General information and discussion about cultivating beans, peas, peanuts, clover and vetch.
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January 23, 2008 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Zone 5/6 New Jersey
Posts: 122
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Anybody Grow Their Own Sprouts?
My DH had a crab tower salad at a restaurant, and loved the alfalfa sprouts. I bought the seeds, but he didn't like the tangled mess in the canning jar method of sprouting.
We're thinking of getting the BioSet one from Johnny's - does anyone have a better suggestion? |
January 23, 2008 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Saumarez Ponds, NSW, Australia
Posts: 946
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Use a terracotta saucer (the drainage saucer you get with terracotta pots). Soak it in water overnight, spread your seeds, spray them with water and keep the spray bottle handy, cover them. Keep them moist using the spray bottle. Once sprouting has begun, remove the cover, and again, keep moist. Harvest them when they're the size you want. The terracotta saucer will stay moist if you stand it in another container with a little water in it.
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January 23, 2008 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Tasmania, Australia
Posts: 407
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Great tip Raymondo, I'll try that - I grow mouldy sprouts most of the time!
cosmic
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January 23, 2008 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Zone 5/6 New Jersey
Posts: 122
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Great idea - I just knew there was a solution out there that didn't require buying another specialized piece of equipment.
I'll run out to the garden shed tomorrow to find a terracotta saucer - I know I have a few non-plastic ones out there somewhere. |
January 23, 2008 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Lebanon, PA • Zone 6a
Posts: 145
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That sounds REALLY easy! Off to get a saucer tomorrow. Then I need to find seeds. I love sprouts.
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January 25, 2008 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 1,278
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Sprouts are easy. Put seed in a quart jar or etc., add seed, cover with water, let soak over night. Pour off water next morning, sit jar in dark place. Next day rince with cool water a couple times, and keep doing that for 3-4 days then sit in a well lighted area so the sprouts tips will start turning green.
Here's some I have going right now, alfalfa and mixed.
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January 26, 2008 | #7 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Anmore, BC, Canada
Posts: 3,970
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we grow lots of sprouts at home - alfalfa, red clover, lentils, sunflower seeds, arugula, broccoli, canola, radish, broccoli raab.
Our favs are radish and arugula sprouts, as they are spicy This is an excellent vendor we buy sprouting organic seeds from (they ship internationally): http://www.sprouting.com/canstore/enter.html
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January 26, 2008 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Wahoo, Nebraska
Posts: 132
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Earl and Tania,
Thanks! How fast do you go through the seeds? E.g. how long does 1 kg last, or 5 kg, or whatever you buy? Thanks again!
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January 27, 2008 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Anmore, BC, Canada
Posts: 3,970
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I buy 1 kg of each kind (costs me around $80-100), and 3 tablespoons of each kind of seed (8 varieties total) gives us a week worth of nice fresh sprouts salad for 2-3 people. We eat the sprouts almost every day, mixing different variaties to get different flavors. This works great when there are no fresh tomatoes available and when it is too cold to grow anything outside .
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January 27, 2008 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Oregon
Posts: 159
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Earl,
Approximately how many seeds do you add to the bottom glass jar? (1/4 full? 1/2 full? etc. etc.) The picture looks great.
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February 8, 2008 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Zone 5/6 New Jersey
Posts: 122
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I got a sprouter for my birthday - so much fun! Here's dinner last night. (Would have been so much better with fresh tomatoes, but the home canned ones were pretty darn good, too.) Stir fry tonight with fresh mung bean sprouts.
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February 8, 2008 | #12 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SW Ohio
Posts: 1,278
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I think I used 1 T. of alfalfa and 1/4 cup of mixed seeds.
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"Seriously think about what you're about to do/say before you do it and the outcome will always be better." Earl |
February 11, 2008 | #13 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Kansas, zone 5
Posts: 524
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I recently got a sprouter and haven't had the best results even though I followed the directions precisely. I've only done the snow peas and red cabbage so far and did like the red cabbage. The snow peas just looked a little gross, LOL! I think I grew them too long when I should have rinsed and put in the fridge.
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