Striving4Zen

To sprout a grain, seed or bean, first wash them and then soak them in cool to tepid, preferably spring water. Soaking time varies between 4 and 12 hours, depending on the size and hardness of the seed. Large hard beans such as garbanzo beans need 12 hours, whereas small soft seeds like buckwheat, amaranth, quinoa and many vegetable seeds only need 4 hours. Ideally, rinse them and change the water every couple of hours while they soak.

Successful sprouting depends on a number of factors:

● The freshness of the seeds and how "alive" they are. Many seeds, especially if they have been imported, have been irradiated. Others are just old
● Whether the seeds are broken, discoloured or chemically treated
● The water's pH, mineral and salt content
● The water's temperature.

Cold climate grains such as oats can even be sprouted in your refrigerator.
After the initial soaking, keep the seeds damp. I put them in a large sieve, and rinse them under the tap a couple of times a day. You can also put them in a jar, with a piece of material over the top, tied on with a string or rubber band. The seeds need to be kept damp and aired, but not wet, otherwise there is a chance of mould or spoiling. Some seeds, such as sunflower, start to sprout in a few hours. Others take more than a day. Within 2 - 5 days most seeds and beans are ready. They are ready when the root (not the shoot, which is longer) is the length of the seed. I have had sprouts starting in 8 hours using top quality sunflower seeds. At the other extreme, large cannellini beans can take two or more days to begin.