Sprouting microgreens is a delicious and fun cold-weather indoor gardening project for both adults and kids. Here’s how to make sure you have an endless supply of microgreens throughout the seasons.

You’ll need

• Raw seeds, grains or legumes of your choice (for example: radish, peas, buckwheat, broccoli, mustard, coriander, chia, fenugreek, alfalfa, beetroot)
• Potting soil
• Various shallow bowls, containers or foil trays 5–8 cm deep
• Cling film

How to do it

• Soak larger seeds like peas a day in advance.
• Mix the potting soil with water so that the soil becomes moist but not soggy.
• Spread a thick layer of soil on the bottom of the containers.
• Scatter the seeds evenly on the soil so that they cover the surface.
• Add another thin layer of soil.
• Cover with cling film or the lid of the container to lock in humidity. Store out of direct sunlight in a bright area.
• When the seeds begin to sprout (within 1–3 days), remove lids or cling film and move to sunnier spots. Start watering every 2–3 days.
• Depending on what you’ve decided to sprout, you should be ready to harvest in up to 21 days. Cut only what you need, above the soil, and use in stir-fries, salads and sandwiches. Compost the leftover roots and seeds.

Tips

• Ideal temperature for sprouting is 15–21°C.
• You can also grow sprouts without using soil from sprout bags or simply in jars.
• Seeds need humidity before they germinate and water and light after sprouting.
• Start a small batch of sprouts every few days for a continuous supply year-round.