My Honest Review of True Leaf Market in 2024: Should You Buy Your Microgreens From Them?

Want fresh, flavorful microgreens year-round? As a fellow microgreen enthusiast who has been growing them regularly at home for over a year, I recently had an excellent experience ordering from True Leaf Market and want to share the details.

True Leaf Market is an online retailer catering to home growers and small-scale producers who want to grow nutrient-dense microgreens. With their vast seed selection, growing resources, and excellent customer service, they have become my go-to source for all things microgreens.

As background, I first got into growing microgreens about 25 months ago. After tasting juicy, tender microgreens at upscale restaurants, I wanted to recreate that flavor at home without breaking the bank. But sourcing quality seeds and supplies seemed confusing at first. Then I discovered True Leaf Market – more on my experience with them shortly!

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Why Grow Your Own Microgreens?

Before diving further into True Leaf Market, let me share a quick primer on why microgreens are worth growing at home and what makes them so unique:

Microgreens are the shoots of vegetables and herbs harvested just after sprouting, typically 1-3 inches tall. While tiny, they are bursting with concentrated nutrition and dynamic flavors. Studies show microgreens can contain 4-40x higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants than their mature counterparts.

In addition to their nutritional benefits, microgreens introduce delightfully complex and often spicy flavors to dishes. Their tender crunch also livens up sandwiches, tacos, pizzas, and more. Once I got into growing my own microgreens at home, I became addicted! It’s easy to incorporate them into meals daily.

A Quick Overview of True Leaf Market’s Offerings

True Leaf Market specializes in microgreen seeds, growing supplies, and educational resources – making them a fantastic option for home growers and small commercial producers alike.

Here is a quick rundown of their product selection:

• Diverse Seeds for Microgreens & Shoots: With nearly 100 seed varieties for microgreens and shoots, True Leaf Market offers exceptional diversity. You’ll find options spanning aromatic basil to zesty radish and crisp broccoli to comforting wheatgrass and everything in between. I especially appreciate their focus on heirloom and organic seeds.
• Growing Kits & Supplies: For beginners, True Leaf Market’s growing kits contain everything you need to get started – from seeds and trays to domes and lighting. For more advanced growers, you can find supplies a la carte, like bulk seed packets, commercial shelving units, specialized soils, and beneficial inoculants.
• Sprouting Seeds: In addition to microgreen seeds, True Leaf Market offers seeds intended for sprouting like alfalfa, clover, quinoa, and more. Sprouts make tasty toppings or additions to dishes.
• Books & Growing Guides: Educational books and downloadable growing guides provide immense value by reducing the learning curve if you’re new to microgreens. As an example, their soil guide helps you understand what type of seed starting mix to use for different microgreen varieties.

Top Features & Benefits of Ordering Through True Leaf Market

Now that you know the breadth of their offerings – from seeds to sprouts to educational guides – let me highlight some of the key features and advantages I’ve experienced as a repeat customer:

1. Massive Seed Selection & Product Variety

True Leaf Market’s huge inventory truly sets them apart. Home growers can go wild experimenting with different microgreen varieties. With options spanning four categories and nearly 100 varieties, the creative opportunities feel endless:

– Asian Greens (Pak Choy, Tatsoi)

– Herbs (Cilantro, Basil, Dill)

– Spicy Greens (Arugula, Cress, Radish)

– Vegetables & Fruit (Beets, Cabbage, Wheatgrass, Sweet Pepper Kit, Hot Pepper Kit)

Beyond microgreens, their sprouting seeds and shoots add even more ways to leverage their products for improved nutrition and homegrown flavors.

2. High-Quality Seeds

Repeatedly, I’ve found True Leaf Market’s seeds to deliver exceptionally high germination rates and vibrant, healthy microgreens even for tricky varieties like fennel, cress, and amaranth.

The fact that they focus on organic, non-GMO seeds means less exposure to potentially harmful chemicals for us as growers and consumers. Expert growing tips for each variety also set you up for maximum success.

3. Excellent Prices & Bulk Discounts

Given the large and curated selection, True Leaf Market offers very reasonable prices on par with other reputable suppliers. Their tiered bulk discounts make larger orders quite affordable, especially for commercial producers needing to scale up production.

On average, $10 of seeds fills roughly twenty 10” x 20” microgreen trays for me. That tiny seed investment yields pounds of fresh, tender greens with no waste! Compare that to buying pre-grown microgreens where you pay a huge premium for the weight and lose half the usable product to soggy stems you trim away. The cost difference is staggering.

4. Super Fast Processing & Shipping

I’m always amazed by how quickly True Leaf Market processes and ships orders. When you’re waiting for seeds to kickstart a new growing cycle, any delays feel excruciating! But to date, every order I’ve placed with them ships within 24 hours. Their packaging is secure and discreet as well.

5. Valuable Growing Resources

For new and experienced growers alike, True Leaf Market’s growing guides, books, and blog offer immense help troubleshooting challenges, honing techniques, and gleaning expert wisdom so you get optimal output from their seeds.

As just one example, I learned an ingenious method for sowing fiddlehead microgreens evenly from their growing guide. After struggling with erratic germination on my first attempts, the tips completely transformed consistency across my trays!

My Personal Experiences Ordering Through True Leaf Market

I first stumbled onto True Leaf Market while googling where to buy microgreen seeds over a year ago. Their website appealed instantly with the vast category filters and seed selection to peruse.

After combing through reviews and comparing them against a couple of other microgreen seed sources, I decided to give True Leaf my first order.

For that initial order, I chose a sampler pack of 6 seed varieties to trial including cress, radish, broccoli, kale, arugula, and red cabbage.

The checkout process was smooth, shipping was under $6, and my order arrived in just two days. I couldn’t wait to plant everything and see those vibrant little sprouts!

Right away, the germination rates impressed me – exceeding 80% for all varieties including the finicky cress and arugula that had given me issues with other supplier seeds. I noticed the True Leaf arugula and kale especially had a distinctly sweeter, more complex flavor at harvest than my prior growouts.

With the success of that first order, True Leaf Market became my consistent go-to for seeds over the next year. I’ve now placed 5 total orders sampling their full range of microgreen varieties. Sometimes I spring for premixed trays or sampler packs when feeling experimental. Other times, I grab bulk seeds of my staples like radish, sunflower shoots, broccoli, and cabbage that rarely last more than a couple weeks before I need to re-order.

Here’s a summary of my experiences with True Leaf Market after 25 orders over the past year:

Quality & Selection

I remain thoroughly impressed with True Leaf Market’s seed stock and fulfillment practices. Their seeds deliver exceptional viability for nearly all varieties. On two occasions, I had questions about substitutions or missing items – their customer service resolved each inquiry same-day.

Germination Rates

Across the board, True Leaf Market seeds achieve excellent germination exceeding at least 80% for every variety I’ve trialed. Most land closer to 90%. Compared to some bargain seed packs I’ve gambled on through Amazon resellers, True Leaf’s reliable rates help maximize harvest potential.

Flavor & Nutrition

The proof is in the pea shoots as they say! True Leaf Market’s microgreens consistently offer dynamic flavor and satisfying texture and crunch. I swear I can taste the difference in richness and sweetness since switching to their non-GMO, heirloom-sourced seeds. And knowing I benefit from higher nutritional density makes munching microgreens guilt-free!

Cost & Affordability

For premium, non-GMO seeds hand-packed in Colorado, True Leaf Market’s price point feels sensible. Bulk discounts incentivize larger commitments, but small orders won’t break the bank either. Saving their quantity tier pricing for reference helps me strategize cost-effectively.

Speed

Every order placed with True Leaf ships within 24 hours in my experience. Their processing and fulfillment teams deserve real credit for exceeding expectations on turnaround time even amidst global supply chain snags over the past two years.

The only thing faster than their shipping is how quickly my seeded trays transform into brilliant, vibrant microgreens ready for harvest!

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True Leaf Market vs. Competitor Suppliers

True Leaf Market tops my list as the premier specialty provider catering to microgreen growers through their curated seed selection, germination guarantee, and stellar service.

That said, a few other major suppliers offer comparable alternatives that may suit some folks’ preferences or planned growing scale. Here’s an overview:

Johnny’s Selected Seeds

The venerable Johnny’s Selected Seeds focuses more on seeds and supplies for outdoor farming. However, they do offer microgreen seeds and starter trays.

Pros

• Specialize in rare heirloom varieties
• Trusted brand with long history

Cons

• Pricier for smaller seed packets
• Less tailored to microgreens specifically

Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds

Mumm’s is one of the original sprouting seed providers catering to large-volume growers.

Pros

• Ideal for bulk discounts on huge seed orders
• Lower cost for massive quantities

Cons

• Leaner microgreen-specific seed selection
• Minimum order for free shipping is $60+

True Leaf Market Wins For…

After sampling other providers, True Leaf Market remains my consistent go-to for its balance of seed selection, pricing, reliability, and microgreen growing tips.

Specifically, True Leaf Market differentiates itself by:

• Curating almost 100 seed varieties optimal for microgreens
• Offering smaller minimums for free shipping
• Publishing an exceptional library of growing guides
• Providing 5-star customer service and order fulfillment

Should You Place an Order with True Leaf Market?

If you’re on the fence about trying True Leaf Market as your microgreens supplier, let me leave you with a clear recommendation based on my experiences…

I enthusiastically endorse True Leaf Market for any level of microgreens grower – from newbie home hobbyists to commercial producers.

Their seeds chart is extremely well organized by flavor profiles and growing characteristics. This made the browsing and selection process enjoyable and educational my first go around.

With almost 100 seed varieties to choose from, you’ll never get bored! I love experimenting with their themed variety packs and sampler sets which makes discovering new microgreen types to grow rewarding.

The consistent germination and viability success I see with True Leaf Market seeds means minimum frustration and losses. Even tricky seeds like fennel, cilantro, and amaranth thrive with excellent germination for me.

While shipping costs add up for very tiny orders under $15, bulk discounts incentivize larger commitments to cut overall costs. Their 25, 50, and 100 seed packet options help dial portion sizes to your planned production scale.

The only folks I might dissuade from True Leaf are extreme bargain hunters willing to sacrifice seed quality and product guarantees for rock-bottom pricing. True Leaf positions itself as a premium, specialized microgreens supplier with pricing to match. But from experience, those several dollars saved often cost double in the long run replacing dead seeds!

So, if you want reliably vibrant seeds, the calm of a germination guarantee, and exceptional growing resources? I wholeheartedly recommend placing your next microgreens seed order through True Leaf Market!

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The Verdict: My True Leaf Market Review

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After recounting my experiences across 5 orders this past year, I give True Leaf Market a resounding 5 out of 5 stars and my highest seal of approval!

They have completely changed my microgreen growing experience through their dialed seed selection, exemplary germination rates, intuitive website, and dedication to customer support.

I’m an advocate for life and can’t wait to continue sampling their ever-expanding seed catalog going forward.

Have you ordered from True Leaf Market or other favorite microgreen suppliers before? Share your thoughts in the comments! I’m always open to discovering new microgreen varieties to grow.