What Supplies Do I Need to Start Growing Microgreens?
You only need a few simple things to start growing microgreens at home: seeds, a tray with a dome, soil, water, and light. That’s it. Most beginners think they need shelves, fancy grow lights, meters, and all kinds of tools, but the truth is you can grow healthy microgreens with a very simple setup.
When I first started growing, I made the same mistake many beginners make. I bought a bunch of things I didn’t actually need. I call it the “shiny object syndrome.” You see all the equipment online and think you need everything to grow successfully.
But after years of growing and helping people through Wagner Greens, I’ve learned that the simplest setups often work the best.
Let me break down exactly what you actually need.
The 4 Essential Supplies for Growing Microgreens
1. Quality Microgreen Seeds
Seeds are the most important part of the process.
You want seeds that are specifically sold for microgreens or sprouting, not garden seeds treated with chemicals.
The easiest beginner varieties are:
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Broccoli
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Radish
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Red cabbage
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Kale
These varieties grow fast, germinate reliably, and are very forgiving, which makes them perfect for beginners.
If someone is brand new to growing, I almost always recommend starting with radish or broccoli because they sprout quickly and give you visible results in just a few days. Here is how to grow microgreens in soil.
2. A Tray With a Dome
A microgreen tray with a humidity dome is one of the easiest ways to grow.
The dome helps create the perfect environment for germination during the first few days.
Ideally, the tray should allow bottom watering, which keeps the roots hydrated without soaking the seeds.
One mistake I see beginners make all the time is buying trays that don’t drain or don’t allow bottom watering, which can lead to mold or poor growth.
A simple tray setup solves most of those problems.
3. Soil or Growing Medium
For soil, I personally like using Sunshine Mix #4 along with Gaia Green organic fertilizer. This combination creates a light soil structure that roots love while keeping everything organic.
That said, microgreens are very forgiving plants.
Many people grow them successfully using just good soil and water.
The key thing to avoid is cheap compacted soil or synthetic fertilizers, which can cause poor growth and drainage problems.
4. Light (Sunlight Works Fine)
One of the biggest myths about microgreens is that you need expensive grow lights.
You don’t.
A sunny window works perfectly for beginners.
Microgreens grow quickly and don’t require intense lighting like mature plants do.
Lights can help if you're growing larger quantities or in a darker room, but when you're just starting, the sun is free and works great.
The Biggest Mistakes Beginners Make
After talking with hundreds of people interested in growing microgreens, I see the same mistakes over and over again.
The biggest ones are:
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Buying too many fancy tools
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Buying the wrong seeds
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Using synthetic fertilizers
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Buying the wrong trays
Microgreens are supposed to be simple.
Overcomplicating the setup is usually what causes people to quit before they even start. Can you grow microgreens to save money?
A Simple Starter Setup
At Wagner Greens, we built our microgreens growing kit specifically to make things easy for beginners.
Our kit includes:
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Seeds
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Tray
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Dome
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Enough supplies for four grow cycles
The cost is $29.99, and the only things you need to add are water and sunlight.
That’s it.
No complicated equipment. No expensive setup.
If you want an even simpler way to start growing food at home, you can also grow sprouts using a mason jar sprouting kit. Sprouting only requires seeds, water, and a jar, and you can grow fresh sprouts right on your kitchen counter in just a few days.
Final Thoughts
Microgreens are one of the easiest foods you can grow at home.
They grow fast, require very little space, and are incredibly nutritious.
The biggest lesson I learned early on is this:
You don’t need a complicated setup to grow amazing microgreens.
Just start simple with:
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Good seeds
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A tray
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Soil
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Water
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Sunlight
Once you grow your first batch, you’ll realize how easy it really is.
And that’s when the fun starts. 🌱Ultimate Guide: Storing Fresh Sprouts After Harvest