Microgreens are the fastest possible return on gardening effort. Ten days from sowing to harvest, no balcony needed, and a nutrient density several times that of the full-grown vegetable. If you have never grown anything, start here.
What You Need
- A shallow tray. Two to three inches deep with drainage holes. A reused fruit punnet works.
- Growing medium. Coco peat is ideal in Mumbai — light, holds moisture without going soggy, and widely available.
- Seeds. Buy seed sold for sprouting or microgreens, not treated garden seed.
- A spray bottle. Pouring water dislodges seed and flattens seedlings.
Easy Varieties to Start With
- Mustard — 6 to 8 days, sharp and peppery
- Radish — 6 to 8 days, the fastest and most forgiving of all
- Fenugreek (methi) — 7 to 10 days, mildly bitter and very Indian on the plate
- Sunflower — 8 to 12 days, nutty and substantial with real crunch
- Pea shoots — 10 to 14 days, sweet, and they regrow once after cutting
Skip coriander and basil for your first attempt. Both are slow and fussier than they look.
The Method
- Soak larger seed — sunflower, peas, fenugreek — for 6 to 8 hours. Small seed like mustard and radish needs no soaking.
- Fill the tray with damp coco peat and level it. Do not compact it.
- Sow densely. Seeds should nearly touch. This is not normal gardening spacing — crowding is the point.
- Cover with a second tray or a cloth for the first 3 to 4 days. Darkness makes the stems stretch and strengthen.
- Uncover once shoots are about an inch tall and move to indirect light. They will green up within a day.
- Mist twice daily. The medium should stay damp, never wet.
- Harvest with scissors just above the soil line when the first true leaves appear.
Two Mumbai-Specific Warnings
Mould. High humidity plus a covered tray is a mould risk. If you see fuzzy white growth, increase airflow and cut back on misting. Do not confuse it with root hairs, which are fine, white and cling to the stem base — those are perfectly normal.
Heat. Above 35°C, germination gets patchy. In peak summer keep trays in the coolest part of the kitchen, away from the window.
Keep It Going
Sow a new tray every four or five days and you will never be without them. Because the cycle is so short, a failed tray costs you a week and a handful of seed — which makes microgreens the most low-risk way to learn how growing actually works.
We supply microgreen seed and growing kits at the nursery — see the microgreens page or get in touch.