growing microgreens: fresh greens from your indoor garden


with ingarden, cress sieve or seed trays, microgreens are easy to grow at home. these healthy greens that develop from sprouts are bursting with nutrients and spice up any meal. find out what to consider when growing with soil here.


growing microgreens 

sprouts are mainly grown in glass jars, are ready for harvesting after a few days and are eaten root and all. if the seedlings are allowed to grow further, they are referred to as microgreens or greenweed when the first leaflets form. the english term "microgreens" is also gaining ground in this country. some varieties, such as alfalfa, green up easily in the seedling jar, while other varieties are better grown in the ground.


varieties that are particularly suitable for growing in your own indoor garden include sunflowers, peas and broccoli. further recommendations can be found in our germination table below. after about one to three weeks of care, the microgreens are ready for harvesting and can enrich your diet as a small vital substance bomb full of vitamins, minerals and secondary plant substances. 

for the cultivation of microgreens you need: 

  • organic sprouting seeds (e.g. from ingarden) suitable growing tray (e.g. ingarden), a special microgreen tray, or simply a casserole dish, a plant saucer, or a plastic tray left over from your last supermarket purchase) 
  • organic sowing soil.

there are growing trays with and without holes in the bottom: the trays with holes are recommended, as this allows excess water to drain off easily. especially fine microgreens, such as broccoli, tend to mold easily when too wet. however, for robust varieties, such as peas, and as a general rule of thumb when you’re just getting started with growing, closed germination trays can also be used.


for optimal thriving, the seedlings need a warm place (ideal: between 18 and 22 ° c) with sufficient light - direct sunlight is best avoided. 


the daily effort is: 2 minutes. 


soaking and growing times depend on the variety (see information in the germination table below). here's how to grow microgreens with ease: 


  • soak the seeds 
  • first rinse the seeds and then cover them with sufficient water (the seeds can swell considerably). let sit for the duration of the recommended soaking time, usually overnight, to initiate the germination process. 


    an exception is made for all mucilage-forming seeds, which include cress, arugula and chia seeds. these are soaked for only a few minutes. 


  • distribute seeds 
  • drain the water and rinse the seeds again. cover the sprouting tray with a layer of soil about 2 inches high and spread the seeds on it densely. press the seeds down lightly so that they are all in contact with the soil. place the germination tray in a collection tray if necessary. if you are using light sprouts, you can just leave the tray open. for dark sprouts, add some more soil over the seeds or use another tray as a cover. 


  • moisten soil and seeds 
  • provide soil and seeds with water, ideally with a spray bottle. make sure everything is well moistened, but also not too wet. 


    1. water regularly
      keep the little plants moist at all times - to do this, water the seedlings about twice a day. for dark sprouts, the cover can be permanently removed once sprout growth has visibly begun. 

    1. harvest
      as soon as the microgreens are ready for harvesting (recognizable by the formed leaflets - also note the germination time), cut off with scissors or a sharp knife as much fresh green as you want to eat with your meal. gradually harvest everything and then dispose of the soil in the compost. for the next growing process, it is advisable to use new soil, as the old one is prone to mold due to seed residue.

    microgreens germination table

    this table collects numerous sprouting seeds with the recommended soaking and harvesting time, suitable for growing as microgreens in seed trays.

     organic seeds light or dark sprout soaking time time to harvest (days)
    alfalfa light 8-12 h 7-12
    amaranth light 30 min-4 h 8-14
    basil light 0-15 min 10-15
    beetroot dark 8-12 h 7-14
    broccoli dark 8-12 h 7-14
    chia light 0-15 min 8-14
    coriander dark 12 h 14-20
    cress light 0-15 min 6-14
    dill dark 0-10 h  8-16
    fennel light 8-10 h 14-20
    fenugreek light 6-12 h 10-17
    kale dark 6-12 h  7-14
    kohlrabi dark 6-12 h 5-7
    linseed light 0-15 min  8-14
    mizuna light 6-8 h 7-12
    mustard light 6-8 h 5-14
    onion dark 8-12 h 14-21
    pea dark 8-12 h 10-14
    radish dark 6-12 h 6-12
    red cabbage dark 6-12 h 5-14
    red clover dark 8-12 h 7-14
    rocket dark 0-15 min 8-14
    sunflower dark 8-16 h 8-12

    just experiment your way through - the taste is usually reminiscent of the corresponding vegetable or herb counterpart, but is usually even more intense. if you use an ingarden, you can also find matching seed mixes in our store.


    the freshly harvested green enriches dishes and drinks in many ways. as a tasty component, the microgreens can be added to bowls and salads, for example. it is also suitable as a topping on spreads, soups or pasta. in addition, the abundance of vitamins can also be easily incorporated into smoothies and green juices.

    tip: wheatgrass can also be grown in this way. the regional superfood is then still juiced after harvesting and provides an enormous wealth of nutrients as wheatgrass juice.

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    We weren't mad at traditional supplements, just disappointed.

    That's why we've discovered something even better: Microgreens.

    Imagine vegetables, but:

    ✅ Delicious & diverse
    ✅ Grows all year round
    ✅ With 40x more nutrients
    ✅ Complements every dish
    ✅ Ready to harvest in just 7 days
    ❌ No pesticides & herbicides
    ❌ No genetic manipulation
    ❌ No secrets, just nature

    Girl looking at microgreens which are growing in ingarden device man with grey hair cutting microgreens in his ingarden growing kit Little girl showing looking fascinated at her ingarden microgreens.