Can You Grow Microgreens in Winter?

Yes — microgreens are one of the few crops that thrive indoors year-round, including in winter, and for many home growers the winter months are actually when microgreens become most valuable. The fresh salad greens and herbs that are available cheaply in summer become expensive and scarce in mid-winter, while a microgreens setup on your kitchen shelf keeps producing fresh, nutritious shoots regardless of what is happening outside. You simply need to adjust for two winter-specific challenges: lower natural light and cooler indoor temperatures.

Managing Low Winter Light

Natural light is significantly weaker in winter, even through a south-facing window. In northern latitudes, the combination of shorter days, a lower sun angle and more frequent cloud cover can reduce usable light to a fraction of summer levels. Microgreens grown on a windowsill in December will often be noticeably leggier and paler than the same variety grown in June. The solution is simple: add a grow light. A basic LED grow strip or two-tube fluorescent T5 fixture on a 16-hour timer provides more than enough light for most microgreens varieties and eliminates the seasonal light problem entirely.

If you prefer to stick with windowsill growing in winter, choose the most light-tolerant, fast-growing varieties: radish and broccoli can still produce a reasonable crop in winter window conditions. Basil, amaranth and other heat-and-light-hungry crops will struggle without supplemental light.

Maintaining Temperature

Most homes maintain living areas at 18 to 21°C during winter with normal heating, and this is perfectly adequate for most microgreens varieties. Problems arise if you are growing in a cold kitchen that drops below 16°C at night, a utility room without heating, or any space that is kept cool to save energy. At these temperatures, growth slows significantly and germination becomes patchy.

A seedling heat mat is the most targeted solution. Placed under the covered tray during the germination phase, it raises medium temperature by 5 to 10°C above ambient and can mean the difference between strong, even germination and a frustratingly patchy tray. Once seeds have germinated and are moved to light, most varieties can tolerate cooler ambient temperatures — the heat mat is primarily a germination tool in winter.

Best Varieties for Winter Growing

Radish, broccoli, kale and mustard are the most robust winter varieties — they germinate readily at lower temperatures (down to about 14°C with some slowness) and grow acceptably under reduced light. Pea shoots are also good: peas tolerate cool conditions better than most microgreens and are one of the few crops that almost prefer a slightly cooler environment. Basil should be reserved for well-lit, warm setups (heat mat plus grow light) in winter; it will not perform well in a cool, dim kitchen.

Adjusting Your Grow Cycle

In winter, expect grow times to be 20 to 40% longer than the same varieties grown in summer. A radish crop that harvests in 7 days in August may take 9 to 11 days in December. Factor this into your succession sowing schedule — instead of starting new trays every 7 days, start them every 9 to 11 days to match the slower pace. This keeps a continuous harvest rotation without gaps.