sprouts

[TightenUp]

does anyone grow bean sprouts or any other type for salads, sandwiches and such? i usually buy from grocery store which sells 2 kinds. bean sprouts and then a sprout mix. the mix has much smaller sprouts and thats what i'm looking to grow.

i know how to start seeds, is it as simple as starting a bunch of seeds?

[Granite26]

Lots of info here: http://sproutpeople.org/

[Cole_Robbie]

You have to be very clean and very careful. Sprouts are notorious for harboring e coli and other nasty bacteria.

[habitat_gardener]

I grew my own sprouts all the time when I was in college and a few years after. I was sprouting alfalfa, lentils, peas, garbanzo beans and maybe a few more. It was magical to start with a spoonful of alfalfa seeds and end up with a quart of greens a couple days later!

I bought my seeds in the bulk bins at the food co-op. I used a mason jar with cheesecloth rubber-banded over the top. iirc I soaked the seeds overnight, poured out the water and turned the jars upside down in a dish drainer, and then rinsed them at least twice a day. Depending on the seed, it took 1-3 days. Once the seeds were ready, they had to be refrigerated and then used within a day or two. Larger seeds were especially touchy. I did not have sterile conditions in my dorm room, and I never got sick from them. (On the other hand, I'd spent a lot of time in chem labs and was very careful about things.)

So I was pretty stunned when I was thinking about sprouting a few months ago and found dire warnings on many websites -- especially since the sprouts I occasionally bought at the store were not nearly the same quality as the ones I used to grow myself.

[mrs_dlight]

I grow micro greens in big seed starting flats. They taste about the same. I find them less of a hassle just sprinkle some seeds in soil water and wait until they get a few true leaves. Its great because I use them when I need them just like a potted herb.

[biscgolf]

i grow microgreens for a living... i do not trust sprouts- too much that can potentially go wrong in a big way.

[rockhound]

I like radish sprouts and broccoli, along with small beans. Throw in some basil and make the final rinsing with vinegar. Add a trickle of EVOO and you got a salad!

[TightenUp]

Originally Posted by biscgolf

i grow microgreens for a living... i do not trust sprouts- too much that can potentially go wrong in a big way.

i was planning on using the mix below. if i follow the general instructions of growing in a mason jar and rinsing a couple times a day, do i really run a large risk? is it more of a risk buying them from the store or starting my own?

Clover, Arugula, Cress, Radish, Fenugreek, Dill

[lakelady]

I tried them last winter for the first time. Took a mason jar with the 2 part lid, and replaced the disk with cheesecloth. Soaked the seeds all day, then flipped the jar to drain. Opened up, swished a whole lot of fresh water and drained again. Next day repeat. In about 4 or 5 days I had fresh sprouts. I did it all winter long and it was a nice treat . If only I had fresh tomatoes then.... now you've reminded me I should do more this week.

I think the key is to keep rinsing with fresh water daily and keep them out of the sun on the counter. they will rot fast if not kept clean.

[TightenUp]

Originally Posted by lakelady

I tried them last winter for the first time. Took a mason jar with the 2 part lid, and replaced the disk with cheesecloth. Soaked the seeds all day, then flipped the jar to drain. Opened up, swished a whole lot of fresh water and drained again. Next day repeat. In about 4 or 5 days I had fresh sprouts. I did it all winter long and it was a nice treat . If only I had fresh tomatoes then.... now you've reminded me I should do more this week.

I think the key is to keep rinsing with fresh water daily and keep them out of the sun on the counter. they will rot fast if not kept clean.

thanks for the advice. i was recommended to rinse morning and night and to give a little sunlight at the end to get things green. i have a pound of the mix above and a pound of a spicy mix on the way.

[biscgolf]

Originally Posted by TightenUp

i was planning on using the mix below. if i follow the general instructions of growing in a mason jar and rinsing a couple times a day, do i really run a large risk? is it more of a risk buying them from the store or starting my own?

Clover, Arugula, Cress, Radish, Fenugreek, Dill

i doubt the percentage of something going afoul is very high but should something go afoul they can make you very sick. it's one reason i prefer planting in a medium rather than sprouting. sprouting is also much more heavily regulated by the ag dept.

i would think you are at less risk growing your own than in buying them from an unseen source provided your methods are sound.

[lakelady]

Yes you should rinse twice daily. I tend to forget on mine however, and while I didn't keep them in the dark, I think my kitchen is bright enough with skylights that I didn't need to put them in sunlight to turn green, they just did.

[Cole_Robbie]

I wanted to set up one of the systems to grow sprouted barley as fodder for livestock. My neighbors have a horse boarding stable - their barn is visible in my avatar pic. I thought selling them fodder would be a great business.

Then, I eventually came upon a very long discussion on an online forum started by a farm couple in England. They had started the same sprouted barley setup to feed their cattle in winter. It worked great. The cows loved the stuff. And then they started to die. Over the next year, they lost 20 of their 40 cows before they finally figured out that it was the sprouted barley fodder that was killing them. They scrubbed their system with chlorine and pool cleaning chemicals, and that seemed to fix the problem. Then more cows died, and they finally figured out that the contamination was coming from within the barley grain that they were buying. Eventually, they got the soaking method down better. They skimmed off everything that floated to the top during the soak, and I think even started running the barley through a washing machine first. The contaminating bacteria were located in the husk of the barley, and the agitation from the machine would knock the husk around enough to let the chlorine-water kill the bad bacteria.

Reading about their nightmare with sprouting was enough for me to change my mind about it. I don't want to sell someone $5 worth of fodder that can kill a $1,000 horse. And I don't even want to think about the idea of selling something that can kill a person.