How to Get Started Growing Microgreens at Home

Growing microgreens for the first time can feel overwhelming when you see the sheer number of seed varieties, growing systems and equipment options available. The truth is the process is simple and the investment is minimal. You need five things: seeds, a shallow tray, a growing medium, water and some light. Everything else is refinement.

What You Need to Begin

A shallow tray is the foundation. A standard 10×20-inch plastic propagation tray works well and is inexpensive. You do not need drainage holes — many growers prefer solid-bottom trays and bottom-water. A second solid tray of the same size is useful as a cover during the blackout (germination) phase and for bottom-watering.

For a growing medium, a quality seed-starting mix or coco coir are the most beginner-friendly options. Avoid heavy garden soil, which compacts and holds too much moisture. Fill the tray to about 2.5 cm (1 inch) depth, press lightly to level, and you are ready to sow.

Seeds should be labelled "untreated" or "for sprouting/microgreens" — treated seeds carry fungicide coatings that are not safe to eat at this small scale. Radish and sunflower are the best beginner varieties: they germinate reliably and fast, and both produce vigorous, flavourful shoots.

Sowing Your First Tray

Pre-soak large seeds (sunflower, pea, sunflower) for 8 to 12 hours in cool water before sowing — this softens the seed coat and speeds germination by 1 to 2 days. Small seeds like radish or broccoli do not need soaking. Scatter seeds evenly across the damp medium — for radish aim for roughly 1 to 2 seeds per square centimetre. Mist the surface lightly with water.

Cover the tray with the second tray (inverted as a dome) or a piece of black plastic. This darkness and slight weight encourages the seeds to push through the medium and develop strong stems. Keep the covered tray at room temperature — 18 to 22°C is ideal for most species.

Days 1 to 4 — The Blackout Phase

Check the tray once daily. Lift the cover briefly to inspect for germination and to mist if the surface feels dry. Most seeds will sprout within 2 to 3 days. You want the shoots to push up against the cover, which straightens and strengthens the stems. Once the majority have germinated and most sprouts are reaching the cover, remove it and move the tray into light.

Days 4 to 10 — Growing to Harvest

Place the tray in a bright spot — a south-facing windowsill, under a grow light set 5 to 10 cm above the canopy, or under fluorescent shop lights on a timer. Water from the bottom by setting the tray in 1 to 2 cm of water in the second tray and allowing it to wick up. This keeps the canopy dry and greatly reduces the risk of mould. Water when the medium feels dry an inch below the surface — typically every 1 to 2 days.

Within 5 to 10 days of moving into light, most varieties will be at the cotyledon stage (seed leaves fully open) and ready to harvest. Cut with clean scissors just above the medium, rinse, and eat fresh.

Setting Up a Simple Rotation

Once you are comfortable with one tray, stagger new trays 3 to 4 days apart. With three trays in rotation you will have a harvest-ready tray available almost every week without gaps. This succession approach is the single most practical upgrade for any new microgreens grower.