How to Grow Broccoli Microgreens Fast and Easy

You might be imagining tiny, seedy trees, but the broccoli microgreen is just like any other young plant: all stem, root, and cotyledon. It may not look like a full-grown vegetable, but these broccoli plants have the same nutritional value and health benefits without the season-long commitment.

Growing broccoli microgreens at home is easy and remarkably short. From start to finish, it only takes one to two weeks. This is possible because the microgreens are harvested in the early growth stages, usually just days after germination.

Like their mature counterparts, broccoli microgreens have an abundance of Vitamins A and C, as well as iron, calcium, fiber, and more. The broccoli microgreen also contains sulforaphane, which is believed to help fight against cancer, diabetes, and aging.

The best part, though, is that you’ll actually get more nutrients from eating broccoli microgreens than mature crowns. This makes them a great nutrient source for kids who turn up their noses at regular broccoli.

What You’ll Need

Growing broccoli microgreens at home is super easy. Once you get the hang of it, your kitchen will be stocked full of this high-nutritional-value food. These are the materials you will need to get started.

Seeds

Although you can grow broccoli microgreens from any seed, getting hold of fresh seed will always give you the best results. The classic Waltham 29 is always a good standard, but if you’d like to broaden your horizons, there are plenty of other options. 

• Broccoli Sprouts Seeds: Grow any time of the year for harvesting in six to nine days.
• Burgundy Broccoli Seeds: Tender and flavorful broccoli with a burgundy-purple tinge.
• Belstar Broccoli Seeds: Known for its heat tolerance and good flavor.
• Di Cicco Broccoli Seeds: Heirloom variety from Italy.
• Chinese Broccoli/Kailaan Seeds: Also called Chinese kale with leaves like kale and florets like broccoli.
• Superfoods Baby Greens Seeds: A nutrient-packed range that includes 20% kale, 20% broccoli, 15% collards, 15% kohlrabi, 15% turnip, and 15% bok choy.
• Mellow Blend Microgreens Seeds: A delicate flavor boost with a mix that contains 25% Mizuna mustard, 25% broccoli, 20% kohlrabi, 15% Tatsoi bok choy, 15% Red Acre cabbage.

Containers

A few shallow planting trays are all you need, as long as they have adequate drainage holes. Any seed trays or pots will do the job.

Epic 6-Cell Seed Starting Trays and Germination Domes & Bottom Trays are good choices for protecting the seeds as they grow and creating little ecosystems that improve the germination rate.

Growing Medium

You will grow broccoli seeds in larger quantities than usual, so you need fine-grained soil that the roots can easily navigate (seed-starting soil is usually best). Growing mediums like coconut coir or vermiculite can also be used.

Grow Lights

When growing indoors, grow lights will give you the best chance at good germination. You can choose to use natural sunlight when you grow microgreens indoors, but you’ll get the best results with a grow light. Microgreens grow more uniformly and are much less likely to etiolate. You’ll also be able to control the exact time the plants get light.

We suggest Epic Seed Starting Grow Lights Small or the Epic Seed Starting Grow Lights Standard to get the job done efficiently.

If you don’t have to grow lights, place the tray on a sunny windowsill and frequently rotate them to ensure even sunlight exposure.

Extras

A few other items are needed, such as a bottom tray for any water run-off, a misting bottle to water the delicate seeds, and kitchen scissors to harvest.

As broccoli is a cool-season crop and most fresh seed will be available in the colder months, invest in a heating mat to keep the seeds warm, like the Epic Seed Starting Heat Mat.

How to Grow Broccoli Microgreens

When you’re ready, follow these steps to grow your tasty microgreens. 

Step 1: Plant

Broccoli seeds are small, so they don’t need much help breaking open. Soaking isn’t necessary to soften that outer seed hull.

Before you plant, fill your microgreen tray to just below the brim with soil. Then, spread the seeds as evenly as possible across the entire surface. Cover as much soil as possible so a dense mat of broccoli sprouts will grow.

Microgreens are pretty small, so you need a lot to get a decent-sized harvest. Don’t cover up the seeds – they’ll be just fine laying on top.

Step 2: Cover

Give the seeds a good misting of water, but be careful not to scatter them. Then, place the second tray on top of the first, essentially tucking them in. For the next couple of days, the seeds will use the water and darkness to germinate.

If you want to speed up the process, place a seed mat under the tray. This will raise the temperature and help the seeds grow faster. Without the mat, the temperature should be at least 70°F.

Step 3: Grow

For the days after germination, focus on giving the broccoli sprouts plenty of water to grow. Fill your watering dish and place the tray on top. After the soil has filled with water, remove the tray so the broccoli sprouts don’t get waterlogged and allow excess moisture to drain out. Water this way as often as necessary to keep the soil consistently moist.

Don’t mistake the root systems on the sprouts for mold, as they’re just extra fibrous root matter. In time, they’ll settle into the soil and grow your broccoli sprouts. As long as you keep watering from the bottom, you shouldn’t have any problems with bacterial growth.

As the broccoli sprouts grow into microgreens, they’ll push up the tray cover (usually within 7 days). This is your signal to remove the cover and give the broccoli sprouts some much-deserved light.

Aim for 16-18 hours of light each day. The broccoli sprouts may be discolored initially but should produce more chlorophyll once they get some sun.

When broccoli microgreens fall over, it usually means they’re underwatered. A good drink should perk those broccoli sprouts back up easily. If not, they may be etiolated, stretching out to search for light. Adjust their lighting as needed to give them better light coverage.

Step 4: Harvest

When each microgreen is two to three inches tall, they’re ready to harvest (this is anywhere from 7-14 days). This should be before the true leaves grow in, which will drastically affect the flavor.

Stop watering about 12 hours before you plan to harvest (this will help with storage later). Then, grab some scissors and get to work.

Cut the microgreens in bunches just above the soil level. You can harvest them all at once or just take what you’ll use. However, plan to harvest the entire crop before it’s too old.

Most microgreens are one-and-done, so you’ll have to plant more broccoli seeds for another crop. Luckily, these nutritional sprouts are super easy to grow.

Step 5: Store

Eat your fresh harvest right away to achieve the tastiest results and best nutrition. Wash the microgreens in cold water, pat them dry, and get cooking.

If you harvest them all at once, you’ll have to store the microgreens correctly until you’re ready to eat. Broccoli microgreens store best when they’re dry. To absorb excess moisture, fold the broccoli microgreens in a paper towel. Then, seal them in a container or bag and keep them in the fridge.

The home-grown microgreens stay fresh to eat for about three to four days.

Final Thoughts

Broccoli microgreens have a crunchy, earthy taste and are the perfect addition to salads, sandwiches, or any food that needs a quick nutrition boost. Try them in a smoothie or green juice to boost your energy for the day.