How to Grow Sprouts and Greens Indoors

Choose a spot for your indoor garden. A cool area near a sunny window is ideal. Most greens, whether grown as micro greens or to full-size leaves, prefer temperatures of 63 degrees F.

Select a container that fits in the available space near the sunny window. You can choose sets of matching containers for aesthetic value, or used outdoor containers that have been sterilized.

Install a grow light system if no sunny window is available. A double fluorescent bulb system provides enough light for these crops. Lettuce mixes will grow with as few as five hours of sun per day.

Purchase seeds for indoor plantings. Premixed mesclun mix contains a variety of greens to use as sprouts or leaves for salads. Include a few herbs, like chives, basil and cilantro, to add additional flavor to your culinary endeavors. Radishes like cool temperatures and have edible foliage and tasty sprouts.

Plant seeds into premoistened soil in containers. Seeds need moisture to germinate; don't let them dry out. Mist a few times daily until sprouts peek through. Keep the soil moist but not soggy as the lettuce mix grows.

Feed lettuce regularly, as often as every other day. Lettuce is a heavy feeder and likes nitrogen. For organic fertilization, use compost tea or fish emulsion.

Harvest micro greens when they are 2 inches tall. Harvest outer leaves when 3 to 4 inches tall. Cut as needed for use. Several harvests come from mesclun mix grown in this manner.

Reseed as needed. Radish sprouts are ready for harvest in 20 to 30 days. Greens from mesclun mixes reach maturity in 45 to 55 days, depending on variety.