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Seeding Microgreens (Part 2 of 4)

Part 2 of 4: A guide on growing microgreens in your Flex Micro

Materials Needed (Included in the Microgreen Starter Supply Box)

  • 1 Perforated Microgreen Tray (per flat)
  • 1 Microgreen Grow Mat (per flat)
  • 1 Standard Nursery Tray (per flat)
  • Spray Bottle (filled with 1% hydrogen peroxide or water)
  • Seed Shaker
  • Microgreen Seeds of Choice (sold separately)
  • Food Scale (not included)
  • Clean Cloth (not included)

We highly recommend virtually planning and tracking your microgreens in the Flex Micro with the Flex Micro Virtual Manager Tool!

Prepare the Tray

 

Always follow proper food safety protocols by thoroughly washing your hands with soap and water before handling any growing equipment or materials.

  • Start by spraying and wiping down your perforated microgreen tray with a food-safe cleaner.

Cleaning your perforated microgreen tray can be done immediately after harvesting as well. We recommend using 1-3% hydrogen peroxide or hypochlorous acid as your cleaning solution. 

  • Set a grow mat in your perforated microgreen tray and spray the grow mat thoroughly and evenly with water.

Soak Seeds (For the Varieties Listed Below)

For the following varieties—corn shoots, beet, cilantro, pea shoots, sunflower, buckwheat, nasturtium, parsley, chard, and wheatgrass—soak the seeds overnight before seeding. For all other varieties, you can skip this soaking step and proceed directly to seeding your tray. 

  • Place the seed shaker on your food scale and reset (tare) the scale to zero. Weigh the desired amount of microgreen seeds, referencing the Microgreen Yield Trial Chart for accuracy.
  • Submerge your seeds in enough water or a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution to completely cover them, and let them soak overnight. This step helps minimize the chance of mold during germination.
  • After soaking overnight, drain the seeds thoroughly using a strainer for ease. Then, use the seed shaker to spread the seeds evenly across the grow mat. If needed, gently use your fingers to ensure uniform coverage.

Seeds with a thicker husk respond especially well to soaking overnight, which helps accelerate the germination process.

Seed the Tray (For All Remaining Varieties)

  • Place the seed shaker on your food scale and reset (tare) the scale to zero. Weigh the desired amount of microgreen seeds, referencing the Microgreen Yield Trial Chart for accuracy.
  • Attach a lid to the shaker that has holes just larger than the size of your seeds.
  • Evenly distribute the seeds across the grow mat by gently shaking the seed shaker.

Cover the Seeded Tray (For the Varieties Listed Below)

For these varieties—basil, arugula, cress, chia, flax, sorrel, amaranth, dill, shiso, and celery—use the cover method. For all other varieties, follow the Stack & Cover method found below.

  • Place a Standard Nursery Tray upside down over the seeded Microgreen Tray to create a dark, humid environment for germination.

Basil, arugula, cress, chia, flax, sorrel, amaranth, dill, shiso, and celery all produce delicate or mucilaginous seeds that are especially sensitive to pressure during germination. For this reason, it’s important not to stack another tray on top of these varieties. 

Stack & Cover the Seeded Tray (For All Remaining Varieties)

  • Lightly mist the underside of the Standard Nursery Tray with water or a 1% hydrogen peroxide solution to help reduce the risk of mold.
  • Gently stack the Standard Nursery Tray directly on top of the seeded Microgreen Tray, ensuring the weight of the tray makes firm contact with the seeds.

Transplant Covered & Seeded Tray to Flex Micro

  • Carefully place the covered, seeded microgreen tray into an open slot on your Flex Micro.

Place all germinating microgreen trays together on a single tier so you can keep the lights off—seeds do not require light to germinate. Typically, you’ll use one tier of your Flex Micro (with lights off) for germination, while the remaining two tiers (with lights on) support microgreen growth.

If there is a non-perforated tray in the slot, remove it before placing your covered microgreen tray in the open slot. This ensures your microgreen seeds receive proper irrigation. Non-perforated trays serve as placeholders to keep the water system fully contained in unused slots.

  • Ensure your Flex Micro is properly set up for optimized water conditions and flow.

Immediately Saturate Grow Mats

  • Turn your pump switch to the ON position and let it run for 3 minutes. This will fully saturate your newly seeded grow mats, giving your microgreens an optimal start to the germination process.

Set Pump to Normal Operating Conditions

  • After 3 minutes, return the pump switch to the TIMER setting to resume normal operation.
  • With automated watering and the covered and seeded trays in place, your seeds will typically germinate within 2–7 days, depending on the variety.

Your microgreen seeds are now beginning to germinate—well done! Continue to Part 3 of 4: Germinating & Transplanting Microgreens for next steps.