Window-sill microgreens rotation calendar - 7 day stagger for nonstop salad harvest at home

To achieve a continuous harvest, you will operate with at least two trays in a staggered rotation. This calendar assumes a microgreen variety with a 10-14 day growth cycle, such as broccoli, radish, kale, or a basic salad mix. Designate one day of the week as your "Sowing Day." We will use Sunday for this example.

Week 1:

On Sowing Sunday, prepare Tray A. Fill a shallow tray (a 5x5 inch tray or a clean takeout container with drainage holes is perfect) with about one inch of moistened coco coir or a fine seed-starting mix. The medium should be damp, not soggy. Sprinkle your seeds evenly over the entire surface. For small seeds like broccoli, aim for a density where seeds are close but not piled on top of each other. Gently press the seeds into the soil surface and give them a final misting of water with a spray bottle. Place a cover over the tray, like a piece of cardboard or another empty tray flipped upside down. This blackout period encourages strong germination. Place the covered tray on your window-sill. For the next 3-4 days, mist the seeds once or twice daily, replacing the cover each time.

Around Thursday or Friday of Week 1, your seeds in Tray A will have sprouted and look like pale, yellowish threads. It's time to remove the cover permanently. Move the tray to the sunniest spot on your window-sill. The sprouts will turn green within hours. From this point on, switch to bottom-watering. Place Tray A inside a slightly larger tray that has no holes. Pour about a half-inch of water into the outer tray and let the soil absorb it from below. This keeps the delicate stems and leaves dry, preventing mold. Dump any excess water after 20 minutes.

Week 2:

On the second Sowing Sunday, it's time to start the rotation. First, check on Tray A. It should be growing well. Continue to bottom-water as needed and rotate it 180 degrees each day to prevent it from leaning too much toward the light. Now, take Tray B and repeat the exact sowing process you performed on Tray A last Sunday: fill with soil, moisten, sprinkle seeds, mist, and place it under its blackout cover on the window-sill.

Throughout Week 2, you will