How to Grow Mung Bean Microgreens
Vigna radiata
Mung bean microgreens are a rapid-growing culinary crop prized for their tender shoots and nutty flavor. Gardeners cultivate them indoors year-round to add fresh nutrition to salads or sandwiches without waiting for full maturity.
📷 Wikimedia CommonsStarting Mung Bean Microgreens: indoors or direct sow?
🌾 Sow directly in the garden — Mung Bean Microgreens is not usually started indoors.
These microgreens are grown entirely indoors in trays and do not require transplanting outdoors; they are harvested while still small.
Soil, care & harvest
Sow seeds densely at 1/8 inch deep in trays filled with fine, sterile seed-starting mix adjusted to a pH of 6.0–7.0. Since these are microgreens grown indoors under lights, timing relative to the last frost is irrelevant; you can start anytime. Expect germination within one to three days after consistent moisture is established.
Keep the growing medium consistently moist but not waterlogged to prevent rot. Provide bright indirect light or grow lights for twelve to sixteen hours daily. No trellising or spacing adjustments are needed as plants remain small and dense. Avoid fertilizing, as high nutrient levels can burn delicate roots before harvest.
Watch for aphids and fungus gnats indoors; maintain clean conditions and avoid overwatering to stop damping off and root rot. Harvest the entire shoot mass six to ten days after sowing when leaves are fully developed but stems remain tender. Cut just above the soil line with a sharp knife.
When to Plant Mung Bean Microgreens
Planting windows vary by USDA hardiness zone. Look up yours by ZIP code.
| Zone | Start Indoors | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 1 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 2 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 3 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 4 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 5 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 6 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 7 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 8 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 9 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 10 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 11 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 12 | January – December | — | January – December |
| Zone 13 | January – December | — | January – December |
Companion Plants for Mung Bean Microgreens
✓ Good companions
Compatible growth habits and may help deter aphids
Repels aphids and thrips while attracting beneficial insects
Natural fungicide properties help prevent damping-off disease
Similar growing conditions and helps repel spider mites
Compatible growing requirements and doesn't compete for nutrients
Repels ants and rodents that might disturb microgreen trays
Quick germination helps break soil crust and deters flea beetles
Similar light and moisture needs, grows well in close proximity
✗ Keep away from
Produces juglone toxin that severely stunts legume growth
Produces allelopathic compounds that inhibit germination and growth
Releases growth-inhibiting chemicals through root exudates
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving (USDA FoodData Central)
