How to Grow Microgreens at Home
(Even If You've Never Grown Anything Before)
Hello, I'm Alice, grower and founder of Teeny Greeny®. I've helped thousands of people, including plenty of self-confessed plant killers, grow their first tray of microgreens successfully. Here's exactly how, in six simple steps.
No garden. No green fingers. Just a windowsill and about 10 minutes to get started.
What You'll Need:
• Organic microgreen seeds (single variety or one of our curated sets)
• A growing medium: coir or compost
• A shallow tray (or three, if you're using the traditional blackout method)
• A small watering can or spray bottle
• A windowsill or shelf with access to daylight
That's it. No grow lights, no greenhouse, no specialist kit required.
Step 01. Choose Your Seeds and Growing Medium
If you're new to this, start with a beginner-friendly variety like radish, rocket or broccoli, they're fast, forgiving and hard to get wrong. If you already know your flavours, our curated sets take the guesswork out of pairing varieties that grow at a similar pace.
For the growing medium, we use organic, peat-free coir. Peat takes thousands of years to form and destroys valuable wetland habitats when it's harvested, so we, along with our Soil Association certification and DEFRA regulation, avoid it entirely.
That said, you don't need coir specifically to get started. Almost any compost you already have at home works well, as does growing felt or even kitchen paper, just adjust your watering to suit. Coir is simply our preferred option for the reasons above.
All our seeds are Soil Association certified organic, which isn't just a label. It means full traceability from seed to packet.
Step 02. Find a Suitable Growing Container
Our preferred option, available to purchase alongside your seeds, is a reusable bamboo dish, sized just right for growing and completely plastic-free.
You're not limited to bamboo, though. Any shallow container works well, glass and ceramic dishes are great options too.
Once you've got your container, fill it with a thin, even layer of damp coir or compost, around 10 to 20mm deep is plenty. If you're using a deeper dish, there's no need to fill it right up, a thin layer is all your microgreens need. Flatten it level once filled.
Step 03. Sow and Water In
Scatter your seeds evenly and generously across the surface, microgreens are grown close together, unlike regular vegetables. Give them a first gentle water with your watering can or spray bottle until the medium is evenly moist, not drowned but also wet enough so don't dry out too quickly.
One of the most common mistakes we see here is under-watering, especially varieties like Radish which tend to be thirstier that others!
Step 04: Blackout and Germinate (2–5 Days)
Cover your tray and place it somewhere warm for 2 to 5 days, depending on variety and time of year. Most guides tell you to do this without explaining why, so here's the why: blackout encourages seeds to grow upward in search of light, giving you stronger, straighter stems and more even germination across the tray.
A loose cover is all you need, another tray, a plate, or a piece of cardboard from recycling all work well.
A few varieties, including peas, garlic chives and nasturtium, do better with some weight on top of the cover during this stage rather than just a loose one. If you're growing one of these, it's worth watching our YouTube videos for that variety first, as the method differs slightly.
Check daily to check medium has not dried out, should always feel damp to the touch.
Step 05: Uncover and Grow On
Once you see pale shoots pushing up, uncover the tray and move it into good light: a bright windowsill is ideal, but a shelf with access to daylight will work just as well.
Within a day or two you'll see the greens turn from pale yellow to vibrant green as they photosynthesise.
Keep watering lightly once or twice a day. UK homes vary a lot in light and warmth through the year, but microgreens are genuinely happy growing indoors 12 months round, winter included.
Step 06. Harvest , Eat, Enjoy or Store
Most varieties are ready in 7 to 10 days, once the first true leaves appear above the initial seed leaves. You don't need to harvest it all at once, snip just what you need with scissors and leave the rest growing in the tray for another day.
(Garlic, Nasturtium and Peas can take up to 21 days depending on the time of the year)
If you're harvesting to store rather than eat straight away, try to cut when the stems are dry, so hold off watering for a few hours beforehand. Damp stems in a sealed container quickly turn soggy, whereas dry stems keep far better.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for maximum freshness, though honestly, they taste best cut straight onto the plate.
Troubleshooting
Even with the best instructions, first attempts don't always go to plan. Here's what's usually behind it:
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White fuzz at the base?
This is nearly always mistaken for mould, but it's usually just root hair, a normal part of healthy growth, not a problem at all. True mould looks more like a grey or black fuzzy patch and behaves differently, if you're ever unsure, get in touch and we'll help you tell the difference.
Mould on the surface?
Honestly, this one can go either way, too much water or not quite enough, both can create the damp, stagnant conditions mould likes.
If you're seeing it, check your airflow first (make sure the cover isn't completely sealed during blackout), then adjust your watering slightly and see if it improves.
Leggy, pale, floppy growth?
if it's leggy and pale, it usually means not enough light after uncovering, move to your brightest windowsill, or uncover a day earlier next time. If your greens are simply flopping over, that's more often a sign they need more water.
Patchy or uneven germination?
Usually uneven moisture or seeds sown too thinly in places. Aim for an even, generous scatter and consistent dampness across the whole tray.
If something still doesn't look right, that's exactly what our Happy Harvest Guarantee is for. Get in touch and we'll help you fix it, or replace your seeds if needed.
Want the Full Step-by-Step Instructions and Video Guides?
Every seed set comes with detailed growing instructions, and you can also work through our complete video walkthroughs any time.
Not sure where to start? Take our 2-minute quiz to find your perfect match.
From our Happy Growers...
At our roots
Hi, I'm Alice - Founder, grower, and the person who genuinely believes your windowsill can change the way you eat.
What started as a love of growing microgreens at home became a mission - to help more people cut fresh greens onto their plate moments before dinner, grown less than a metre from their kettle. No garden. No green fingers. No complicated systems.
Just seeds. A windowsill. And the quiet pride of saying "I grew this."
We believe small habits matter. Choosing organic seeds. Growing a handful of greens at home. Eating something real that you grew yourself. Every step supports better health and a kinder planet.
And you're never growing alone, there's a whole community of growers here, and we're with you every step of the way.
One seed. One tray. One small moment of care at a time.
Alice x
ETHICS & SUSTAINABILITY
As the owner and founder of Teeny Greeny, I am committed to working with people and companies who align with my own beliefs. We believe in responsible decision-making and do our best to operate in an ethical and sustainable fashion. We have a commitment to fair trade and try to source local produce whenever possible and our products are always 100% Plastic Free.-
100% Organic
Soil Association accredited: the primary charity and organic certification body. We are proud and privileged to be working with these guys, what they say, goes. Licence no: AP28455
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100% Plastic Free
The Teeny Greeny Dream Team have gone above and beyond to make sure all of our products make as little impact on the planet, its a small effort for a big cause.
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Defra regulated
DEFRA (APHA) is a government organisation dedicated to protecting the environment. These guys regulate my business, and we are 100% DEFRA-compliant. Seed Licence: GB7636 / Seed Passport: 129386
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1% for the Planet
Teeny Greeny is a member of the 1% for the Planet collective. “The intent of 1% for the Planet is to help fund these diverse environmental organizations so that collectively they can be a more powerful source in solving the world’s problems.”
— Yvon Chouinard
