Basic Sprouting in a Jar or Container

Sprout Container
The simplest and most economical way to grow sprouts is in a jar or container. Any size wide-mouth jar will do, such as a canning jar, mayo jar or just about anything you that is clean and toxin free. Wide-mouth jars are easy to clean and work with.

Lid
You want to provide your sprouts with necessary fresh air. Cover the top of the jar with muslin, cheese cloth or nylon mesh screen and secure with a rubber band. If you're using a canning jar, you can use a lid made for sprouting. You will be using organic sprouts, so why not keep all the materials you use toxin free.

Soaking
If you're using a quart jar, you can put 1 ½ to 2 tablespoons of small seeds into the sprouting jar or up to 1 cup if using larger sprout seeds. Rinse the seeds with lukewarm (not hot) clean water and remove any thing that does appear to be a sprout seed. After you have pre-rinsed the sprout seeds you can fill the sprouting jar with lukewarm water.

Fill the jar three to four times the volume of the seeds lukewarm water. The seeds will absorb water and you need to give them all the water they want in this stage of development. Now you can cover the jar with the lid you have decided to use. Let the seeds soak 8-12 hours or overnight. Protect your sprout seeds from light by covering with a dish towel or placing in a cupboard.

After the allotted time. rinse them again and drain the sprout seed jar. Store the jar at an angle to drain, but still have a good air flow. Store the sprout jar and seeds somewhere warm and low light or dark. You can cover the jar with a dish cloth. Sprouts seeds do not need light at this stage and will actually be sweeter if kept from light.

Rinse
Rinse your sprouts (in the jar) with lukewarm clean water 2 to 3 times per day for up to 7 days. Thoroughly drain the jar after each rinse. To much standing water will rot your seeds. Do not expose sprouts to light. After 2 to 3 days the sprouts should be filling up the jar. Some sprouts are best in 3 days, others might take as long as 7 days.  The seeds you bought should have recommended sprouting times. If not, then taste test them, after about 3 days. You will learn what you like, as you get better at sprouting. (Harvest sprouts anytime after the shoots appear, up until the secondary leaves appear.)

Removing Hulls
Some sprouts will shed off hulls after about 2 or 3 days. To remove the seed hulls, place the sprouts in a bowl and slowly run cool water over them. Most of the hulls will either float to the top or sink to the bottom making them easy to remove. (You can also wait until the very end of the sprouting process to remove hulls)

Harvesting
Harvest sprouts anytime after the shoots appear, up until the secondary leaves appear. Rinse sprouts in cool water and remove any remaining hulls. Drain in a colander, but do not allow the sprouts to dry out. Your sprouts are now ready to enjoy or you can place in an air-tight bag leaving room for air circulation.

Greening -  Chlorophyll
Some sprouts are better if greened up a bit. After removing the last hulls, place the sprouts back into the sprouting jar or into a clear plastic air-tight bag. Put the sprouts in indirect sunlight. It takes about a day for the chlorophyll and carotenes to develop. Once the sprouts have greened up then you can rinse, drain, and eat, or refrigerate.

Storing
Do not freeze your sprouts, they are frost sensitive. Sprouts will keep for about a week in the refrigerator. You need to rinse your sprouts and drain them every day or two. You can use your canning jar with a air tight lid or a plastic bag.

Summary
1. Rinse sprouts often (2-3 times/day).

2. Keep sprouts moist, not wet.

3. Keep them at room temperature.

4. Give sprouts air to breathe.

5. Don’t grow too many sprouts in one container.

6. Keep sprouts in a dark place.