The Easiest Microgreens to Grow at Home (Beginner's Guide)

If you want a fast, satisfying first win at growing your own food, start with microgreens. They’re ready to harvest in 1–2 weeks, grow indoors on any windowsill, and need almost no gear or experience. This guide covers the easiest varieties to grow and exactly how to do it.

What are microgreens?

Microgreens are young vegetable and herb seedlings, harvested just after the first leaves appear — usually 7 to 14 days after sowing. They pack an intense flavour and are used to top salads, sandwiches, soups, and bowls. Because you harvest them so young, you skip almost everything that makes gardening hard: no repotting, no pests to speak of, no long wait.

The easiest microgreens for beginners

Start with fast, forgiving varieties that germinate evenly:

• Radish — the champion for beginners. Sprouts fast, grows reliably, ready in under a week. Peppery flavour.
• Mustard — quick and easy, with a pleasant spicy kick.
• Broccoli — germinates evenly and grows predictably; mild flavour.
• Peas — sweet, crunchy shoots that kids love. Soak the seeds first.
• Sunflower — nutty and substantial, though slightly slower.

Avoid tiny mucilaginous seeds like chia or basil for your first try — they clump and are fiddlier.

What you need

1. A shallow container — a takeaway tray works. Poke a few drainage holes in the bottom.
2. Potting soil or a seed-starting mix — about 3 cm deep.
3. Microgreen seeds — you can use regular garden seeds; just sow them thickly.
4. A spray bottle and a bright windowsill.

How to grow microgreens, step by step

1. Fill your tray with about 3 cm of moist soil and level it gently.
2. Sow thickly — scatter the seeds so they nearly cover the surface. Microgreens are grown crowded on purpose.
3. Cover lightly (a thin sprinkle of soil, or nothing for tiny seeds), then mist.
4. Blackout for 2–3 days — cover with a lid, plate, or another tray to keep it dark and humid. This triggers fast, even germination.
5. Uncover and give light once you see sprouts. Move to your brightest windowsill.
6. Mist once or twice a day to keep the surface damp — never soaking.
7. Harvest when they’re 5–8 cm tall with their first true leaves, usually day 7–14. Snip just above the soil with scissors.

How to avoid mold (the #1 beginner problem)

Mold is the main thing that trips beginners up, and it’s almost always caused by too much moisture and too little airflow.

Prevent mold by:

• Not overwatering — mist to keep the surface damp, not wet. Soggy soil invites mold.
• Giving airflow — once uncovered, keep them somewhere with gentle air circulation.
• Not sowing too thickly — a dense mat with no air between sprouts stays wet and moldy.

One thing that confuses beginners: fine white root hairs near the base look like mold but aren’t. Real mold is fuzzy, spiderweb-like, and often smells musty. Root hairs are fine, even, and disappear when misted.

Do microgreens regrow after cutting?

Most don’t — radish, mustard, broccoli and sunflower are “cut and come again” only for a small second flush at best, so it’s easiest to simply resow. Peas are the exception and often give a decent second harvest. The good news: because they’re so fast, you can just start a new tray each week for a continuous supply.

Want a step-by-step plan for your microgreens? UrbanLeaf tells you exactly what to do each day — from sowing to harvest — so you get it right the first time. Perfect for absolute beginners. 🌱