Anyone growing their own sprouts?

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Caslon

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I've recently gotten into growing my own sprouts. I've got the process down and it's so much cheaper than buying them at the store. I use them mostly for sandwiches . I have alfalfa seeds and a sampler pack mix of alfalfa, radish and something else, maybe mung. That mix with the radish in it has a bit of a bite I wish wasn't so strong, and the mung grows somewhat large for a sandwich blend. I'm thinking of buying broccoli seeds and some clover seeds and mixing in the alfalfa. Do any of you make your own sprout blend for sandwiches?
 
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I've recently gotten into growing my own sprouts. I've got the process down and it's so much cheaper than buying them at the store. I use them mostly for sandwhiches. I have alfalfa seeds and a sampler pack mix of alfalfa, radish and something else, maybe mung. That mix with the radish in it has a bit of a bite I wish wasn't so strong, and the mung grows somewhat large for a sandwich blend. I'm thinking of buying broccoli seeds and some clover seeds and mixing in the alfalfa. Do any of you make your own sprout blend for sandwiches?

I used to many years ago.

I tried this year and they got slimy. How are you doing yours?
 
The seeds after they fully sprout? I put them into a quart zip lock bag and don't seal the bag all the way. They last over a week!

No, your method for sprouting.

Like Aunt Bea, I grew them in my "hippie" days. I used a mason jar with an old pair of panty hose over the mouth as a sieve and grew them under the sink.

That hasn't been working for me recently. They get slimy before they are fully sprouted, even though I rinse them every day.
 
No, your method for sprouting.

Like Aunt Bea, I grew them in my "hippie" days. I used a mason jar with an old pair of panty hose over the mouth as a sieve and grew them under the sink.

That hasn't been working for me recently. They get slimy before they are fully sprouted, even though I rinse them every day.


It's most likely you didn't drain all the water out at the rinses. Seeds not fully strained of water not only cause them to get mushy, but the water coating the seeds keeps the air away from the seed, causing them not to grow properly.

I bought both the Easy Sprout sprouting product and a mason jar/plastic lid product. While the Easy Sprout is touted among many reviewers, I didn't like it for smaller seed sprouts. The seeds got bunched at the bottom even tho I used the bottom screen. The mason jar with strainer lid, however ,works fantastic. 3.5 days and they're ready to eat. One tip when draining is to press your finger against the strainer lid. For some reason it aids in draining all the water out, which is essential to growing sprouts. You can buy the mason jar (slightly square shaped won't roll when on side) with plastic strainer lid off Amazon for about $10. For me, these are the best.


Mason jar seed sprouter:
http://www.amazon.com/Quart-Glass-S...GLC/ref=sr_1_2? ie=UTF8&qid=1325372854&sr=8-2

Easy Sprout Sprouter:
http://www.amazon.com/Sproutamo-Eas...laneous&ie=UTF8&qid=1325373242&sr=1-2-catcorr
 
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I used to build my own strainer jars, similar to the plastic-lidded ones. I'd cut brass screening to just fit inside a canning jar ring, and epoxy it into place. Would have as many as six of them going at one time, with an assortment of seeds.

Nowadays I grow mini-greens indoors instead, so don't bother with the sprouting.

As to that final drain; any sieve or collander will hold water, as it bridges the holes. A paper towel held agains the screening sucks that excess moisture right out of it.
 
Have you seen celebrity chefs using what they call micro-greens? Mini-greens are the next step up, is all.

Rather than sprouting, I actually plant seeds in starter boxes. When they sprout, and put out the first set of true leaves, they are, technically, micro-greens. More than one set of true leaves and they are mini-greens.

Reason I prefer this route is that if they get away from me there's no loss, no foul. They can be eaten no matter how big they get. I grow lettuces, greens, and some others this way.

In Japan, they have developed this to the ultimate, using "chitting" cabinets to start thousands of pounds of micro and mini greens on a commercial basis. Instead of soil the cabinent drawers are lined with a special sponge-line material.
 
Thanks for the explanation of mini greens. I haven't seen celebrity chefs using micro-greens. I haven't watched TV in quite a while.

I guess mini-greens need sunlight. I don't really have anywhere to grow them. Sprouts under the kitchen sink and out on the counter for a day is about it with my space constraints.
 
I definitely plan to get back into sprouting this year. I still have my plastic mesh strainer lids for my vintage aqua glass canning jars! Thanks for reminding me.
 

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