What Are Microgreens? A Complete Guide
Fast to grow, intensely flavoured, and denser in nutrients than their full-grown counterparts — microgreens are one of the most useful things you can grow in a kitchen.
The simple definition
Microgreens are young vegetable or herb plants harvested just after the cotyledon leaves — the first seed leaves — have fully developed. That puts them somewhere between a sprout and a baby salad leaf: typically ready to cut 7 to 21 days after sowing, depending on the variety.
They are not sprouts. Sprouts are germinated in water and eaten whole, root and all. Microgreens grow in a growing medium, develop proper leaves, and are harvested by cutting at the stem. The difference matters for flavour and food safety.
Why microgreens have become popular
The appeal is straightforward: they are fast, they taste good, and they are nutritionally dense. Research suggests microgreens can contain four to forty times the concentration of vitamins and antioxidants found in the same plant at full maturity — because the seedling is drawing on the entire nutrient reserve of the seed at the point of harvest.
Flavour-wise, microgreens tend to be more intense than the adult plant. Radish microgreens have a sharp, peppery bite. Rocket is nutty and direct. Pea shoots are sweet and fresh. Basil microgreens taste unmistakably of basil — concentrated into a fraction of the space.
That intensity makes them useful in the kitchen. A small amount goes further than you might expect, which matters when you are harvesting from a module on your wall rather than from a field.
Common varieties and what to expect
Nutty and peppery. One of the fastest varieties, and one of the most useful in a kitchen.
Intensely aromatic. Slower than most, but worth the wait. Works well both as a microgreen and grown on as a full plant.
Sharp, slightly spicy. Good for finishing dishes where a counterpoint to richness is useful — steak, eggs, avocado.
Sweet and fresh. One of the most versatile — works in salads, stir-fries, or simply alongside a good piece of fish.
Distinctly citrussy in microgreen form. Some people who find mature coriander overwhelming find the microgreen version more balanced.
Mild, slightly nutty. A good volume green — the shoots are larger than most, making them useful for more substantial garnishes.
How to grow microgreens at home
The basic method is simple. You need a tray, a growing medium, seeds, and either natural light or a grow light. The process:
- 1.
Fill the tray with moist coir or seed soil to about 2–3 cm depth.
- 2.
Scatter seeds evenly across the surface — denser than you might think. For most varieties, around 2–3g per 10cm × 10cm area.
- 3.
Press seeds gently into the growing medium so they make good contact.
- 4.
Cover with a second tray or damp paper to create darkness for the first 2–3 days (the blackout period encourages germination).
- 5.
Once germinated, move to a light source — a kitchen window, or a full-spectrum grow light.
- 6.
Water gently from below if possible. Keep the medium moist but not wet.
- 7.
Harvest when the first true leaves appear, by cutting cleanly at the base of the stem.
The challenge with kitchen growing is space — trays on worktops get in the way, and most kitchens don't have a dedicated growing corner. That is the problem the Herbs2Hand Linea Grow Module is designed to solve: a tray that mounts under a cabinet or on a window, keeping the process close to cooking and off the worktop entirely.
Microgreens vs. growing full herbs
The two are not in competition — they are different stages of the same plant, suited to different uses.
Microgreens give you a harvestable crop within days. Full herbs — basil, parsley, coriander — take weeks to reach a useful size but then provide a sustained supply over months. A good kitchen growing system does both.
The Herbs2Hand system is designed around this cycle: grow microgreens in the Linea module under your cabinet, reserve a few to grow on as plantlets, then transfer the strongest to a Stelo wall planter on your kitchen window. Microgreens at the beginning of the week; living herbs every day after that.
Frequently asked questions
Do microgreens regrow after cutting?
Most varieties do not regrow after the first harvest in any meaningful way. The practical approach is to stagger sowings every 5 to 7 days so that you always have something approaching harvest readiness.
Do microgreens need a lot of light?
They need reasonable light, but not full sun. A bright kitchen window is often sufficient. Under a cabinet — where natural light is limited — a slim full-spectrum grow light makes a significant difference. The Herbs2Hand under-cabinet grow light kit is designed for exactly this.
Can you grow microgreens without soil?
Yes. Coir (coconut fibre) is the most common alternative and works very well — it is clean, lightweight, and holds moisture without becoming waterlogged. The Herbs2Hand Grow Pack uses coir blocks that expand when hydrated.
How do you eat microgreens?
The most common approach is finishing: added to a dish at the last moment, where heat would destroy both texture and flavour. Eggs, avocado toast, soups, pasta, risotto, and grilled meat all work well. Some varieties — pea shoots, sunflower — hold up well enough in salads.
Ready to grow microgreens in your kitchen?
The Linea Grow Module mounts under your cabinet. Sow on Monday, harvest by the end of the week.