How to Grow Sprouts

How to Grow Sprouts

Whether it's -12°F or 100+°F outside, you can always count on sprouts to give you a bounty of healthful, fresh food all year long right from your kitchen counter! Growing your own indoor sprout "garden" assures that you will always have sprouts on hand at the peak of freshness with maximum nutrition.

Botanical Interests sprouting varieties are certified organic, untreated, and (like all of our other seed varieties) tested at an independent laboratory to ensure that they have a high germination rate. Enjoy experimenting with the different flavors and textures. See specific varieties below.

Growing Sprouts using the Botanical Interest Sprouter

1. Wash all sprouter parts with warm, soapy water and a soft cloth before first use.
2. Although disinfecting sprouts is not necessary, if you choose to do so, visit our Sprouting Seeds at Home: Disinfecting, Growing, and Harvesting Tips article for instructions.
3. Soak suggested amount of seeds in the base or separate bowl(s) (see table). Use enough water to cover the seeds about three times their depth soaking for 8-12 hours then drain and rinse seeds.
4. Insert tray divider if desired.
5. Spread seeds evenly in a single layer in the tray. Seeds will expand when wet, and will occupy approximately four times their initial volume; overfilling reduces air circulation. 
6. Stack additional growing tray as needed and repeat steps 4 and 5.
7. Add water-diffusing lid to top of tray. (Do not cover air vents.)
8. Place tray in a warm area, ideally 70°F, out of direct sunlight. Mung beans are the exception and should be grown in darkness for best flavor.
9. Rinsing at least twice daily with lots of water is the key to growing sprouts successfully! We recommend holding your seed trays with lid in place, over the kitchen sink without the base and running at least 6 cups of cool water through the water-diffusing lid before replacing on the base to drain. Or, you can place your trays on the base and pour 2 cups of water at a time through the diffusing lid. Empty base after each rinsing. Repeat at least three. 
10. Empty the base when the growing trays are completely drained or before the next rinsing. Wash the base as needed with soapy water and a soft cloth.
11. Sprouts are ready in approximately 2 to 7 days. Temperature can affect the days to harvest, so also look for the visual cues indicated in the table below. See below for the ideal time to harvest sprouts based on their variety.
12. Store Sprouts in the refrigerator to maintain freshness. The Botanical Interests Sprouter is also great for storing sprouts in your refrigerator. Sprouts may also be stored in a sealed container like a plastic bag or jar, but should be dry to the touch before storage since these options do not have drainage.

Watch our video!