Master Gardener: How to Garden Throughout the Winter
Two tablespoons of mung beans ready to soak overnight in a pint container. I chose mung beans because the growth is easier to see.
Christina Zampich
Day 3 – You can begin to see tiny radicles (roots) forming.
Day 5 – Leaves become evident
Day 7 – Sprouts have filled the jar and are ready to eat
Christina Zampich
Colder weather is arriving and signals the traditional end to our growing season... or does it? Are you looking for a project that will bring the cultivation of fresh food indoors? Then consider growing sprouts on your kitchen counter. Sprouts, also known as microgreens, are easy to grow and provide a nutritious addition to sandwiches, salads, and stir-fry. You can grow fresh sprouts in about a week’s time.
The equipment to grow fresh microgreens is minimal:
- A wide-mouth quart or pint-sized glass jar. Run it through the dishwasher to clean it thoroughly.
- Seeds to sprout. There are so many to choose from and so many different flavors.
- A tablespoon
- A cover for your jar that lets in air and water. Use a paper towel and attach with a rubber band, cheese cloth or plastic mesh cut to fit your jar. You can also purchase wire mesh tops.
There are a wide variety of seeds to choose from. Experiment and try something different: Some ideas include:
- Seeds from the pea family—alfalfa, clover, lentils, peas, chickpeas, mung beans, soybeans
- Cereals – wheat, quinoa, buckwheat
- Oil seeds – sesame, sunflower, peanut, hemp
- Cabbage family – broccoli, cabbage, mustard, radish, arugula, turnip, kohlrabi
You’ll find many flavors, from the spiciness of radish and mustard to the sweetness of seeds like sunflower and peas. Purchase organic seeds that are sold as a food product from a reliable source.
To get started, put one to three tablespoons of seed into the jar and fill it half full of water. This may look like a measly number of seeds, but you will be surprised how much the sprouts fill the jar as they grow. Rinse the seeds at least twice to remove any debris. Refill the jar about half full and place in a dark space for 4 to 6 hours or overnight.
Rinse and drain the seeds again. It’s easier to rinse and drain the seed with a mesh top, but if you are using paper towels, rinse seed in a strainer, tapping off excess water and return them to the jar. The task is simple: fill the jar, shake, rinse, drain, repeat. Rinse seeds once or twice a day.
It is only the first day that the seeds soak in water. It is important to shake off as much water as possible to prevent the growth of bacteria. If you notice a moldy or rancid odor at any point in the process, discard the seeds, wash equipment carefully, and begin again.
Seeds will begin to sprout in about two to three days and roots become evident. Tiny leaves may begin to appear by day four. Depending on the level of humidity and heat, additional growth will occur by days five and six.
When the seeds have grown to the level you want, fill the container with water to the brim. The sprouts will stay at the bottom and many of the brown hulls will float to the top for removal if desired. Do a final rinse, shake off excess water and let the sprouts dry. The drier the sprouts, the longer they will last. Store sprouts in a plastic container and refrigerate them. Enjoy them over the next week!
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The University of Idaho Extension, Kootenai County Idaho Master Gardener program is located in the UI Research Park, 958 S. Lochsa St., in Post Falls. Learn more about us at https://www.uidaho.edu/extension/county/kootenai/garden or on Facebook. Visit us in person, email us at kootenaimg@uidaho.edu, or call us at 208-292-2525. IMG services are free to the public.
