Growing your own sprouted seeds

To successfully grow your sprouts at home, follow these simple steps. First, choose seeds suitable for sprouting, such as alfalfa, lentils, or radishes. Next, rinse the seeds thoroughly in cold water. Place them in a clean glass jar and add water to soak them overnight. The next day, drain the water and rinse the seeds twice a day, morning and evening. Keep the jar away from direct sunlight. After a few days, the seeds will begin to sprout. Wait for the sprouts to reach the desired size. Before eating them, be sure to rinse them one last time and drain them thoroughly. Some seeds, such as basil, chia, arugula, and watercress, are called "mucilage seeds." Upon contact with water, they develop a gelatinous substance: this is mucilage. To germinate, they require the use of a sprouting dish. The roots will develop under the grid of the cup, and the shoots will form on the surface vertically. Caution: the soaking time for mucilage seeds is reduced to 15 minutes. Daily watering is done by humidification using a misting gun. Mold appears at the bottom of my sprouter, is this normal? The appearance of mold can have several causes: excessive water supply, excessive ambient humidity or it is possible that you have placed too many seeds in your sprouter and they are not breathing enough to develop. Our advice for obtaining better results: Excess water can be regulated: for example, water only once a day instead of twice if the ambient environment is humid. The recommended temperature should be between 19 and 22° C (in all cases > 19° C). No direct exposure to sunlight: do not place your sprouter in front of a window and choose a location with indirect light. Finally, avoid drafts. And if you use our tiered sprouter, these recommendations will promote optimal germination: The lid is used for watering. Once watering is finished, put the lid aside. If you leave it on your sprouter, make sure to place it in a staggered pattern, like all the trays in your sprouter, to ensure good ventilation of your seeds. There should never be any residual water at the bottom of the drainer: so be sure to drain it when watering is done. Do not put too many seeds on your tray at once: one to two level tablespoons are enough, spreading the seeds well over the surface of the tray. Is there any point in extending the recommended germination time? Extending the germination time, in the hope of increasing the "nutritional benefits" is a false good idea. Beyond the recommended germination time, the sprouts will become soft and shriveled, simply because the germinated seed is exhausted. In fact, the plant then reaches the "post-germination" stage where it needs new elements to continue growing. You should not wait until this stage to consume your sprouted seeds; you simply need to respect the germination time prescribed on the packaging.