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Written By Lara Wadsworth |
Microgreens seem to be used at every gourmet restaurant, are being talked about in every health magazine, and are having more and more scientific research released about the purported health benefits of these little plants. While I have tried my hand at sprouting, I held off on microgreens because it seemed like more of a hassle. I didn’t want to have to deal with watering them and choosing what soils to use and all that. Well, when I came across True Leaf Market’s self-watering microgreen grow kits, I knew this was my chance to try it out for myself. I used the Self Watering Microgreens Combo Kit, which includes a hydroponic and soil-based growing medium with various seeds specifically chosen for each. All I needed to add was water!
These kits came with two reusable self-watering trays each (4 total), a mist sprayer for each (2 total), a bag of micro mat confetti, a bag of coconut coir soil pucks, and a total of 10 different types of seeds. Six for hydroponic and four for soil, although you can mix and match. The seed packets included some basic planting instructions. The boxes they came in also had detailed instructions on the outside about how to use the self-watering trays and the mediums included. The last things I needed to provide were just water and a measuring cup!
If you want to grow a larger harvest, consider using 10x20 trays, your choice of growing medium (coconut coir works well for all seeds), and seeds marketed for growing as microgreens. By choosing seeds that are clearly marked for use as microgreens, you can feel confident they are safe and delicious. Any vegetable with leaves and stems safe for eating can also be safely grown for microgreen harvesting.
The planting process was very straightforward. I added two cups of water to the bottom of each self-watering tray and placed the inserts (the one with the strings attached) on top. Then, I put the dry medium (half a cup of confetti and one soil puck) in each insert. Then, I added the amount of water specified. They both hydrated very nicely. I ended up adding two pucks to the soil kit because one puck did not fill the tray as much as I wanted, but two pucks seemed perfect. The instructions said just to use one, but I don’t regret doubling the soil.
Once the trays with the grow mediums were all set, I carefully sprinkled the two seed packets evenly over the tops. For the hydroponic, I chose to try the Basic Salad Mix seeds first. When I was sprinkling the packet, I was getting concerned about the confetti mix because it was much chunkier than the soil. The chunks created pockets of many seeds and ridges of few or no seeds. I tried my best to even them out, but as you can see in the pictures, it isn’t quite like spreading seeds over soil. I decided just to trust the process and go for it.
For the soil set-up, I chose to try the pea microgreens. I missed the growing tips listed on the seed packets, so I just put them straight on there. This missed note will become more relevant as I observed my results later on. The soil medium did make it much easier to even out the seeds. I really appreciated that the seed packets were pre-measured to contain the exact amount for this size of tray. I didn’t have to worry about overcrowding or anything.
Right after planting, I used kitchen plastic wrap and covered the seed trays to retain moisture. As soon as I noticed them germinating, I removed the plastic wrap. The salad mix seeds only took about two days to germinate, and the pea seeds took about 3 days. I used the mister bottle to spray the seeds 1-2 times per day with water. The pea seeds seemed to be particularly dry. The instructions didn’t specify how often to use the mister, so I did my best to mist them whenever I thought about it.
By day 4, it was clear to me that the pea seeds were significantly lagging behind the salad mix. It was on this day that it occurred to me that I might need to pre-soak some of the seeds before planting. I looked it up in True Leak Market’s Microgreens Grow Guide, and sure enough, I was supposed to soak the seeds for at least 6 hours and up to 24 hours. Oops. At this point, I was committed, so I just decided to see how it went without the soaking.
The instructions also did not specify how much sun these microgreens needed. I decided to put the trays on my kitchen table right next to a windowsill. That area is a little chilly (by room-temperature standards) but is probably around 60-65 F. They seemed to do great with that amount of light and heat. They didn’t get leggy, and I had no problems with mold, fungus, or rot of any kind. Microgreens don’t seem to be as demanding as seed starts can be.
By day 7 the salad mix was ready for harvesting, but the peas were barely germinating all the way. I tried to make up for forgetting to soak them by spraying them with the mister bottle more frequently, but I’m not sure how big of a difference it made. It turns out the pea packet recommends lightly covering the seeds with soil, but alas, it was too late. This would have solved my dry seed problem. I also needed to refill the water reservoir of the hydroponic system (with the salad mix) once, just before they were ready to harvest. It was very easy to lift the tray insert out, add another cup of water, and put it back. The unevenness of the hydroponic confetti did not cause any problems. The seeds germinated evenly and created a lush, dense mat of cotyledons without any gaps.
I ended up harvesting the salad mix around day 7. Harvesting is very easy. I just took a clean pair of kitchen shears and snipped them off at the base of the stem. I popped them straight into my mouth to give it a try. A blast of horseradish-like spice hit me! I am not a huge fan of that type of spice on its own, so it was a bit of a shock. The texture was delightful, very crisp, yet tender. I think that they would be good as a garnish or mixed into a larger salad with fruit and nuts to balance out the flavor.
I gave the pea shoots a good amount of time to see how many of them would germinate. I would say only about half of them ended up sprouting. I harvested around day 14. This is a little long. If you soak them beforehand and cover lightly with soil, they should be harvested around day 7 like other microgreens. However, I LOVED the taste and texture: mildly sweet with a meaty, tender crunch. The flavor reminded me of a perfectly ripe sugar snap pea fresh from the garden. Delicious! I will definitely be growing them again… Especially now that I know how! I ended up eating most of them straight but saving a small handful for topping a chicken salad sandwich. I highly recommend it!
After harvesting both types, I decided to try it again with different seeds. I used the broccoli seeds in the hydroponic setup and sunflower seeds in the soil. I checked the recommendations on the product pages to see if I needed to do any pretreatments. It is recommended to soak sunflower seeds for microgreens for 3-6 hours before planting. I planted the broccoli seeds straight away but added the sunflower seeds to a jar with water. After about 4.5 hours, I rinsed the sunflower seeds thoroughly and spread them evenly over the coconut soil. This time, I also decided not to cover the seeds with plastic wrap to see if it made any difference.
Without the plastic wrap, it was clear that the seeds were taking longer to germinate. In fact, I began to worry a bit if they were going to germinate at all, but sure enough, by day 4, I could see clear signs of germination on both trays. Note that this is about 24 hours later than with the use of plastic wrap (even with soaking). Finally, by day 8, the broccoli spouts were ready to harvest! If you like the flavor of raw broccoli, you will love these sprouts. They have a little kick of spice, but it isn’t as intense as radish sprouts.
I don’t know what exactly went wrong with the sunflower seeds, but they did not do well. Even after soaking, many of them had still not germinated after 12 days. I was incredibly confused because these are supposed to be some of the best for beginners. I went back and reviewed the instructions for sunflower seeds, and sure enough, I messed up again! Moisture retention is critical for sunflower seeds, and it is recommended to cover the seeds with soil (or a wet paper towel) AND another tray or plastic wrap. Oops again. Unfortunately, I could not harvest any of these, but it would be a very easy fix for me to try again in the future. You may find that these videos linked throughout this article can help you avoid some of my mistakes.
All in all, I learned a lot from this process. Growing microgreens turned out to be way more approachable than I expected, especially with the self-watering kits taking the guesswork out of daily care. The biggest lesson? Read the seed instructions carefully! Each type can have its own quirks, like needing a soak or extra moisture. Starting with something simple like broccoli or salad mix is a great way to build confidence. Once you’ve nailed those, branching out into trickier varieties like peas or sunflowers is easier.
This experience has definitely sparked my interest in microgreens. I’m looking forward to experimenting with more varieties and refining my technique. Even with a few missteps (and, okay, a couple of “oops” moments), I still ended up with fresh, tasty greens that I grew myself—which feels pretty awesome. Plus, now I know exactly what adjustments to make next time. As far as these specific kits go, I think they are a great choice. The self-watering feature is so nice and easy! My only complaint is that I wish more growing instructions could fit on the packets. Overall, I would purchase it again and even give it as a gift!
If you’ve been curious about microgreens but felt overwhelmed, I say go for it! Start simple, have fun with it, and don’t worry if everything isn’t perfect the first time around. Whether you’re growing them for the health benefits, the flavor, or just the joy of having something fresh and green in your kitchen, it’s a rewarding little hobby that doesn’t take much to get into.
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