Frequently Asked Questions

Folks around the world love to grow their own delicious and nutritious green food in under 2 weeks for most types of plants.  Microgreens are easy to grow successfully indoors and in small spaces.

All you need are quality microgreen seeds ($3 and up), a growing medium ($5 and up), and a growing system ($5 and up).  There may be extra supplies depending upon your desires and the level you select from our 3 tiers of options at M4H.

We recommend selecting seeds designated as microgreens for best results.  These are generally ordered online from established seed growers.
Growing mediums we recommend include organic potting soil, soft growing mats such as hemp, loose coconut coir, or stainless steel screens.  

Systems for growing range from simple kits to professional rack or greenhouse operations with environmental and other controls in place.  At M4H we focus on the home grower with:  

1. Introductory kits that include everything you need for one or more growing cycles on your kitchen counter 
2. Tabletop growing systems to enhance meals on a regular basis and
3. Decorative planters for beauty and gifting. 

Grow your microgreens in an environment that is convenient for you where a light source, temperature, humidity, and access to a water source are consistent.  Good air flow is a plus as well.  Plants grown outside in the sunshine do very well after the blackout phase but need to be watched closely so they don't scorch or dry out.  The 3 tiers at M4H are generally designed for growing on a table or counter indoors, away from direct sun and heat.

The process of planting, sprouting, blackout, growing, and harvesting generally takes from 7 to 14 days.  Some crops take longer based upon growing conditions and the type of seed you use.  "Blackout" refers to the few days where seeds are shielded from light to simulate the outdoor growing conditions of seeds sown in soil; it stimulates the plants to stand upright as they seek a light source.

We have dedicated considerable research to recommend only easy-to use kits, seeds, and supplies for best results.  We have tested everything on this website and have only listed products and methods with which we were successful.  Thus our selections are somewhat limited!  We may or may not earn a commission on items listed since our goals are to 

1. Save you time that would otherwise be spent researching everything online and
2. Facilitated your success with the first crop! 

Very few!  If you are willing spend a few minutes each day caring for your little greenies then growing microgreens is very satisfying.  Forgetting to check or rinse your crop in the beginning stages can either stunt their growth or stop the growing process altogether, leading to crop failure.  Also the shelf life of these soft plants tends to be a little less after harvest than mature radishes, peas, kale and the like so enjoy them everyday!

All are wonderful options for growing nutritious food.  Check out a photo below that compares the first three methods.  Many microgreen growers, videos, and websites claim that MGs are 4 to 40 times more nutritious than fully grown produce.  The reality is that there is some variance in nutrients between types of MGs so you have to evaluate each plant separately.  Indeed there may be more density of nutrition, where vitamins and minerals are more concentrated than the leaves of mature plants.  Overall, the research shows that microgreens have the same nutritional value as mature plants, they just come in smaller "packaging!"

Also it's more convenient to grow MGs than starting a full-scale raised or in-ground garden bed; this may give you easier and quicker access to all of the benefits.

Check out the photo below from the University of Minnesota Extension Office and note* the seeds that tend to be beginner-friendly.  But hey, results may vary depending upon the growing medium, environmental conditions, time of year, and even altitude!

Radishes!  Radishes can be ready for harvest in 7-10 days when the conditions are right.