Both varieties are the same plant; only the harvest age differs. Sprouts are ready for harvest in approximately 3-8 days, while Microgreenare ready in approximately 8-20 days. Of course, the exact timeframe isn't precise, but that's a good guideline. The growing method plays a significant role: sprouts are grown in water only and don't require soil or any other substrate. Microgreen, on the other hand, are best grown in good organic soil , as the tiny plants need nutrients from the soil after about 8 days. Good seed-starting mix is recommended because it doesn't contain too much fertilizer. Too much fertilizer in the first few days is detrimental to healthy growth.
can Microgreenalso be grown in other substrates, such as hemp fiber or coconut fiber. For optimal results, a small amount of liquid fertilizer should be added to the watering can after 10 days at the latest.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Answers to frequently asked questions in the shop
Ordering & Shipping
We typically deliver within 2-5 business days of receiving payment, throughout Germany. Delivery times may vary for shipments outside of Germany.
delivery for orders over ,€75 freeand in Austria for orders over €120! You can find all other shipping rates here.
You will receive a tracking number, which you can use to check the current delivery status. Please note that we have no further influence on the tracking once the package has been handed over to the shipping provider.
Please send us a request to cancel your order as soon as possible via the contact page.
Once your order has arrived at our shipping center, it can no longer be manually cancelled.
You have 30 days to report any issues with delivered products. Learn more here.
General questions
There are no major differences in the ingredients; only the chlorophyll content is higher in Microgreendue to more daylight. Therefore, one could say that Microgreenare slightly "healthier".
Both Microgreenand sprouts are very easy to grow if you use the right seeds and follow a few basic principles.
Microgreenand sprouts have many advantages – one of which is their minimal space requirement. There are almost always a few free windowsills, and you can place sprouting jars practically anywhere in your apartment – even in a one-room apartment without a garden!
Both seed varieties are ready to plant in just a few minutes after soaking and only need a few seconds of care once or twice a day – nothing more!
💡 Growing Microgreen
For beginners, peas and small seeds like alfalfa, broccoli, and radish are best suited for growing Microgreen. These varieties are easy to handle.
Please note that you should soak the pea seeds for 8 to 12 hours before spreading them on your seed tray. The smaller seeds do not need to be soaked beforehand.
Most children love mild varieties that are easy for them to handle. Pea and sunflower seeds are therefore ideal. Both have a mild flavor. Pea seeds taste like fresh pea pods, and young sunflower seeds have a slightly nutty flavor. Their texture is firmer compared to other varieties. Small, less-than-perfect children's hands can easily hold them without them becoming mushy.
| Germinated seeds | Soaking time in hours | Time until harvest in days |
| Organic golden flaxseed | – | 7-11 |
| Organic sprouting seeds of broad beans “Fava bean” | 12 | 14-20 |
| Organic sprouting seeds of adzuki beans | 12 | 10-16 |
| Organic Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds | – | 7-10 |
| Organic basil sprouting seeds | – | 14-20 |
| Organic red basil sprouting seeds | – | 14-20 |
| Organic fenugreek sprouting seeds | – | 7-11 |
| Organic sprouting broccoli seeds | – | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting buckwheat seeds, unhulled | 12 | 7-14 |
| Organic dill sprouting seeds | – | 16-20 |
| Organic sprouting pea seeds | 12 | 8-14 |
| Organic fennel sprouting seeds | – | 14-20 |
| Organic sprouting kale "Black Mandingo" | – | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting seeds of red kale | – | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting chickpea seeds | 12 | 8-14 |
| Organic sprouting kohlrabi seeds | – | 7-10 |
| Organic coriander sprouting seeds | – | 14-20 |
| Organic germinated coriander seeds (split) | – | 14-20 |
| Organic sprouting cress seeds | – | 6-10 |
| Organic sprouting seeds Swiss chard | 8 | 14-20 |
| Organic Mizuna sprouting seeds | – | 7-11 |
| Organic carrot sprouting seeds | – | 16-20 |
| Organic sprouting mung beans | 12 | 8-14 |
| Organic radish sprouting seeds | – | 7-11 |
| Organic sprouting radish red | – | 7-11 |
| Organic sprouting radish (Daikon) seeds | – | 7-11 |
| Organic germination seeds rose clover (crimson clover) | – | 7-10 |
| Organic beetroot sprouting seeds | 8 | 14-20 |
| Organic sprouted red lentils | 8 | 8-14 |
| Organic Red Amaranth Sprouting Seeds | – | 8-12 |
| Organic red clover sprouting seeds | – | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting red cabbage | – | 7-11 |
| Organic sprouting arugula seeds | – | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting chives | – | 12-20 |
| Organic celery sprouting seeds | – | 16-20 |
| Organic mustard sprouting seeds | – | 7-10 |
| Organic germinated mustard “Red Giant” | – | 7-11 |
| Organic Spinach Sprouting Seeds | – | 14-20 |
| Organic sunflower germination seeds | 8-10 | 8-14 |
| Organic sprouting wheat seeds | 12 | 8-12 |
| Organic sprouting onion seeds | – | 12-20 |
To ensure the most successful Microgreencultivation, a room temperature of 18-20°C and no direct sunlight are recommended. Cover them for the first three days, but don't forget to water them. A piece of wood or another tray works well for this. The goal is to retain moisture in the soil for as long as possible.
With Microgreen, we don't make such a strict distinction between dark and light germinators. In numerous tests, we've found hardly any difference between germinating them in light or dark conditions. These distinctions are more significant in horticulture, where seeds, especially light-dependent germinators, receive no light exposure underground. This isn't a problem with Microgreen, as the seeds are always exposed to sufficient light during daily checks. Therefore, we don't specifically categorize our seeds as light or dark germinators.
We recommend using a spray bottle for watering during the first few days. For this, you can use the pressure sprayer from Keimgrün . From the 4th or 5th day onwards, it's a good idea to water the Microgreenfrom below. To do this, simply place the pots in a bowl of water for 10-15 minutes so they can absorb the water themselves.
The frequency depends on the room temperature. We recommend starting with once a day. However, at higher room temperatures, it may be necessary to water them twice a day. You can easily check this by watering your Microgreenin the morning and checking in the evening whether the soil is dry or still moist.
The choice of trays (bowls) also needs to be considered. It is important to ensure that excess water can drain from the trays. This easily prevents overwatering.
The seed coats usually fall off on their own. Simply let your Microgreengrow for a few more days. If some still remain, you can briefly place them in water. The seed coats will then float to the surface.
Storing the soil in an airtight container prevents fungus gnats from settling in. Therefore, please ensure that you always store your soil in an airtight container. As a preventative measure, some customers briefly heat their soil in the oven.
No, coconut coir contains no nutrients.
We would only use the soil once, because the seeds draw nutrients from the substrate as they grow.
Furthermore, root and seed remnants remain in the soil after harvesting. These can lead to diseases, such as mold. Larger seeds, like those of peas or sunflowers, are particularly robust, making further cultivation very difficult.
You can also grow Microgreenin your garden or on your balcony during the summer. However, you should be aware that your small plants can burn quickly on very hot days and in direct sunlight.
When sowing directly into the garden bed, you should always cover the seeds with a thin layer of soil to protect them from animals and the weather.
💡 Growing sprouts
When growing sprouts in a sprouting jar, we recommend starting with a small amount of seeds. For smaller varieties like broccoli and alfalfa, a maximum of 2 tablespoons is sufficient. Direct sunlight should be avoided, and the room temperature should be around 20°C, although sprouts are not quite as sensitive to temperature.
When choosing seeds, it's important to ensure they are viable and organic. The germination rate should be very high – because seeds that aren't viable will quickly start to mold in the sprouting jar.
Furthermore, some varieties are mucilaginous and therefore unsuitable for growing in sprouting jars. These are the following:
We've had the best results when you sow the different varieties separately. Seeds are a natural product, so soaking and growth times can vary slightly from batch to batch. Therefore, it's impossible to say with 100% certainty which varieties can always be sown together. Generally speaking, however, similarly sized seeds with the same germination time can be successfully combined in a sprouting jar.
Possible combinations:
- Broccoli rapa, kale, rose clover, red cabbage, kohlrabi and red clover
- Mung beans and lentils
- Radish and all types of radishes
| Germinated seeds | Soaking time in hours | Germination time in days | Recommendedamount in tablespoons (750ml glass) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Organic sprouting seeds of adzuki beans | 12 | 8-12 | 3-4 |
| Organic Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds | 8 | 7-10 | max. 1 |
| Organic fenugreek sprouting seeds | 8 | 4-8 | 2-3 |
| Organic sprouting broccoli seeds | 8 | 4-8 | 1,5 |
| Organic sprouting buckwheat seeds, hulled | 4 | 1-3 | 10 |
| Organic sprouting pea seeds | 12 | 3 | 8 |
| Organic sprouting seeds of green lentils | 12 | 3-5 | 6-8 |
| Organic sprouting kale seeds | 8 | 5-9 | 2 |
| Organic sprouting chickpea seeds | 12 | 2-5 | 6 |
| Organic sprouting kohlrabi seeds | 8 | 5-9 | 2 |
| Organic sprouting corn seeds | 12 | 3-5 | 3 |
| Organic Mizuna sprouting seeds | 8 | 5-9 | 2 |
| Organic sprouting mung beans | 12 | 4-7 | 3 |
| Organic sprouting seeds Pak Choi | 6-8 | 5-9 | 2 |
| Organic radish sprouting seeds | 4-6 | 5-10 | max. 2 |
| Organic sprouting radish red | 4-6 | 5-10 | max. 2 |
| Organic sprouting radish (Daikon) seeds | 4-6 | 5-10 | 2-3 |
| Organic germination seeds rose clover (crimson clover) | 8 | 5-9 | 1-1 |
| Organic sprouted red lentils | 12 | 2-5 | 6-8 |
| Organic red clover sprouting seeds | 8 | 5-9 | 2 |
| Organic sprouting red cabbage | 8 | 5-9 | 2 |
| Organic sprouting wheat seeds | 12 | 2-3 | not specified |
| Sprout mix “Salad” | 12 | 3-4 | 2 |
| Sprout mix “Vitamin” | 6-8 | 7-10 | 2 |
| Organic quinoa sprouting seeds | 4 | 1-2 | 2-3 |
The soaking and germination times given are approximate guidelines. The duration can vary depending on the season, temperature, and humidity.
You can find detailed instructions for the general process of sprouting in a sprouting jar here.
The following varieties germinate better in darkness during the first few days: adzuki beans, peas, chickpeas and broccoli.
Sprouts should always be soaked in water for several hours at the beginning so that the seeds absorb water. Simply rinsing them initially might not be enough for them to germinate.
Generally, soaking the seeds for 1-2 hours too long won't harm them. However, with some varieties, this can reduce the germination rate. So, if you feel your current batch isn't germinating well, it could be due to the soaking time. Please check this to rule out that possibility.
Ideally, the sprouts should be watered twice a day; otherwise, they risk drying out and potentially developing bacteria. To water, simply rinse the glass or sieve with water, shake it gently, and then let it drain.
If your sprouts have black spots, it's most likely mold. I would advise you to discard them and thoroughly disinfect your sprouting jar. You can use vinegar essence for this, for example.
If your sprouts have a fuzzy appearance, you need to determine whether it's micro-roots or mold. Both can develop quickly, especially in warm temperatures. You can read more about how to distinguish between the two in our blog post " Sprout Mold or Micro-Roots" .
If the sprouts start to smell and become mushy, it's usually due to too much moisture. Our tip: Always make sure to carefully drain the moisture after watering and ensure adequate ventilation.
Germination time varies greatly depending on the variety and personal preference. Climatic conditions also play a role in growth. On warm summer days, germination days are shorter. There's generally no such thing as too long or too short a time. If you're unsure and don't yet know at what stage you can harvest your variety, it's best to refer to our germination charts. The taste of your sprouts can change depending on the germination stage.
Harvest time - and now what?
Both Microgreenand sprouts are incredibly delicious and suitable for a wide variety of recipes. Of course, they're always a hit on bread or in salads. But if you're looking for new inspiration, feel free to check out our Instagram profile . You can also find many more recipe ideas here on our website and in our books.
You can eat your sprouts whole. The outer skin usually detaches during germination and floats to the surface of the water when rinsing.
Before the seeds are offered in our online shop, the manufacturer or Keimgrün conducts a microbiological test at an independent laboratory. There, the seeds are tested for harmful pathogens such as E. coli bacteria or Salmonella. Each batch receives its own batch number, which can also be found on every label. This ensures that the origin can be traced at any time.
Generally, sprouts can be eaten raw; however, some varieties, such as peas, chickpeas, and adzuki beans, contain phasin. While a large portion of this is broken down during germination, large quantities should not be consumed raw. It is therefore recommended to blanch or cook bean sprouts before eating.
Once you're satisfied with the growth stage, rinse them thoroughly again. Afterwards, they should drain well; a salad spinner works best to remove the excess water.
After that, you can store them in an airtight container with a lid in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.
If you're happy with the size of your sprouts but don't want to eat them all at once, you can easily store them in the refrigerator. An airtight container is ideal for this.
We recommend rinsing the sprouts beforehand and then letting them drain well, or using a salad spinner. They should be stored in the refrigerator rather dry.
💡 Questions about the cress sieve
| Germinated seeds | Soaking time in hours | Germination time in days |
| Organic golden flaxseed | 15 min. | 8-10 |
| Organic Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds | 8 | 7-9 |
| Organic basil sprouting seeds | – | 9-10 |
| Organic red basil sprouting seeds | – | 9-10 |
| Organic sprouting broccoli seeds | 8 | 5-10 |
| Organic sprouting kale "Black Mandingo" | 8 | 6-10 |
| Organic sprouting kohlrabi seeds | 8 | 6-10 |
| Organic sprouting cress seeds | 15 min. | 4-10 |
| Organic Mizuna sprouting seeds | 8 | 7-10 |
| Organic radish sprouting seeds | 8 | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting radish red | 8 | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting radish (Daikon) seeds | 8 | 7-10 |
| Organic germination seeds rose clover (crimson clover) | 8 | 7-10 |
| Organic red clover sprouting seeds | 8 | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting red cabbage | 8 | 7-10 |
| Organic sprouting arugula seeds | 15 min. | 4-10 |
| Organic mustard sprouting seeds | 15 min. | 7-10 |
| Organic germinated mustard “Red Giant” | 8 | 7-10 |
The soaking and germination times given are approximate guidelines. The duration can vary depending on the season, temperature, and humidity.
Everything about seeds
The seeds have most likely dried out. This can happen quickly, especially in dry air from heating or on very hot summer days. Therefore, we recommend covering the seeds and checking and misting them daily.
Additionally, we would change the location – perhaps the colder kitchen worktop instead of the windowsill.
You can also soak the seeds for a few hours beforehand, so they can absorb plenty of water.
Except for the well-known variety cress, kitchen paper is generally not suitable for growing seeds, as it dries out too quickly, preventing most seeds from receiving enough moisture to germinate. Without sufficient moisture, they dry out and germinate poorly or not at all.
Cress, however, germinates quickly and therefore thrives on kitchen paper.
We therefore recommend using substrate, hemp mats or a cress sieve for cultivation.
In our online shop, we offer two different varieties of broccoli. There are the smaller seeds, Broccoli rapa, and the slightly larger seeds, Broccoli calabrese. We'd like to briefly compare the differences to help you find the right variety for you.
Broccoli rapa:
- the seeds are smaller
- Broccoli rapa (Brassica rapa) is a separate cruciferous species and not related to classic broccoli.
- They germinate faster because they are smaller
- This variety is more suitable for growing in sprouting jars
Broccoli calabrese
- the seeds are larger
- They take a little longer to germinate because the seeds are larger
- Their Microgreenwill grow a little bigger
Keimgrün 's seeds are open-pollinated organic seeds that have undergone minimal breeding. This ensures that as many of the valuable vitamins and other nutrients as possible are retained in the young plants.
Ideally, the seeds should be stored in the dark, at 15°C, with a humidity level below 35%, and in an airtight container! Since we know that these conditions are usually not fully met, simply try to get as close as possible; even then, you'll be able to enjoy your seeds for up to a year.
Theoretically, yes. In practice, however, Microgreenseeds aren't bred in the same way as seeds for commercial horticulture. Therefore, you shouldn't expect a large, compact head of broccoli or a large bulb from radishes, for example. Breeding is expensive and unnecessary in our case. On the contrary, the unbred varieties are usually much better in terms of nutrient and vitamin content. With cultivated varieties, the focus is usually only on characteristics important for the market; vitamins and nutrients play a rather subordinate role. But with sprouts and Microgreen, only the first 20 days of growth and the valuable nutrients are crucial. That's why we're better off with unbred seeds, which are also cheaper as a result.
As a matter of principle, every batch at Keimgrün undergoes an incoming inspection. This primarily involves testing germination capacity, but also visually checking for pests, foreign objects, or other irregularities. Before the seeds are offered in the online shop, the manufacturer or Keimgrün also conducts a microbiological analysis at an independent laboratory. There, the seeds are tested for harmful pathogens such as E. coli bacteria or Salmonella. Each batch receives its own batch number, which can also be found on every label. This ensures traceability of the origin at all times.
Shelf life depends primarily on storage. With perfect storage (i.e., cool, dark, dry and airtight), it will keep for at least a year, and in most cases longer.
Keimgrün sources all of its seeds from the EU, except for red amaranth, which is propagated in America. We strive to collaborate with regional producers as much as possible and are expanding our range with sprouting seeds from Germany. For example, we source our wheat, , golden flaxseed and hemp seeds regionally and in organic quality. However, since this isn't always straightforward and, above all, time-consuming, we currently source the majority of our seeds from Italy and France.
Trays & Seedling Trays
Keimgrün trays can be cleaned in an industrial washing machine or a commercial dishwasher. They can withstand washing temperatures of 65-85 degrees Celsius.
We personally find the standard trays more convenient for tall Microgreenwith larger seeds, such as peas and sunflowers.
The shallow trays are ideal for delicate Microgreenwith small seeds, such as amaranth, beetroot, or carrots. You can harvest or cut them more easily in the shallow trays.
Rest assured, the Microgreenare not able to release and absorb microplastics from the trays during their short growth period (7-14 days). Furthermore, the trays we offer are BPA-free.
Of course, we also believe that plastic is not the best material for growing Microgreenand sprouts from an environmental perspective. That's why we've been searching for the perfect, biodegradable material for quite some time. Unfortunately, there aren't many natural alternatives that meet our requirements yet
- Long-lasting in combination with living soil
- Flat and with holes to prevent waterlogging
- Easy to clean
- Affordable
The selection is very limited, which is why, especially for growing sizes that exceed the size of a coconut shell, plastic will probably not be replaceable so quickly… If you have any further ideas, we would be very to hear from you !
Depending on the model, the trays are very large. We clean our trays either with water or by brushing off the remaining soil, depending on the degree of soiling.
If it's summer and you have a garden available, the easiest thing to do is use a garden hose.
This is difficult in winter or in an apartment. In those cases, we simply use the bathtub or fill a larger container with water and place it in the shower.
To ensure sterile cultivation, we spray the trays with a hydrogen peroxide solution shortly before use. This reduces the development of mold.
Our approach is that if we do use plastic, we want to reuse it as often as possible for the sake of the environment and to minimize waste. That's why we've opted for a particularly durable material!
Since the trays are intended for growing plants in soil, they don't necessarily have to be food-safe and are therefore not labeled as such. However, our trays are made of HIPS, a rubber-reinforced polystyrene, which is known to bedenkfor contact with food.
Yes, our trays are BPA-free.
The trays are made of HIPS (high-impact polystyrene). This material offers greater durability than other alternatives like PP or PE, while requiring very little material. The addition of rubber to the polystyrene makes the material significantly more impact-resistant and tough, despite its thin walls.
Questions about packaging
Sustainability is very important to us when it comes to packaging, which is why Keimgrün 's seed packaging is made entirely of sturdy paper. This means you receive our entire range of loose seeds completely plastic-free. We are currently switching the smaller quantities in our starter kits to grass paper bags; until then, they will continue to be shipped in parchment paper.
Do you have any ideas on how we can make our packaging even more sustainable? Then we look forward to hearing from you!
To ensure your order arrives safely at your home, we package the products with the utmost care, using natural and biodegradable materials. We use recycled cardboard and paper, egg cartons, and packing peanuts made from cornstarch. In rare cases, we use packing peanuts made from recycled polystyrene salvaged from packages we've received ourselves. These peanuts are reusable up to 10 times and are also fully recyclable.
By law, seeds are not required to have a best-before date. In our opinion, this is also unnecessary, as the shelf life of seeds depends on several different storage factors: temperature, light, humidity, etc. Since we can only control these conditions in our warehouse, it makes little sense for us to specify a best-before date.
However, if you store our seeds properly, you can use them for up to a year without major restrictions.
These are guidelines only, as the germination of the sprouts depends on many factors such as temperature, humidity and light.
Our legend has the following meaning:
- The first line shows the different growing equipment: cress sieve, sprouting jar, bowl with soil
- The second line shows the soaking time of the seeds for the different propagation devices.
- The third line shows the growing time of the seeds until consumption.
A dash always means that the variety is not suitable for this device (1st line) or that it does not need to be soaked beforehand (2nd line).
Growing instructions & soaking times
Variety- and product-specific cultivation instructions
- Growing coriander
- Growing instructions – Beetroot, chard and spinach
- Growing instructions for peas
- Growing instructions for chives and onions
- Growing instructions for celery, carrots and dill
- Sunflower growing instructions
- Growing instructions for Keimgrün Microgreen Starter Kit
- Small seeds in a sprouting jar – growing tips using broccoli as an example
General growing instructions
- Growing instructions for cress sieve
- Quick guide to sprouting on a cress sieve
- Quick guide to growing sprouts in a sprouting jar
Soaking times