We all know that eating greens is great for our health. But we also know that the pre-packaged bags of greens at the supermarket can get super expensive. One of the ways of combating this is to grow sprouts, on your kitchen bench. No need for a garden! And they pack a punch nutritionally. You can add them to your salads or smoothies, and know exactly where they came from and how fresh they are. It’s also super easy! Which makes them a gratifying vegetable to grow. Give it a try! If you are like me, you will get addicted.

Growing sprouts on my kitchen bench
Sprouting on my kitchen bench with small plates on top

You will find loads of information online about how to grow sprouts, mostly using Agee (or Mason) jars. However, here’s how I do it:

I use two sprouters that I bought from Bunnings called Mr Fothergill’s Kitchen Seed Sprouter for $20 each (I am not being paid to advertise these… I just like them!!)

I keep them by the chopping board and sink, so I never forget them. Twice a day, I water the sprouts by emptying the bottom tray, then fill the top tray up with water. That’s all you have to do!

Here is a good video to get you started, from the manufacturers of the sprouters – getting started with sprouting.

Once you have watched the video, here are my other tips and tricks, from my experience using the sprouters:

Seeds growing fuzzy roots

1/ I like to place a small plate on the top of each sprouter (picture above). I find that this retains moisture within the sprouter, and stops the top layer from getting too dried out. This is especially relevant in summer.

2/ Don’t be surprised if your seeds get a weird fuzzy look to them as they start to grow. When I first saw this, I thought it was mould, but it isn’t. It’s actually the roots growing on the seeds, and this phase usually passes.

3/ You can buy sprouting seeds from Bunnings as well. However, now that I grow sprouts all the time, I find it is easier to buy online, in bulk. I mostly buy from Kings Seeds. They have a huge selection, and my favourite is broccoli seeds. Broccoli sprouts kill it in terms of nutritional punch, so I grow them all the time.

Rinsing the grown sprouts before storing in the fridge

4/ I usually grow all four trays at the same time, then rinse and store them all together, then grow a whole new batch. This seems easier to me. Once the sprouts are ready to harvest, they definitely need rinsing, as they have a slightly slimy thing going on. I transfer them to a large bowl, then fill it up with cold water. Holding onto the spouts, I drain off the water, then fill it up again. This also helps with getting rid of the pesky seed pods that have been shed during sprouting. After doing this a few times, I put the sprouts into a container in the fridge. It is important to drain off as much liquid as possible, as the sprouts will spoil if left sitting in water.

5/ You don’t have to only use “official” seeds to grow sprouts. I use regular lentils and chickpeas, just bought from the supermarket, and they work well. Sprouting them also makes them easier to digest. Sprouted chickpeas make fantastic falafels.

I hope this helps with your sprouting journey. Let me know how you get on. If you post photos of your experience on Instagram, just tag them with @abundantlyclear.nz and I will see them!

Main photo by Milada Vigerova on Unsplash

Happy Sprouting!