What's sweet, spicy or savory and tiny? Microgreens! Perhaps you've discovered their various textures and flavors (cantaloupe, radish, cabbage and more) on a visit to one of the area's farmers markets. If you haven't tried microgreens, we have all the tips you'll need to make the right purchase for your palate – or even try your hand at growing them yourself. We spoke to four local microgreen growers – Ann's Roots, Bee Simple City Farm, Big River Greens and Micro Meadows – to get the scoop on the sprouts.
Fancy toast: toasted asiago, avocado, edible flowers and microgreens from Bee Simple, kosher salt to finish. Inside Herb Garden Kit
Intensely flavored and reminiscent of the plant they would become if not harvested early, these little leaves only grow to be an inch or two tall and are clipped at the seedling stage (about a month after germination), right before their true leaves develop. According to a USDA study, microgreens have five times more nutrients than their mature counterparts. For instance, cabbage greens are rich in antioxidants, potassium, iron and fiber. Put that in your salad.
For Melandie Tuckson of Ann's Roots, growing microgreens was a result of wanting to know more about them from a health standpoint. "My husband and I first started indoor growing during the pandemic," Tuckson says. "Out of necessity, my husband decided to build an indoor aquaponics system to help supply fresh foods for our family." At the time, Tuckson's husband's aunt was suffering from cancer; she passed away in 2020. "It was hard, as she was the heart and soul of her family and community," Tuckson says. "After her passing, we made it a mission to learn more about nutrient-dense foods and find ways to heal the body with fresh foods. After learning more about microgreens, their benefits and the growing process, we introduced them to family during our family cookouts and decided to start our business."
Bee Simple City Farm began in 2014 as a partnership between Mary Densmore and James Meinert, who had farmed with New Roots Urban Farm beginning in 2009. "I decided to start growing microgreens after many years of growing organic vegetables," Densmore says. "Being an urban farmer, it was hard to compete with other farmers with a lot of land or to make enough money off of an urban lot to sustain myself, so I turned to microgreens [because] I didn't need much land to grow a lot of greens. Once I started growing them, I learned of all the incredible health benefits they have and really enjoyed eating them myself. And then there was no turning back."
Paige Pedersen and Dane Stahl, founders of Big River Greens, were feeling the stress of working full-time jobs and wanted to express their creativity. "We started dreaming about a side hustle that could turn into something financially sustainable, and Paige started checking out videos on YouTube about growing microgreens," Stahl says. "The initial investment to get started was within our budget, and the time required to grow and maintain the greens fits into our lifestyles. It aligns with our passions for growing and eating good food."
Can I grow microgreens at home?
Even though they're small, it's important to remember that microgreens need care just like any other plant. "The growing process takes time to perfect, and making sure you have the correct conditions for indoor growing is a learning process that requires time and attention," Tuckson says.
It's also possible to grow them hydroponically, though Densmore and Meinert grow microgreens organically using soil and sunlight in a glass greenhouse. "It's certainly possible to do on a small scale at your home in a windowsill," Densmore says. "You can even try repurposing other items like empty salad boxes or the bottom of an empty plastic milk jug. They are a great thing to grow in the wintertime, or a fun activity to do with children. Our 3-year-old loves picking sunflower microgreens and eating them immediately."
Stahl recommends starting with pea microgreens if you're new to growing them. "They are the most forgiving to mistakes and neglect," he says. "I grow most of our products in my basement on wire shelves, so anybody with a green thumb can do it with a little time and practice. All you really need is seed, tray, growing medium, water and a grow light to start growing for personal-use consumption."
A clean container with holes poked in the bottom, plus a second tray or plate for water drainage. Alternatively, buy a few shallow growing trays: some with holes and some without.
A windowsill or window-side table (bonus points if it's a south-facing window; they stay warm and let light in all day). Alternatively, use grow lights.
A bag of moisture-control soil (or your own mix of three parts peat moss and one part perlite), seeds and a cheap mister for water.
Before seeding, hydrate your soil and spread it evenly across the bottom of your chosen container. Pre-soak large seeds (lentils and peas) for at least 6 hours before planting. Scatter your seeds and press them into the soil gently, making sure to leave ¼ inch of space between them. Water daily; the soil should be moist but not drenched. Cover with a clear lid or paper towel, then remove when your seeds begin to germinate. Harvest in two weeks.
"At Ann's Roots, we sell more than 20 different types of microgreens as well as edible flowers," Tuckson says. "These include broccoli, kale, cabbage and multiple types of radishes. We're known for being 'the home of the cantaloupe microgreens.'"
| Ann's Roots | Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the U City Farmers Market, Sundays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Boulevard Farmers Market in Richmond Heights, every other Thursday at the farmers market in Francis Park from 4 p.m. until dusk. annsroots.com
"We grow a large variety of microgreens," Densmore says. "Some grow all year round while others depend on the season."
| Bee Simple City Greens | Local Harvest, City Greens, Fields Foods, Fresh Thyme at The Foundry, Tower Grove Farmers' Market until November. beesimplecityfarm.com
"We grow varieties that are the most popular with our customers since our business is still small at this stage," Stahl says. "Sunflower, pea, radish and cabbage are our best-sellers and provide a wide range of taste, texture and nutrition."
| Big River Greens | Tower Grove Farmers’ Market, plus local pickup and delivery options (follow BRG on Instagram to see where and when to purchase). bigrivergreens.com
"We primarily sell our signature microgreen salad mix containing broccoli, kale, kohlrabi, arugula, cabbage, speckled peas and sunflower," Matt Loveland of Micro Meadows – a small indoor vertical farm – says. "We sell some individual items for our pre-order customers, but mostly we concentrate on packaged microgreen salads. As far as I know, we're the only company selling packaged grab-and-go salads made entirely of microgreens."
| Micro Meadows | Brick-and-mortar location at 2422 Taylor Road in Wildwood, Missouri, local delivery options, Lake St. Louis Farmers Market (follow Micro Meadows on Instagram to find market times). micro-meadows.com
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Indoor Plant Lights Decorative Fancy toast: toasted asiago, avocado, edible flowers and microgreens from Bee Simple, kosher salt to finish.