Growing Sprouts in Your Garden: Sprouting for Beginners

Sprouts are an excellent source of nutrition, in addition to being tasty. When you think of sprouts, you probably imagine alfalfa sprouts, like the ones used on sandwiches, or bean sprouts for stir-fry. However, just about any kind of uncooked seed or bean can be sprouted. You can even sprout nuts! Some sprouts can be eaten right away. Others will require cooking to be palatable.

Sprouting at home is fairly simple. All you need to produce delicious sprouts is warmth, moisture, and sometimes indirect light. Not all sprouts even need the light. For instance mung beans (the source of the familiar bean sprout) can be grown in the dark. You also don't need to devote much space to sprouts. For many of them, a jar will suffice. What is required to grow most sprouts is a few minutes of daily maintenance. If your sprouts are neglected, they could become bitter tasting or rot. However, since most types of sprouts grow quickly, you'll see a reward soon enough.

To get started sprouting, choose a type of seed. Radish, mung bean, alfalfa and barley are very common first sprouts. Bakers who'd like to include more nutrition in their breads often incorporate sprouted seeds as well, such as lentils or soy beans. Whichever type of seed or bean you use, soak it overnight in distilled water, until the seeds have swollen up. Then, discard your water. You can use seeds that have been specially packaged for sprouting, or use food grade seeds from other sources. However, the latter have a higher rate of failure, and are less likely to work for beginners. Never choose seeds that are intended for planting, since they may be coated in fungicides or pesticides.