illustration by La Scarlatte
Microgreens are grown in soil, typically eaten fresh, and we eat only the seed leaves and stem.
Sprouts are often grown without soil and eaten roots and all.
Microgreens Seeds
A surprisingnumber of garden cropsmake excellent microgreens.
Credit: Dean Schoeppner
The most popular and easiest way is to grow them indoors.
Gently pat down the soil, breaking up any lumps.
Sprinkle seeds liberally on top of the soil.
Because microgreens are harvested when the plants are still tiny, they don’t mind being crowded together.
Edible gardening expert Barbara Damrosch recommends sprinkling seeds evenly over the traywith a colander.
Top with just enough soil to cover the seeds.
Use your spray bottle to thoroughly dampen the soil and settle it around the microgreens seeds.
The gentle mist won’t disturb seeds or soil.
Cover your seed tray with damp, bleach-free paper towels or a plastic garden dome.
Set in a sunny (preferably a south-facing) window.
An east-facing or west-facing window will work, but a north-facing window won’t provide enough light.
What are Microgreen Care Needs?
Remove the paper towels or dome when sprouts start developing (around day three).
To keep the soil moist, continue to mist several times a day or as needed.
Fertilizer is not necessary.
With a chefs knife, youll get a bigger handful and do the job faster.
Rinse the microgreens in cool water and blot with cloth or paper towels.
You also can use asalad spinnerto remove most of the water.
Place the rinsed greens between paper towels and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
They should last about a week.
After you harvest your last crop, toss your old potting mixture in yourcompost bin.
Wash your seed trays well before starting a new batch of microgreens.
