Do Microgreens Grow Back After You Cut Them?

Whether microgreens regrow after cutting depends on the species. Most microgreens do not produce a second meaningful harvest — the cut removes the cotyledons, which are the primary photosynthetic organs at this early stage, leaving behind only the stem stub and roots. Without leaves, the plant cannot produce energy and simply dies. However, a useful minority of microgreens do regrow from secondary growing points, and understanding which ones behave this way helps you get more value from each tray.

Varieties That Regrow Well

Pea shoots are the best regrowers. Cut pea shoots above the lowest set of leaves (not at the base) and the plant will send up new shoots from the axillary buds — the growing points where leaves meet the stem. The second cut is typically ready in 7 to 10 days after the first and produces about 50 to 70% of the first harvest by volume. The flavour remains excellent. A third cut is often possible but yields diminish further and the medium becomes depleted.

Wheatgrass and other cereal grasses also regrow reliably after the first cut. The new growth emerges from the same seed and root system and reaches cutting height in 7 to 10 days. The second cut is slightly lower in chlorophyll concentration than the first but still produces a usable quantity of juice. Most growers take two cuts from a wheatgrass tray before discarding it.

Sunflower microgreens occasionally produce secondary side shoots from the leaf axils after the first cut. This regrowth is less reliable than peas and produces smaller, thinner shoots — still edible and pleasant, but not a full second harvest.

Varieties That Do Not Regrow

Brassicas — radish, broccoli, kale, cabbage, mustard — do not produce a useful second harvest. The first cut removes the cotyledons completely, and without the energy-producing leaves the plant cannot sustain new growth. Any stub growth you see after cutting a brassica tray will be very sparse, slow and low in quality. It is more efficient to compost the tray and sow a new one than to wait for a second cut from a brassica tray. Basil, amaranth and chard behave similarly — single cut crops at the microgreens stage.

How to Cut for the Best Regrowth

The key to getting good regrowth from pea shoots is cutting height. If you cut at the base (just above the medium), you remove all the leaf nodes and the plant has no growing points to regenerate from. Instead, cut just above the first or second set of leaves from the base. This leaves several intact leaf nodes below the cut from which new shoots will emerge. The trade-off is a slightly shorter first-cut harvest, but the second cut compensates and overall yield from the tray is higher.

Managing the Tray Between Cuts

After the first cut, continue bottom-watering at the same frequency as before. The tray needs moisture at the root level to support regrowth. Ensure it remains in good light — regrowth without light will be pale and leggy. Check the medium moisture level every 1 to 2 days. If the medium has become very compacted or heavily rooted through, growth on subsequent cuts may be slower — this is normal and does not indicate a problem. The second cut simply requires a little more time and patience.