Sprouting Seeds & Beans

Both seeds and beans use the jar method. You can think of any edible seed, and if it's organic: grown without pesticides, herbicides, chemical fertilizers, grown with natural methods of nourishing the soil, and then not fumigated, irradiated, and sterilized, and stuff like that... it should sprout, of course. I just sprouted some fenugreek seeds last week, that fragrant seed used in Indian cooking. They're slightly bitter (tonic) and good.

Some favorites to try are radish, broccoli, and mustard seeds. These are smaller and more delicate than lentil, but grow the same way. Harvest at 1" long.


I used to sprout red clover and alfalfa all the time; I don't anymore. The FDA now advises that those two kinds in particular, when raw, may harbor bacteria that'll make you sick, as in salmonella. And you wouldn't want to cook them. I would say 'stay away' from those. I've even tried to grow alfalfa in the recent past several times and can't get a good crop, so there must be an issue with the seed.

With any sprouting, it's crucial that you start with organic seed; you can find it in any natural food store. Wash it well, use clean equipment, rinse the sprouts with clean cool water, and monitor their growth. If the location is too warm, they'll rot. Too cool, and they won't grow. By the sink seems like a good spot.

You're probably familiar with mung bean sprouts and possibly soybean. Those are commercially available. Your homegrown sprouts will be shorter and smaller, but tastier too. For mung, soy and aduki, you can put a paper bag over the jar to keep it dark. This extends the roots and minimizes leaf growth, just like store-bought! Only better. Bean sprouts are best lightly steamed or stir-fried.

Here's a trick: Try peas too. I sprout the ones that grow too long in the garden, especially at the end of the season. Sprout them, eat some and store some in the fridge for planting in the late summer.

And for camping and survival out on the trail, you can make a screen bag to sprout in and hang from your campsite tree bough.