Microgreens are the fastest, highest-payoff thing you can grow indoors. A tray on a sunny shelf or under a cheap light gives you tender, nutrient-dense greens in 7–10 days — no garden required.
Why bother
Microgreens are harvested just after the first true leaves. They pack 4–40x the nutrients of the mature plant by weight, add instant flavor and crunch to sandwiches, eggs, and bowls, and grow so fast you can sow a new tray every week.
The easiest six
- Radish — spicy, red stems, ready in 7 days.
- Pea shoots — sweet, tender, hugely productive.
- Sunflower — nutty and crunchy, the fan favorite.
- Broccoli — mild, reliable, a great intro.
- Basil — aromatic; slower but worth it.
- Mustard — peppery kick for salads.
Start with a seed blend labeled for microgreens — chosen for even germination.
The setup
- A shallow tray with drainage holes, nested in a second solid tray.
- 1 inch of seed-starting mix or coco coir, tamped flat.
- Light, 2 inches above, 12–16 hours a day. A sunny south window works spring through fall; in winter a cheap light grows them far better.
- Bottom-water by adding water to the solid tray; the mix wicks it up without disturbing the tiny seedlings.
Sow and harvest
Scatter seed densely but not overlapping, mist, and press in. Most are ready at 7–10 days when true leaves appear. Cut just above the soil with scissors, rinse, and eat. Sow a new tray the day you harvest so there's always another coming.
What goes wrong
Fuzzy white at the base is fine (root hairs). Green fuzz or a sour smell means too-wet with poor air flow — a small fan running an hour a day prevents most problems.