Growing Microgreens Indoors

Growing your own food is deeply satisfying and the results bring super fresh and tasty food right to your plate. Even if you don't have room for a garden outside, you can still grow your own! Here I will show you how to grow buckwheat lettuce indoors, in a small space. These same steps would pertain to any microgreens you might choose to grow. The best choices for this type of quick, small scale growing, are greens that sprout in 3 days or so, and are leafy in 7-14 days.

Microgreens can be grown and on the table in just over a week.

You will need:
• Organic potting soil
• A tray with drainage (I used an empty salad greens tray and drilled some holes in the bottom)
• A trowel or large spoon
• Buckwheat seeds, in the hull (or other seed of your choice)

Buckwheat lettuce is mild flavored with slightly tart undertones. It’s delicious on sandwiches, mixes well with other salad greens, adds a green boost to smoothies and is also nice to simply nibble on it’s own. Sunflower seeds (in the hull) are another great choice you could substitute here, with a much fuller bite and a very satisfying flavor.

1Fill your tray with about 2 inches of soil and smooth it flat.

2Cover the surface with a layer of seeds and spread evenly

3Gently cover the seeds with a thin, smooth layer of soil – about 1/4 inch thick

4Water your seeds very gently. The mist setting on my hose nozzle works well, or a gentle pouring of what ever water you drink (I like to water my seeds with purified water when I can). Just be sure not to cause too much disturbance with gushes of water.

Now set your tray in a well lit area, but out of direct sun. Keep the soil evenly moist, but not too wet. How often you will need to water will depend on the humidity in your home. In about 3-5 days you should start to see tiny tails.

Here we are at 7 days of growth:

And here we are at 9 days:

And at 10 days, we had our first meal with homegrown greens!

If you want to have a steady supply of a variety of greens, start a new tray every few days - or create a growing schedule that works for how much you plan to consume.

As a side note... I feel I should add that I recently read some articles regarding the potential toxicity of buckwheat greens. They contain a naturally occurring substance called fagopyrin, which, when ingested in large quantities, can cause photo-sensitivity. The quantities being discussed are in the half pound and more per day, juicing large amounts and eating large portions over lengths of time. Many foods can have toxic effects when eaten in large quantities over time, and I (as well as others who have touched on this subject) feel that when eaten in moderation, buckwheat lettuce is a supportive, nutritive addition to the diet. I have grown these at different times throughout the years and have never had side effects from these greens. By rotating the micro-greens you grow, you will add variety and interest and not over do on any one in particular.

Other possibilities for growing are sunflower, mesclun mix, alfalfa, broccoli, fenugreek, chia… We find our sprouting at our local herb shop. Most health food stores will have a selection to choose from as well. By rotating the micro-greens you grow, you will add variety and interest to your meals and not over do on any one in particular.

Have fun! It’s so satisfying to eat homegrown food.