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In this article, I demonstrate growing radish microgreens in an AeroGarden, using the AeroGarden Microgreens Kit. I also show you an alternate reusable growing medium that I made so that I don’t have to buy the AeroGarden microgreens felt. The AeroGarden microgreens felt is expensive, and it also doesn’t work quite as well with larger microgreen seeds such as radish microgreens.
Growing Radish Microgreens in an AeroGarden Using the AeroGarden Microgreens Kit
Here are the radish seeds I used: http://stockingmypantry.com/tlm_radish_sprouting_seeds
For a deep dive into how to grow microgreens in an AeroGarden using the AeroGarden Microgreens Kit, be sure to check out my post, The Ultimate Guide to Growing Microgreens Using the AeroGarden Microgreens Kit.
Day-by-Day Report on Growing Radish Microgreens in an AeroGarden
Without further ado, let’s get into how to grow radish microgreens in an AeroGarden, using the AeroGarden Microgreens kit.
AeroGarden Radish Microgreens, Day 1
The first thing to do when growing microgreens in an AeroGarden is to add water to the bowl, up to the fill line. Note that there is some debate in the microgreens community about whether or not you should use nutrients when growing microgreens.
The instructions that come with the AeroGarden Microgreens Kit state that nutrients are optional. So when I first start my microgreens, I do not use any nutrients.
Growing Medium
Instead of using the AeroGarden felt growing medium, I used a reusable growing medium that I made myself out of these silicone dehydrator sheets that I purchased on Amazon. I like using this growing medium when growing larger microgreen seeds such as radish seeds, because the holes in them are large enough for the roots to go through. Also, especially since this growing medium is reusable, it saves a ton of money compared to the felt microgreen growing medium that AeroGarden sells.
Sprinkle on the Radish Microgreen Seeds
I generally use just a teaspoon of microgreen seeds on each side when growing microgreens in an AeroGarden. However, in this case, since radish seeds are larger, I used a teaspoon and a half of microgreen seeds on each side. Here is what it looked like with a total of three teaspoons of seeds on each side.
Note that I did NOT soak the seeds before adding them in. Although soaking seeds is often advised, I’ve found that the AeroGarden does such a good job of regularly saturating the seeds with water, at least in most cases, soaking isn’t necessary.
Cover with Domes and Plug in the AeroGarden
At this point you’re ready to cover the seeds with the domes that come with the AeroGarden Microgreens kit. The domes help to hold in moisture, which will help the seeds to germinate properly.
The Morning of Day 3
This is what the radish microgreens looked like on the morning of day three, after two full days of growth. (The seeds had started to germinate on day two, but I didn’t get a photo of them.)
You can see how the domes had a nice amount of condensation on them.
Above is what the radish microgreens look like after two full days of growth.
In this close up you can better see what is happening with the roots of these radish microgreens. First, note that you can see some of the roots poking down through the growing medium. This is exactly what you want to have happen, because it means that the roots are growing down into the water supply.
You can also see that there is fuzz on the roots. Sometimes people mistake this fuzz as mold, but it’s root hairs, and there is nothing to worry about. I’ve noticed these root hairs seem especially prevalent on radish microgreens.
In the above photo you can also see the roots of the microgreens growing through the bottom. This is a healthy sign, and exactly what you want to have happen.
The Morning of Day 4
This is what the radish microgreens look like on the morning of day four, after 3 full days of growth. I had removed the domes the evening before, since some of the microgreens were tall enough that they touched the domes.
One of the best things about growing radish microgreens is how fast they grow, and how thick they come in!
If you notice at the lower left side of the photo, you can see that there are some ungerminated radish seeds. I looked at my order history in True Leaf Market and saw that I purchased these seeds about three years ago, so the germination rate is amazing, considering the age of the seeds.
On the right you can see how much the radish microgreen roots have grown compared to what they looked like just a day earlier.
Changing Water and Adding Nutrients on the Morning of Day 5
According to the instructions that come with the AeroGarden Microgreens Kit, it’s important to change out the water at least once a week. Since I typically grow my microgreens in my AeroGarden for eight to ten days, I have made it a practice to change the water on the morning of day five.
Another tip in the microgreen instructions is that it’s optional to add nutrients. Since it’s optional and yet may be helpful, my general practice is to add nutrients when I change out the water on day five. To save money, I decided to use General Hydroponics MaxiGrow nutrients, since they are less expensive than AeroGarden nutrients.
Since nutrients are optional when growing microgreens, I used a small amount. I mixed in 1/4 of a teaspoon of the nutrients in water before adding the nutrients to my AeroGarden.
The microgreens have filled in very nicely at this point. Look how lush and green they are!
You can see the growth of these radish microgreens a bit better, when I push them back. I estimate that they are about one inch tall at this point.
Radish Microgreens, the Morning of Day 6
Here is what the radish microgreens that I’m growing in my AeroGarden look like after five full days of growth. I estimate that they are about three inches tall at this point, so they have grown approximately two inches in the last 24 hours!
Radish Microgreens Growing in an AeroGarden, the Morning of Day 7
Above are what the radish microgreens that I grew in my AeroGarden looked like after six full days of growth.
I generally like to let my microgreens grow for at least eight days, but since radish microgreens grow so fast, I decided to go ahead and harvest them after just six full days of growth.
I used scissors to harvest the microgreens. I find it helpful to gently pull up on the microgreens to make it easier to cut them. I cut them about a half an inch above the growing medium. If desired, you can cut them closer to the growing medium for a bit higher yield.
You can see that roots were still attached on a couple of the microgreens. This occurred because when I was gently tugging on them, they pulled all the way through. Eating the roots wouldn’t hurt anything. After all, these are radish microgreens, and radishes are root vegetables! But just to keep things need and tidy, I went ahead and used my scissors to snip off the roots.
Here is what the microgreens looked like after I finished harvesting them. You can see that especially on the left, I could have cut them much closer to the growing medium.
Radish Microgreen Yield
In spite of not cutting the microgreens too close to the growing medium, just 3 teaspoons of radish seeds yielded about eight cups of microgreens after just six full days of growth!
What I love about radish microgreens is that in addition to having a nice spicy taste, they are also much sturdier than most microgreens. The stems are thick and kind of crunchy. I love using them in salads, on sandwiches, and in wraps. Also, since they are so sturdy, they’ll hold up better if you want to use them to as a garnish on soup or another hot dish.
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