I have been looking at the weather on the East coast and reading about snow and freezing temperatures this first week of April. Yuk. We lived in Pennsylvania for a couple of years in the early 1990’s. While I did love living in State College, I remember those winters felt really long.  One year my mother ordered an arrangement of blooming daffodils because she knew I was green with envy that she was having spring in Northern California while I was still dealing with snow.

Now that our temps are warm, my husband has our spring veggies planted. He put in lettuce, kale, broccoli, chard, and seeds for green beans, snow peas and carrots. All of these can handle our nights which are still dipping down into the 40’s. I decided to share a quick idea with all of you, but especially those of you who aren’t yet able to be outside digging in the dirt and planting veggies. Have you grown sprouts before? I love fresh sprouts in salads and sandwiches and have them growing regularly in my kitchen. It is especially nice in the winter months when I can’t grow anything outside.

This is all you’ll need:

• One bag of Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds (they have various flavor combinations and one bag will last for a very long time!)
• One quart size Mason jar
• A scrap of netting or tule & an elastic band

To start a batch, place one tablespoon of seeds into the clean Mason jar. One tablespoon will fill the jar once they all sprout.

I keep the extra seeds in the freezer. They will keep indefinitely if frozen.  Put cool water in the jar to cover the seeds by an inch or two.

.Cover the jar with the tule and secure it with an elastic band. Let the seeds soak in the water for about 4-6 hours. After the time has passed, drain off the water. Set the (inverted) drained jar of wet seeds in a bowl.

Leave the seeds like this. Rinse the seeds twice each day, morning and evening. To rinse them, add cool water to cover however much they have grown.

Give a gentle swish and then drain off the water. These twice daily rinsings will keep the sprouting seeds moistened. (If a child is draining the seeds, have them hold the jar with two hands that are gripping the elastic band. That will help to ensure they don’t dump al the seeds out if they drain “vigorously”.) They can sit wherever you have a spot, but if they are in a window with a bit of sunshine, they will sprout faster. You’ll see they grow quite fast. With warmth and consistent rinsing, you’ll have a jar of sprouts within about five days.  If your house is cool, it may take a bit longer but they will grow.

Because they are stored upside down, the sprouts will be peaking through the netting. Just give them a gentle shake before you rinse them to get them into the water. Soon your jar will be brimming with fresh sprouts.

At this point, gently pull them from the jar. It is likely they will be in a tight clump. Gently pull them apart so air can flow through them.

They will keep in the refrigerator, in a covered container, for about five days. The fresh sprouts seem to stay fresh longer than those I buy in the market. I think this is a fun project for children. There is enough change day by day to keep them interested. It is a wonderful experience for them to grow something on their own and this is completely doable for school age children.

If you have any questions, leave them in the comments. Hope you will give this a try and soon after you will be out in your yards enjoying spring!

Linking up, for the first time, to A Little Bird Told Me.