Sprouting

[whooliggen]

Hey all,

Just been given a bunch of seeds (only the edible ones unfortunately) and Im at a bit of a loss about the best way to get them sprouting...Ive got all the usual suspects: Alfalfa, beans, lentils, herbs etc, but I think the last time I sprouted was at primary school and even then I think I got an E- .

So if any of you green-fingered types have any suggestions about the best way to get these things growing, would be much appreciated,

Cheers,

W.

[BambinA]

1 bean seed - choose fresh (growth rate is decrease , direct vary from the age of keep)

2 light - too light make sprout tall and skinny while dark make it's chuppy

well what i put , is the way to sprouting Thai "Tua Knok"

equipment

1 container , pot or plate (has hole at the bottome for drain water) that have the cover

2 bean seed 200g (for pot diameter 7" )

3 sponge plate, cut bigger than the contaier alil

4 warm water ( boild water + eoom temp. water 1:1)

5 sand,

methods

1 soak bean seed with warm water , till water is cooler , for 6-8 hrs .. pick the float bean off

2 prepare container , sand

3 put bean from (1) on sand

4 cover with sponge

5 water it

6 cover the container ,

7 water it every 3-4 hrs

8 bean sprout can eat after the process 3-4 days

[whooliggen]

Great, thanks BambinA..

I have actually been given one of these sprouting containers (three level thing with a drainage basin at the bottom), just wasn't sure how to get the best results..thanx for the info..

So do I never put the sprouts in direct sunlight then?

[BambinA]

So do I never put the sprouts in direct sunlight then?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

no .. cover the container ..and put container in shadow , as room that not too hot ..

[whooliggen]

So do I never put the sprouts in direct sunlight then?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

no .. cover the container ..and put container in shadow , as room that not too hot ..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

right then, off to get sprouting! If i feel really lame I may even post up some images of my efforts!

BTW, love your whip!

[BambinA]

well  what i put , is  the way to sprouting Thai  "Tua Knok"

sorry i mean "Tua Ngok"

BTW, love your whip!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[chownah]

Some people do put their sprouts in the light for maybe a day before using just to green them up a bit....some people don't...you can try it both ways and see what you like best.

[AlexLah]

Tried to grow some tomatoes with seeds ore putting a tomato in the ground.

Yes they grow but only small yellow flowers come out, no real tomato.

What I do wrong na?

Alexlah

[bdmike]

For the alfalfa seeds ( and any other small seeds), the stacked "sprouter" which you mentioned will work just fine. First you should soak the seeds in clean water (some operations soak alfalfa and other small seeds for 15 min. but I tend to soak for 6- 8 hours or overnight. The beans and other large seeds should be soaked for 8 hours). Next, drain the seeds well - if you don't let them get enough oxygen for sprouting, the seeds will drown. Now you can spread them out in a single layer on the sprouter trays and put out of direct sunlight. Some people cover the sprouter to avoid any light, but this is not necessary for the small seeds. Keep the seeds moist-but NOT SOAKING WET or they will drown. Depending on the weather, humidity, temp. etc. this might mean misting the seeds 2-3 times per day. After 3-5 days the sprouts should be grown ( you can tell they are done when the majority have shed their hull and have their first 2 leaves exposed). Now is when you can let some light in to promote "greening" or the development of chlorophyll which adds EMENSELY to the nutritional value. Greening only takes a few hours. Next, to assure a decent shelf life and better flavor, you should clean out the cast hulls from the seeds. This is easy to do by cleaning the sprouts in a large bowl of water - the sprouts will tend to sink to the bottom and the hulls tend to float to the top which makes it easy to corral them and swish them out of the bowl ( it is easier if you do this in a sink with water trickling into the bowl to help facilitate the corralling process and use your hands to guide the hulls "down stream" and out of the bowl). Finally, DRAIN WELL and store in the frige with some air circulation in the storage container. I store them in jars with cheesecloth on top held on with a rubber band. Be sure no sprouts are sitting in water or they will rot and cause the whole batch to spoil. About 2 tablespoons of seed will yield 1 quart of sprouts. Seed freshness is of utmost importance for high germination rates, so store your seeds in a cool, dry place. Hope this long-winded explanation helps you out. Happy Sprouting, Mike

[whooliggen]

Thanks Mike! There's a reply if ever Ive seen one! Should have asked for your, Bambinas & Chownah's advice before I made my first effort! About the only thing that sprouted originally was quite a unique fungus, that, impressive as it was, didn't strike me as particularly edible!

When I make a career out of it Im coming calling for all of you!!

Thanks again,

W.