Canada 
Alberta 
British Columbia 
Manitoba
New Brunswick 
Newfoundland Labrador 
Nova Scotia 
Ontario 
Prince Edward Island 
Quebec 
Saskatchewan 
United States 
Belgium
France 
Italy 
Switzerland
Elsewhere
Elsewhere
×
Elsewhere
Elsewhere
How to Grow Sprouts
Here is the process in 10 detailed steps:
Step 1: In a bowl, soak the sunflower seeds in water for 8-10 hours. Tip: soak the seeds overnight!
Step 2: Rinse the seeds in a sieve or strainer.
Step 3: Prepare the plastic containers. Make sure they are clean, and using a pair of scissors or a knife, carefully make a few holes in the bottom of the container. Add the potting soil, so that the layer is about 3 cm deep.
Step 4: Add the sunflower seeds. For a container of about 10 cm by 10 cm (ex: mushroom container), you can add about 2 good tablespoons of previously soaked seeds. Spread the seeds evenly over the soil.
Step 5: Water the seeds. Moisture is a crucial factor for germination!
Step 6: Create a good contact between the seeds and the potting soil. To do this, use a plastic lid (e.g. yogurt lid, or piece of plastic from a package etc.), place it on the seeds, and place a tin can on top. The lid will help keep in the moisture, and the weight of the box will promote good contact with the potting soil.
Step 7: Store the container in a dark area for 2-3 days. The room temperature should be between 20-30°C. Too low a temperature can slow down germination, and too high a temperature can promote the growth of mold! After 2 days, check if the soil is still wet enough. If necessary, mist or add water. See the image below to see what the seeds should look like at the end of this step.
Step 8: Remove the tin can and plastic lid. Keep the sprouts in a dark place for 3 more days, until the height of the green shoots is about 6-8 cm. Keeping the sprouts in the dark promotes their growth because the plant is looking for light. Make sure the potting soil is always moist! Check once a day, and if necessary mist or water.
Step 9: Take out the green shoots into the light. Sprouts still need a few days to grow and turn green. Leave containers in a bright place for about 3 days. Make sure the potting soil is always wet! Check once a day, and if necessary mist or water.
Step 10: It’s time to harvest! When the sprouts are a nice green and measure about 7-10 cm, cut the base with clean scissors. Please wash the green shoots by rinsing them with cold water before consuming them.
There you go! You can now add your sprouts to salads, sandwiches, or just eat them as it! Happy gardening and bon appétit!
Extra tips and resources
Where to find potting soil?
In most hardware stores, some grocery stores, and in garden centers.
Where to buy seeds to grow sprouts?
In natural/organic food stores. A very common brand is the Mumm’s Seeds brand. Here are some sites to order them online:
What do you think about growing sprouts? Are you going to give it a try? Let us know on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or in the comments below !
Author
Katharina is a graduate of McGill University in human nutrition and an avtive member of the Order of Dietitians and Nutritionists of Quebec (ODNQ). She holds the Monash University's certification for the FODMAP diet and IBS, and has hands-on clinical experience in that area. She first approaches nutrition through the pleasure of eating, with a holistic perspective of the individual. It is with kindness that she will accompany you in achieving your goals, helping you to ensure that lifestyle changes will be lasting and balanced. In addition to clinical nutrition, Katharina has a keen interest in local food and is an avid outdoor person. She also completed a minor in ecological agriculture during her university career.
For the technique using soil like you mentioned to grow micro-greens, is it as nutritious as the sprooting method grown in glass bottles with water only? Is there a preference to grow micro-greens instead?
Thank you for your question!
I wouldn’t necessarily compare the nutritional value of sprouts and microgreens. One reason being that they both equally have interesting nutritional profile (rich in different antioxydants, vitamins, and sprouts from legumes especially are a good source of protein). In fact, germinated seeds contain a higher concentration of certain phytochemicals than mature plants. However, this is also the case for microgreens! Moreover, the nutrient profile is different from one seed variety to another.
Appart from the process to grow them, I would rather consider the difference between sprouts and microgreens in regards to their texture, taste and shape. In the end, healthy eating is a lot about eating a variety of foods, and microgreens can add a fun twist to our daily meals!
Hope this was useful!