Tips for the City Gardener by Barbara Peterson.

By eating healthy foods and building up a strong immune system, we can live healthier, more robust lives. Sprouting is a way to give your body a shot in the arm of high-density nutrition that both city dwellers and homesteaders alike can do with minimal space and equipment.

The first step on your sprouting journey is to choose the seeds you want to start with. Just about any seeds can be sprouted, except for seeds taken from plants grown from Terminator (GURT) genetically modified seeds. These seeds are engineered to be sterile. So, when looking for seeds to sprout, experiment with some popular favorites such as alfalfa, beans, broccoli, clover, arugula, fenugreek, wheat, or peanuts.

The second step to successful sprouting is seed storage. Seeds must be stored in a cool, dry, dark area. A temperature between 55-70 degrees, with humidity of less than 70% is best. You can extend your seed life by freezing or refrigerating as long as you avoid condensation.

When you have selected which seeds you are going to sprout, cull and prep them. Look through the dry seeds for foreign matter and remove it. Rinse them thoroughly, and then soak for between 8-12 hours to end the seeds’ dormancy. You will need 2-3 times as much water as seeds for soaking. When you are done soaking them, remove any seeds that float, drain, and rinse thoroughly in cool water.

Now the sprouting process begins. Choose a sprouter that works best for you, and depending on the size of the sprouter, place a spoonful or so of seeds in it. Some people use a canning jar with a piece of non-aluminum screening or porous nylon netting in place of the lid, with the ring fastening it down. Small bags made out of burlap or hemp that can be hung are also very handy. The main thing to remember when choosing a sprouter is that the seeds need to breathe or they will rot.

After you’ve placed your seeds in the container, make sure to rinse them 2-3 times per day with cool water. Use lots of water, and turn your faucet on as high as you can without damaging the seeds. This will clean your seeds, as well as oxygenate and keep them loose. Drain thoroughly after each rinse, removing as much water as possible by shaking and bouncing the sprouter.

Keep your sprouter in an area with good air circulation. They can have indirect light at this point, so don’t worry about room lighting. When you see your sprouts starting to emerge and shed the hulls, it is time to give them plenty of light.
When your sprouts are as big as you would like them to be, give them a final rinse, drain thoroughly and let them sit for 8-12 hours. Make sure they are cool and dry, and then place them in a sealed container in your refrigerator.

Last but not least, make sure that you thoroughly clean your sprouter using food-grade hydrogen peroxide or grapefruit seed extract and you will be ready for the next round of sprouts.

So, even if you don’t have room outside to plant a garden, plant a mini-garden of sprouts right in your kitchen and reap the harvest of these nutritional powerhouses. Easy to store, easy to grow, and healthy to boot!

[Ed. Note: Barbara lives on a small ranch in Oregon with her husband, where they raise geese, chickens, horses, Oggie Dog, a variety of cats, and an opinionated Macaw named Rita. Barbara believes that self-sufficiency and localization of food sources is necessary to survive the coming depression. To this end, she hopes that sharing information with others of like mind will lead to a brighter future where people reach out to each other and form small communities in which food is grown locally, and trade is established between neighbors. For more of Barbara’s tips on sustainable living, click here now.]

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