You’ve grown your greens, snipped your harvest, and now you’re left with a tray of soil and tiny root mats. Don’t toss it! Microgreens are compost gold—and repurposing your growing medium is easier than you think.
Whether you compost on your balcony, under your sink, or in your backyard, here’s how to close the loop and make the most of your microgreen leftovers.
Step 1: Know What You Can Compost
After harvesting, your microgreen tray contains:
- Spent microgreen roots
- Soil or growing medium (like coconut coir or peat moss)
- Maybe a few leftover seed hulls
All of these can go into your compost pile or bin.
Step 2: Break It Up
Pull apart the root mat gently with your hands or a small garden fork. This helps the material decompose faster and allows airflow in your compost pile.
Tip: If it’s super dense, chop it up with kitchen scissors first. This tends to be my stress-release time, go nuts and shred away, let it all out 😉
Step 3: Layer It Right
Add your microgreen waste as a “green” (wet) layer if it’s freshly harvested, or a “brown” (dry) layer if it’s been drying out.
- Pair it with food scraps, shredded paper, or dry leaves to balance moisture and speed up decomposition.
Step 4: Pick Your Compost Style
No backyard? No problem.
- Try a countertop compost bin
- Use a bokashi bucket or worm bin (I know, it sounds gross)
- Share your scraps with a community composting program
Even a small batch of microgreen soil can feed houseplants or balcony herbs!
Step 5: Use It to Grow Again
Once composted, your microgreen waste turns into dark, nutrient-rich soil perfect for planters, garden beds, or even new trays of greens.
Talk about full-circle growing.
Keep Growing, Keep Giving Back
Composting your microgreens isn’t just smart—it’s sustainable, simple, and surprisingly satisfying. Your plants (and the planet) will thank you.
Need more earth-friendly tips? Grab our free “Harvesting Health” ebook and check out our free resources!
