Sprouting a Kitchen Garden

Would you like to get more veggies in your diet without having to pay premium at a local grocery store? Sprouting can be a really great way to get your feet wet with gardening on a small scale. Whether planning to eventually start a larger garden in your personal yard at home, or living in a location, such as an apartment, where there isn’t really an easily accessible area to have a garden, sprouting offers a great opportunity to get some nutritious and fresh vegetables into your diet on a daily basis. This is not only extremely healthy for the body, but also for the personal or family budget. As an added bonus, it’s a wonderful learning experience and it is truly pleasant to see the natural process gradually unfolding as the seeds turn into edible and nutritious sprouts. Children of all ages are sure to enjoy watching them grow and may take a sudden interest in eating more vegetables. There are also many spouted recipes to experiment with and enjoy, as sprouted grains make a deliciously nourishing addition to breads and more.

Let’s take a look at the materials needed and get an overview of the procedure involved so you can get started sprouting as soon as possible. First you will need a glass jar to act as your sprouting container. Larger mason jars or jars specifically designed for sprouting are definitely an excellent choice. Sprouting jars that are made for our purpose usually come equipped with a mesh lid and are basically ready to fill with the seed or bean that has been chosen as the sprouting seed.

If you are using a mason jar, they thankfully come with a lid that has a removable center, thus the ring can be tightened even when the center of the lid is removed. One really smart and frugal method is to cut a small piece of screen to stretch across the hole in the lid. Screen like this can be purchased from a hardware store or similar, the kind used for windows in a house will generally work fine. Try to get metal mesh if at all possible. Nylon is probably ok, but be wise not to use any exotic chemical plastics as you want your sprouts to stay clean and free of any residue. If recycling a jar that doesn’t have a mason jar lid, you can always use a rubber band to go the most cost effective route.

Once you have a good glass jar with a mesh lid that you can tighten, it is time for you to pick out some good beans or seeds to sprout. Beans are technically seeds, and they work well for sprouting purposes. Some popular sprouting seeds include: green peas, alfalfa, mung beans, and various lentils. They can usually be purchased in bulk bins at many stores, though sometimes a specialty organic and health food store is good for variety. Using organic seeds will likely maximize the sprouting nourishment.

The process is surprisingly simple, and here are the general steps involved.

1. Add enough seeds to cover the bottom of the jar.

2. Soak them overnight in the jar by filling it with water.

3. The next morning, empty the water through the screen lid. Rinse the seeds.

4. Rinse the seeds 3 times a day or more.

5. Watch them grow!

It is really up to you when to stop the process and eat them. Make sure to rinse them often, especially in a warmer room. Once they are ready to eat, they can be refrigerated.

Enjoy your new little kitchen garden and its healthy nourishing rewards.


Looking for garden help? The author's site has advice on gardening, including what to plant in October.