How to Grow Microgreens Indoors – 8 Valuable Tips

Isn’t it awesome if we could easily grow our food at home? Yes, that sounds great until you feel that you don’t have much space at home. But this should be the obstacle to growing food at home. Growing fresh microgreens at home is a great initiative towards a healthy lifestyle. But how to grow microgreens indoors?

It isn’t that difficult to grow microgreens at home. The best part of growing microgreens is that it doesn’t require much space in the house. Even if you stay in a small apartment, you can now enjoy the nourishment of microgreens. Yet, how to grow microgreens indoors is possible in such a small space. Making a whole garden space is a very big issue nowadays. So Microgreen green are a savior.

Microgreens are very safe to eat. So why don’t we grow that at home with just a little bit of care? Still, people feel how to grow microgreens indoors so easily? In this article, we will discuss various tricks and methods which will help you. Not only you will answer your query of how to grow microgreens indoors. But also turn into a great micro gardener. Eventually, you can also turn this into a great side business.

Microgreens are very much in demand for their nutritional supplements and also due to their great use in garnishing. Chefs love to enhance the food flavors by using fresh microgreens and this also looks visually appealing. You can easily make the same kind of dishes at home and garnish them with microgreens. So now you see how beneficial it would be if you know how to grow microgreens indoors.

So what are microgreens?

Microgreens are vegetable seedlings and herb seedlings. It has 2 parts- Stem and leaves or cotyledon leaves. This cotyledon leaf performs photosynthesis to provide food to the growing microgreen. Microgreens are regarded as the fastest growing and easiest crop to grow indoors.

But this is not similar to sprouts, as sprouts have roots. Harvesting of microgreens is done without roots. But how to grow microgreens indoors is still your mind. No need to stress about that, we will tell you about the simple steps.

Nutritional Benefits of Microgreens

But why are we so concerned about microgreens? Microgreens are regarded as superfoods as they packed various potential nutrients. Even it is regarded that they have higher potential nutrients compared to vegetables in general. Researchers recommend that colored microgreens are packed with more ingredients. Those who want to know how to grow microgreens indoors should also know nutritional benefits.

These nutritional benefits are as follows:-

1. Cures constipation problem

A microgreen has high fiber content. Therefore having microgreens daily will improve constipation disorder. Also, the microgreen has high prebiotic fiber. This helps in the growth of helpful probiotic organisms in our gut. So there is the growth of intentional bacteria due to prebiotic fibers. This results in proper digestion and cures the constipation problem too. So if you want to end your worries, grow microgreens indoors. After reading this article you get your solution to how to grow microgreens indoors.

2. Diabetes cure

Microgreens reduce stress, which results in the prevention of sugar entry in the cells. Therefore a microgreen-rich diet is important for a diabetic person. It is observed that fenugreek microgreens showed remarkable results for diabetic care. It enhances the uptake of cellular sugar by 25-44% according to scientists.

3. Alzheimer treatment

Microgreens can’t reverse Alzheimer’s disease. But the survey study says that Microgreen intake resulted in a lower risk of Alzheimer’s disease. This is due to the presence of an antioxidant – Polyphenols.

4. Cure for few cancers

Due to the presence of high levels of antioxidants like carotenoids, polyphenols, and glucosinolates. Microgreens have great potential in various cancer treatments. So the hydroponic Brassicaceae microgreens showed an antiproliferative effect on the cancer cells. So cabbage and kale microgreen are a must in the anticancer diet.

5. Heart disease cure

Microgreens have high levels of polyphenols. Polyphenols are a class of antioxidants. So this helps in heart-related problems.

6. Lowers cholesterol

If you want a cure for cholesterol then you should include microgreens in your daily diet. Red cabbage microgreens showed the potential to lower the level of cholesterol. Lower density cholesterol and liver cholesterol is a big issue nowadays. So the fatty acid breaks down to initiate the lowering of cholesterol. Also due to this breakdown, even body fat will decrease. So if you are obese, then this is a must-have for your diet. After knowing its benefits, I am sure you are very eager to know how to grow microgreens indoors.

7. Improves eyesight

Colorful microgreens are best for improving eyesight. They contain beta-carotene which is a great source of vitamin A. It reduces eye inflammation as well is great for increasing rhodopsin.

Benefits of growing Microgreens indoors

1. Quick growth

For normal vegetables, it takes a long time to grow. So microgreens are great as it’s like you seed it today. Within 3 weeks the growth of the microgreens is enough to eat it. For varieties like Radish microgreens, can be eaten in just 7-8 days after sowing. So see it’s soo easy if you are concerned about how to grow microgreens indoors.

2. High yield

Yield is higher when compared to normal vegetables. A huge amount of microgreens can be grown in a small area. It is a high-yielding crop when compared to the space it requires. We all know about the kitchen garden concept. But in apartments nowadays, there is much space. Now comes the difficulty of how to grow microgreens indoors?

So now one can easily grow a few microgreens near the kitchen window. You can even grow them in the window seals too. Therefore they can now easily enjoy the microgreens in their salads and meals. Even a few microgreens regrow even after cutting them. Therefore won’t be a space problem if you want to know how to grow microgreens indoors.

3. Requirements are simple

The answer to how to grow microgreens indoors is not very complicated. This is because the requirements for growing microgreens indoors are very easy. You just need sunlight coming through the window, soil, water, and a few growing medium mixes. The nutrient medium can be easily bought from the store or online. But for a few microgreens, you can make them at home too.

4. Minimal cost

Yes, the microgreen seeds aren’t that pricey. But make sure to buy the seeds from a reputed company. Also, make sure the growing medium should not contain any containment. Make sure to check the presence of any bacterial growth. Most microgreens get destroyed due to the growth of Salmonella and E.coli bacteria. So now you how to grow microgreens indoors within a budget.

5. Less maintaining effort

Maintenance is minimal. So this harvesting microgreen can be a great startup. Even Microgreens have a long shelf life if kept under proper maintenance. It is preferable to keep the cutout microgreens at a temperature less than 4°C.

6. Urban living solution

Growing microgreen indoors is a great solution for people living in cities. Also, life is busier in urban areas. So microgreens are an easy solution if you’re looking for something fresh every day. Just sow the seeds and they are ready to eat in just a few days. Also, they are immensely healthy. So add them in your regular salads, wraps to enjoy their health benefits.

Material required for growing microgreens

These are must-have materials required if concerned about how to grow microgreens indoors.

1. Peat pots ( 3 inches)
2. Vermiculite
3. Seeds
4. Plastic wraps
5. Soilless Seed starting mix

Step by step ways to grow microgreens indoor

1. Buy the microgreen seeds

Make sure to buy microgreen seeds from trusted shopkeepers. There are varieties of microgreen seeds available nowadays. Buy the one which you love having the most. Even nowadays there are many microgreen mixes available.

For beginners, it’s best to sow seeds of the following microgreens:-

1. Broccoli
2. Cauliflower
3. Cabbage
4. Mustard
5. Chia
6. Sunflower
7. Buckwheat

2. Add water to the soilless mixture

Watering the soil is an important step. But you need to check the moisture level in the mixture before watering. It’s best to use a sprayer for gathering to avoid excess watering. Also, keep the soil layer only 1-2 inch only. If the soil is very wet, then the roots cannot develop.

3. Add the soilless seed starting mixture to the containers

The pre-moistened soil is added to the containers. It’s best to use shallow containers with holes for drainage. Even greenhouse trays, egg trays, or salad boxes can be used to grow microgreens. It is not always to buy from the stores only. Just make sure to drill a few small holes for drainage.

Yes, you heard that right, it is a soilless mixture. It’s best not to sow the microgreen seeds in the soil. Instead, use a soilless seed starting mix for healthy microgreen growth. These mixtures contain 80% organic materials and only 20% perlite. Also, the compost added to the mix should be well sterilized.

4. Sow the seeds

Now sprinkle the selected microgreen seeds in the soilless seed mixture. Now top the seeds with a little bit of soil and vermiculite. This will help in absorbing the water and keep the soil adequately damp. Now mist the soil again a bit using a sprayer bottle.

5. Wrap the container

To avoid any pest attack, wrap the container. Use cellophane paper or lightweight plastic paper. This also restricts the excess humidity to disturb the seed germination in the initial days of germination.

6. Give water shower

It is recommended to water the plants every alternative day. But don’t overwater the microgreens. Or else there can be bacterial growth or the microgreens might die off.

7. Care for microgreens

When seeds germinate, remove the covering. Within 3-5 days the seeds start poking. Make sure you allow adequate sunlight to come inside the room. A minimum of 12 hours of sunlight is required. This will help promote the healthy growing microgreens.

8. Harvest

For harvesting the microgreens, use a scissor to cut. Just hold the microgreens leaves and snip with scissors. You can easily store this in an airtight container. Whenever you want to eat, you can eat these microgreens easily. Make sure to wash them and pat them dry before waiting.

8 valuable tips for growing Microgreens indoors

Apart from knowing how to grow microgreens indoors. You should also know about ways to care about microgreens. Not only these are going to give abundant nutritious microgreens. But also, for the budding Microgreen gardeners, who just started this business. These tips will be of great use along with knowledge about how to grow microgreens indoors. The following tips are:-

1. Seeds should be down in the right season. It is best to avoid the rainy season. Also, don’t sow the seeds on a rainy day.
2. Sowing fewer seeds is best to enable the proper growth of each seedling. This will ensure all the cotyledon leaves get sunlight adequately to photosynthesize
3. Protecting the growing microgreens is important. This is because we often notice few pests eat tasty microgreens. So it’s better to cover with slightly perforated lids to prevent entry.
4. Checking soil moisture. Don’t overwater. Just spray water once every alternative day. So it’s quite easy to maintain. Hence your query about how to grow microgreens indoors is quite hassle-free.
5. Treat microgreens gently. As they are minute seedlings, it’s better not to touch them while they are growing.
6. Proper light for at least 12-16 hours per day. But for the initial five days, the microgreen seeds should be kept in darkness for growth.
7. LED lights for nutritional enhancement

A light-emitting diode regulates the phytochemical compounds in the microgreens. This was observed in Broccoli microgreens. A short duration of blue led light increases the carotenoids levels in microgreen. Now, this beta carotene gets converted into Vitamin A. Imagine how beneficial it is to know how to grow microgreens indoors.

8. Giving the right amount of nutrients to the soil. Excess nutrients lead to the growth of unwanted bacteria. This will eventually destroy the microgreens in just a few days.

I hope after reading this article, your query about how to grow microgreens indoors is solved. Make sure to follow the steps before growing the microgreens indoor. Why buy pricey microgreens from the grocery store. Now you can easily make them at a lot lesser price. We are sure you grow an immense amount of microgreens easily.