Should You Buy Microgreens or Grow Them At Home?

Microgreens are one of the simplest and most nutritious plants to grow in your indoor garden in your New York apartment.

You can grow them in your indoor garden or at your kitchen sink. With a simple setup indoors and the right soil mix, water, grow lights, and planting trays, you’ll have a ready harvest in 2 weeks or less, depending on the type of microgreens.

Watching the little plants sprout and produce nutritious leaves a few days after germination is fun and fulfilling.

So, should you buy microgreens or grow them at home? This article explores the pros and cons of growing microgreens at home, the best microgreens, and what you need to grow them at home.

What are Some of the Microgreens that You can Grow at Home?

1. Kale microgreens

Like other microgreens, kale microgreens are more nutritious than mature kale and taste less bitter. Kale microgreens are rich in Vitamins A, C, E, B6, and K and minerals such as iron, calcium, and magnesium.

Read more: How to Grow Kale Microgreens Indoors Fast and Easy

2. Leek microgreens

Microgreen leeks have a rich nutritional profile. These are ready to harvest in just 10 days, unlike mature leeks. They are rich in polyphenols, which are antioxidants that protect your body cells from damage, boost heart health and prevent chronic illnesses.

Read more: How to Grow Leek Microgreens Fast and Easy at Home

3. Radish microgreens

Add more green to your indoor garden with radish microgreens. They are also nutritious and grow super-fast. Their high fiber content may help you lose weight and are heart friendly. So why not learn how to grow them at home?

Read more: How to Grow Radish Microgreens Step By Step

4. Cilantro microgreens

These little plants are packed with essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamins A, C and K, calcium and potassium. Eating cilantro microgreens is an easy way to get more nutrition without a hefty price tag.

Read more: How to Grow Cilantro Microgreens

5. Broccoli microgreens

These take only 2 weeks to be ready for harvest. They are more nutrient-dense than mature broccoli and add a crunchy texture to your salads. Broccoli microgreens contain sulforaphane, which improves blood sugar levels and has anti-aging and anticancer properties.

Read more:  How to Grow Micro Broccoli Indoors Fast and Easy

6. Cauliflower microgreens

Growing cauliflower takes about 180 days, but their microgreens are ready for harvest in just 8 to 12 days. Enjoy the crispy texture and peppery taste in your salads and get a boost of nutrition. Cauliflower microgreens are packed with Vitamins C, E, K, and iron.

Read more: How to Grow Cauliflower Microgreens at Home

What are the Benefits of Growing Microgreens?

If you are wondering whether it’s worth growing microgreens at home, then this section will give you all you need to know. Let’s look at some of the benefits of growing microgreens at home.

1. They are fast to grow

The microgreen seeds germinate in a matter of days after planting them. Unlike their mature counterparts, you have to wait for months.

For example, cauliflower microgreens are ready to harvest in just 8-12 days after planting, which is a sharp contrast to mature cauliflower heads, which are ready for harvest in 180 days.

2. They require less space

If you’re living in an apartment in New York, you may not have an outdoor plant. You don’t have to delay starting an indoor garden because of space.

Microgreens do not need acres of land. You can plant them even in the smallest of apartments with your take-out containers. Plant different microgreens on your kitchen table, and in just 2 weeks, you’ll have a bountiful harvest to fill two or three bowls of salads.

3. Microgreens are nutritious

Did you know that microgreens contain more nutrients than mature plants? When seeds sprout during the initial growing stages, they are nutrient dense.

The seeds have a higher concentration of vitamins and minerals before the plant spreads the nutrients to grow the leaves, flowers, and fruits. So you will get all the nutrition you need in just a small bowl of salad filled with microgreens.

4. They can be harvested all year long

Since they grow in less than 2 weeks, you can plant them any time of the year. You don’t have to wait for the spring or summer seasons. You can grow them any time of the year.

Furthermore, since you grow them indoors, they won’t be affected by weather conditions. Whether it is sunny or cold outside, your microgreens are safe inside with a grow light.

Cons of growing microgreens at home

Although growing microgreens at home is easy, it is not for everyone. Here are some reasons why some people may find it challenging to grow microgreens at home.

1. They need work

You need to take time to get the right supplies for a successful harvest. Most people initially grow microgreens on any plastic containers and neglect them and still expect them to grow.

You need to provide the right environment and conditions, such as light and water, for the plants to grow.

2. They need daily attention

If you travel often and are out of your home for a week or home, then growing microgreens is not for you since they need daily attention.

You won’t have to touch them for the first 2-3 days since you have to keep them in the dark to allow germination. However, after germination, you must check on them daily or every other day to water them or set up the grow lights.

So, if you can get about 20 minutes daily, you can take care of your microgreens.

3. They don’t regrow

One of the challenging things about microgreens is that they are a onetime crop and can’t regrow after harvesting. If you are accustomed to large plants where you harvest the fruits over and over again, then you may be disappointed with microgreens.

You have to change the soil after harvesting and keep planting new seeds over and over again. So if you prefer plants that you can harvest and still keep them growing then preferably buy microgreens from the store instead of planting them.

How Much Does it Cost to Grow Microgreens at Home?

Most new gardeners whether to buy microgreens at the store or grow them at home. The truth is that it is easy and cost effective to grow your own at home than buy.

If you check the prices of microgreens at the store, you will be met with a very expensive price tag. A tray of microgreens is about $5-10 in farmer’s market or stores. That is not sustainable in the long run because you need more than a tray. It is much easier and cheaper to grow microgreens.

Here are some of the things you will need to grow microgreens at home:

1. Growing medium: you can buy potting soil mix, coconut coir or hydroponic growing system kit can work
2. Microgreen seeds: buy from reputable stores in New York or on Amazon.
3. Planting trays: you can buy planting trays or repurpose plastic take-out containers. Poke holes in one container to prevent water logging.
4. Spray bottle: you can improvise with a pitcher.
5. Kitchen scissors or harvesting shears
6. Grow light: you don’t have to buy it in the beginning. Get a sunny spot near your window once the first batch germinates, then plant to buy it. The advantage is you will reuse it over and over again.

The total cost of growing your first microgreens will be less than $100, which you would have spent to buy microgreens. The best part is that you will reuse some equipment, such as grow lights and planting trays, so it’s cheaper in the long run.

FAQs

• Are microgreens better than full grown?

Microgreens are more nutrient dense than fully grown plants. For example, a cup of kale microgreens contains 100% more than mature kale.

• Is it safe to grow microgreens at home?

It is safe to grow any type of microgreens at home. You can plant as much as you want and harvest them throughout the year.

• Why are microgreens so expensive?

The process of growing microgreens is labor-intensive compared to their full grown counterparts. They need extra care and the right conditions, such as light and water, to grow. That’s why you pay more if you buy microgreens in stores.

• Will microgreens regrow after cutting?

Some microgreens, like leek, regrow after harvesting, but some do not. You need to cut just below the lowest leaf for microgreens that can regrow after cutting.

Final Thoughts

So, should you buy microgreens, or is it worth it to grow microgreens at home?

The benefits of growing microgreens at home outweigh the disadvantages. You just need to grow a few trays at a time to enjoy microgreens in your salad every week. Even if you purchase the planting trays, grow lights and seeds, it is still cheaper than the cost of microgreens on sale in stores in New York.

Train yourself to check on your plants every day. The best part of growing microgreens is that you don’t have to wait for months to see the fruits of your labor. You don’t need much space to grow them, and you can grow and harvest them all year long, no matter the weather conditions.

Let the fact that you can harvest them in a week or two motivate you to care for them. If you prefer to buy microgreens, check out the microgreens for sale on Amazon.

Found This useful? You’ll also love:

• How to Grow Radish Microgreens Step By Step
• How to Grow Cauliflower Microgreens at Home
• How to Grow Kale Microgreens Indoors Fast and Easy
• How to Grow Micro Broccoli Indoors Fast and Easy
• How to Grow Cilantro Microgreens