How To Grow Chia Microgreens In 5 Easy Steps

Remember chia pets? They were those animal-shaped planters that grew “fur” as the chia plants grew. Well, that cute little fad was actually a method of growing microgreens, even if it was a bit unconventional.

Chia microgreens are incredibly easy to grow and even better to eat. So set aside the chia pet planter and grow chia microgreens as a crop!

You’ll be amazed by the health benefits of chia seeds. They’re a great source of calcium, protein, fiber, and iron. But they’re most famous for the amazing amount of omega-3 fatty acids, which aid in cardiovascular and mental health.

You’ll notice most guides involving chia seeds are about sprouting. In this article, we’re focused on growing actual microgreens. The difference is that microgreens are grown in soil, given sunlight, and allowed to grow larger than sprouts. As a result, the harvest is considerably larger and contains chlorophyll, the healthy nutrient that turns plants green.

What You’ll Need

With a few essential materials to grow microgreens, you can be ready to harvest in as little as one to two weeks.

Seeds

Before you start shopping, consider how big of a harvest you want. The chia microgreens will be packed tightly, so the size of your tray will determine the yield. Chia seeds are tiny, so one tablespoon should cover about 50 square inches.

For the best results, use organic chia seeds. You can also grow chia seeds you buy as food from the grocery store.

Containers

Gather a few planting trays—one for growing and one for covering. Any seed trays or pots will do, as long as they have adequate drainage holes.

If you need to buy seed trays, we recommend Epic 6-Cell Seed Starting Trays and Germination Domes & Bottom Trays. These are excellent choices for protecting the seeds as they grow and creating little ecosystems that improve germination.

Growing Medium

Your growing medium should only contain fine grains, not large chunks of material. The chia microgreens will be so small that they’ll have a hard time navigating around uneven terrain.

Seed-starting soil is designed for this. Coconut coir is also a great choice because it has the added benefit of excellent drainage.

Grow Lights

Chia microgreens grow best with consistent light. This is best provided by a grow light indoors for even light exposure over the top of the top. If the light is uneven on one side, the microgreens will grow in that direction.

We recommend Small Epic Seed Starting Grow Lights or the Standard Epic Seed Starting Grow Lights if you don’t already have grow lights. Alternatively, you can also place the tray near a sunny windowsill and rotate the trays for even sunlight.

Extras

Also grab a sharp pair of kitchen scissors and a misting bottle to keep the little seeds hydrated.

How to Grow Chia Microgreens

When you’re ready to grow, follow these easy steps.

Step 1: Plant

Usually, when growing microgreens, you soak the seeds first. However, chia seeds absorb water so quickly that they become gelatinous goop, making them unnecessarily hard to plant. Skip this step when you grow chia microgreens.

Start by pouring a bit of water into the bottom of the growing tray. Then, fill in the soil just below the top of the tray. It will absorb the water from the bottom up.

Grab your seeds and spread them evenly across the tray, covering as much space as possible without overlapping them. There’s no need to cover the seeds with soil. Instead, grab your spray bottle and give them a good misting of water.

Step 2: Cover

Keep the seeds in the dark to germinate and establish healthy roots. Place a second tray on top of the first to block out the light. For now, only remove this tray when watering the microgreens.

Maintaining your microgreens is just as important as planting. The seeds will sprout in about four to seven days. In the meantime, continue misting daily. Keep the cover on so the seeds aren’t exposed to direct sunlight.

Step 3: Grow

After the seeds sprout and develop leaves, remove the cover and turn on the grow light. The plants may be discolored from lack of chlorophyll, but the artificial sunlight will quickly fix this.

Set your grow light to a timer that mimics night and day. Provide at least 12 hours of light daily.

Continue misting the plants, but make sure you don’t overdo it. There should never be pools of water on the soil. Now, your microgreens can start growing to their full potential!

Step 4: Harvest

The leaves will open five to twelve days later. At this point, the microgreens should be about one to three inches tall and ready to harvest.

Grab your kitchen scissors and start snipping. Cut the microgreens in bunches just above the soil level. Harvest the microgreens as you need them rather than all at once. As they mature, their taste will change, gradually turning bitter. For a uniform flavor profile, harvest them all at once.

The plants might regrow after harvesting, but the quality usually drops dramatically. To continue growing, clear the old roots and plant more seeds in the tray.

Step 5: Store

After harvesting, you can eat your microgreens right away or store them. Just before eating, rinse them with cold water and lay them on paper towels to air dry. You can also add them raw to just about anything, from sandwiches to soups and salads.

Try to use the microgreens within the first two to three days of harvesting. However, using the correct storage method, they should stay good for at least five days.

Chia microgreens store best when they’re slightly dried out. Plan ahead for this and stop watering them one day before harvesting. After harvesting, fold the microgreens in a dry paper towel and put them in a sealed bag in the fridge. Change out the towel as needed since it will absorb any moisture.