Soak & Sprout?

[garryg]

Hi All,

 

I've just bought a few Kilos of Topflite Soak & Sprout mix for a trial with Miranda as she is quite fussy on what she likes!

 

So simple question first....how do I get it to sprout? The add showed a lovely picture of lovely shooted seeds and said soak for 12hrs, drain and leave for a further 12 hrs...easy?? Tried it twice and nothing!! Is there anything else I should do?

 

The other question.. what are peoples thoughts on this? Is it a good option and do the sprouted seeds count as some of the birds greens? The reason I ask is that she is not keen on lettuce, spinach, etc.

 

Cheers

[aw64]

I brought a sprouter (jamie Oliver one) I'm in UK it was only £7.00 has 3 trays which you put seeds into, stack them pour water on top tray this drains down all three trays and ends up in a fouth dish, I do this 3 - 4 times a day and have had great results, I didn't get on very well before I brought sprouter but now have results every time can take 3/4 days some only 2 days.

[Timbersmom]

I am not a pro at it but I do sprout. I do pretty much what you did. I soak for 12 hours, then rinse and let set a room temp for 12 hours. I usually rinse again and let them sit for another 12 hours. I let them go until the sprouts are about 1/8 inch. So, I'd try another 12 hours of sitting at room temp. It's possible that the seed is "bad" meaning it won't sprout. You may just need to give them a little more time though. Whatever you are using to sprout, make sure the seeds are drained VERY well before you let them sit or store them.

[katana600]

I had no luck with sprouting until a friend told me to soak in warm water. She gave me these little muslin (plain, unbleached fabric) bags. I soaked right in the bag, then drained and kept the bag moist but not soaking wet and the sprouts came up nicely. Also, it was advised to add just a couple of drops of vinegar to the soak water, then rinse and that is to keep them from getting moldy, I think.

[garryg]

Cheers aw64, I am over there on holiday at the end of June so might buy one when I'm there! Where do you get them from? No doubt Argos may have them..

[Timbersmom]

I got my sprouter from http://sproutpeople.org/ That is where I get my seeds too. They all sprout every time. I was complaining on another thread about the cost and was given some ideas about that. I'm still using sprout people at this time.

[Vicki5280]

I've been sprouting for quite a long time. My simple method is uses a strainer and a bowl.

First, I rinse the seeds until they rinse clean. Once they're clean, I put them in the bowl and give them a five minute soak in water with about 1/2 tsp (2.5 ml) of apple cider vinegar (ACV).

Then I dump that and give them a VERY quick rinse with clean water and let them sit and drain. I keep mine sitting by the kitchen sink so I see them all the time, and every time I see them, I give them a quick rinse under warm tap water and set them back on the bowl to drain. About every 12 hours I'll give them another short soak in the ACV water, another quick rinse, and start the process again. The sprouts are at the peak of their nutritional value when they are JUST starting to bud out their root tail - so watch them closely. At that point, you can give them a final rinse and drain and either serve them immediately or put them in a covered container in the refrigerator. The 'fridge will stop their growth and they'll last 2-3 days in there. My birds LOVE them - they have no idea they're not eating nasty, bad for them, dried seeds. I hope this helps!

Edited June 27, 2013 by Vicki5280

[turzzock]

Love all the ideas. My mom used to do this for us, but with sesame seeds. 1qt canning jar, canning lid with either screen or muslin covering the hole. Rinse, soak for 10 minutes, drain and let them spread all around the inside of the jar. Rinse every day until they sprout. She would put them in the kitchen window to get the sunlight. It was a great treat for us, but I never thought of it for my flock. I know what I'm doing when I get home now! Thanks!