The Sproutpeople
Glossary
Sprouts, Greens and Grass need to breathe while they grow. Don't put them in a closed cabinet or closet! As we've said so many times in these pages: Light just isn't anything to worry about, so leave your sprouts in an open place where they can breathe. If it is very hot and humid you should consider moving your air around with a fan - or moving your sprouts to a place where the air moves. If you are growing Grass or Greens you should consider moving them outside (when temperatures are over 60°), there is no better place for air circulation.
The Genus of plants from the family Amaryllidaceae, whose members include Garlic, Leek and Onion. See Chart
1. A chemical compound or substance that inhibits oxidation. 2. A substance, such as vitamin E, vitamin C, or beta carotene, thought to protect body cells from the damaging effects of oxidation. 3. A Cancer preventitive compound.
Any of the unicellular prokaryotic microorganisms of the class Schizomycetes, which vary in terms of morphology, oxygen and nutritional requirements, and motility, and may be free-living, saprophytic, or pathogenic in plants or animals. We mammals are dependant on bacteria. The vast majority are benificial, and sprouts as well as other living, raw foods are the best source of these. But we do take care to keep our growing enviroment sterile so as to prevent pathogenic bacteria like salmonella. Read about food and sprout safety.
Withhold light from your plants to keep them from turning green. Blanching is common in Europe but little known in the US. The usually yellow plants which result from Blanching are usually more tender than their green version, but they lack chlorophyll.
Bleach
The most common and easily available chemical for sterilizing sprouting devices. Household bleach is already diluted but you need to dilute it further to avoid burning your skin. We recommend 1 Tablespoon per pint of water for sterilizing. Let sprouter soak for 10 or more minutes, scrub well and rinse clean. We do not use bleach on seeds - EVER!
A Genus of plants from the family Brassicaceae, whose members include Broccoli, Mustard and Cabbage. We use the word Brassica to indicate the plant Family in toto. See Chart
Carbohydrate
Any of a group of organic compounds that includes sugars, starches, celluloses, and gums and serves as a major energy source in the diet of animals. These compounds are produced by photosynthetic plants and contain only carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen, usually in the ratio 1:2:1.
An accredited 3rd party inspection that verifies a thing to be something. For example: Certified Organic means that [seed in our case] is organic because it has been verified by an accredited 3rd party.
Any of a group of green pigments that are found in the chloroplasts of plants and in other photosynthetic organisms.
The first leaves of the embryonic plant within the seed that are used as a food supply for the germinating embryo. Also called a "seed leaf".
1. To pick out from others; select. 2. To gather; collect. 3. To remove rejected members or parts from (a batch of seeds, for example). Something picked out from others, especially something rejected because of inferior quality.
Dark/Darkness
Absence or deficiency of light. Used in growing Greens especially. Keeping a crop "in the dark" allows the plants to grow taller than they would if light were readily available, in some cases.
A flowering plant with two embryonic seed leaves or cotyledons that usually appear at germination.
An authoritative principle, belief, or statement of ideas or opinion, especially one considered to be absolutely true.
1. In a condition of biological rest or inactivity characterized by cessation of growth or development and the suspension of many metabolic processes. 2. Lying asleep or as if asleep; inactive.
Any of numerous proteins or conjugated proteins produced by living organisms and functioning as biochemical catalysts.
Enzyme Inhibitor
A substance that stops a enzyme reaction.
We use this phrase to represent thorough mixing of the seeds we soak and rinse. Some seeds have a tendancy to do the "Nestle's Quik®" thing: They bond together even when submerged in liquid, and remain dry (alfalfa and clover are good examples) unless thoroughly mixed. We use our (clean) hands to mix because we like to touch our seeds and by doing so we can feel that all the seeds are receiving even water contact.
Floater
Seeds that remain atop the water (with the exception of seeds in shells like Sunflower Greens and Buckwheat Lettuce) after the soak stage. When a seed is still floating after the soak stage it sometimes indicates a dead seed. There are so many minor exceptions to this rule that we no longer specify to "pour off the floaters" after soaking. In most cases there aren't enough floaters to disrupt the crop and since so many seeds that will sprout may be floating (brassicas often have floaters like this) we've decided to let the floaters pass.
Fruit Fly
The pesky little flying bug that appears from nowhere - usually in warm weather - and usually around ripe fruit or vegetables that are out in the open. Fruit flies can get into some sprouters but do no harm. You can try Rinsing more often but we generally just tolerate them when they are around. We've never found any way to get rid of them.
The cytoplasm of a germ cell, especially that part containing the chromosomes.
1. To begin to sprout or grow. 2. To come into existence
Genetically Modified Organism. ALL of our seeds are certified NON-GMO!!!
1. The fruits of cereal grasses (wheat, rye, oats, etc.) especially after having been harvested, considered as a group. 2. A small, dry, one-seeded fruit of a cereal grass, having the fruit and the seed walls united: a single grain of wheat
Any of various plants having slender leaves characteristic of the grass family. Consumed for their amazing nutritional value by humans, usually in the form of juice, and by animals by chewing.All of the cereal grasses have very similar nutritional value, but wheat is favored for it's availability, ease of growing and flavor (if you think wheat grass juice is bad, try barley!)
A plant produced by a seed which has been planted on soil or other water retaining medium and then harvested above the surface of that medium. See Greens information page.
The process of photosynthesis by which a plant absorbs light. In sprouting: To expose a sprout, grass or greens to light, thus allowing it to turn green.
A seed which has had its hull removed. Typically used in reference to Buckwheat which has been hulled and sometimes to Oats. Oats which have been hulled are almost certainly NOT sproutable as the hulling process is quite damaging to that tender grain. You may use whole (not hulled) Oats for growing grass, but the hulls are not edible. We sell only Hulless Oats which are Oats grown without a hull. Buckwheat is rarely damaged even in the least by hulling, so the groat of that seed is quite good for sprouting (if the seed is of sufficiently high quality).
A seed that refuses to soak up water is called a Hard Seed and though these can be present in any type of seed, they are most common in Adzuki Beans. If you find that some of your seeds are as hard after 8-12 hours of soaking as they were before you should try soaking them in warm/hot water. (See Hot Soak, directly below)
In nature when a plant matures to the point that it has produced seed and dried, it's seed will drop to the ground. Over the winter that seed will work its way into the ground as the soil heaves with freezes and thaws. When the weather warms and moisture becomes available, the dormant the seeds soak up water. They begin to germinate and start the cycle of growing plants which can produce seed. If however the plants die for some reason (poor weather for example), the seeds that are still dormant (the hard seeds) can sustain the species. In many cases the hard seeds will remain dormant until another spring comes, at which time they will soak up water and begin to grow plants that can produce seeds and re-start the cycle all over again. Since we are sprouting these seeds we do not want hard seeds - they are as hard as rocks in many cases. As with any beans used in our kitchen it is always a good idea to check them for rocks and for hard seeds. Though they are very rare in good sprouting seed they can be present.
The use of warm or hot water during the Soaking of sprouting seed. We do not recommend this unless your SEED supplier (us we trust =;-) states it is necessary, or you feel like experimenting.
The use of Hot or Warm water will shorten the time your seeds need to soak or force Hard Seeds (see item just above) to soak up water. The drawback is that you can "cook" your seeds if you use water which is too hot, or if you let them soak for too long.
To remedy beans which remain hard after 12 hours in cool water: Rinse well and then Soak the seeds again in 90-100° water until hard seeds are no longer hard (usually 8-12 hours). Rinse well and perform all future Rinses with cool water. Note: the Soak water will cool as time passes. That is as it should be. As long as you start with the right temperature you should meet with success.
If you have some seeds (or mixes which contain seeds) that you KNOW beforehand will remain hard in a cool water Soak, you should skip the cool water Soak and just start out with the hotter water. The 2nd Soak (outlined in the previous paragraph) is for emergency use only. You will do much better if your seeds Soak only as long as they need to. Soaking too long can waterlog seeds and Soaking in hot water can "cook" them, so it is follows that if you can get all of your seeds soaked in 12 hours they are much better off.
If you are in a pinch for time you can use 90-100° water to cut the soak time down. We do not suggest this, but we have at times done this - out of neccessity. With leafy sprouts and brassica sprouts you should Soak no longer than 1 1/2 hours. for grains 3-4 hours. For beans the time varies - you should count on 4 at least and as many as 12 hours. You know it is time to stop Soaking when your seeds can be squished between your fingers.
The most extreme hard seed story: We have even experienced seeds so determined to stay hard (Adzukis in 1995) that they required 3 consecutive 12 hour Soaks in hot water! We would Rinse between the Soaks - a MUST anytime you Soak longer than 12 hours - and add new hot water to Soak. We were very glad when new seeds were available!
Hull: The dry outer covering of a seed or nut.
Hulling: The removal of hulls.
We do not mind most hulls - mostly we consider them to be extra roughage. Most Legumes (Beans, Alfalfa, Clover) have hulls, some of which will float or otherwise make themselves available for removal, during regular Rinsing and Draining. You may choose to De-Hull your crop or not. Here is the method. We do remove hulls from Brassica Sprouts (Broccoli, Radish, etc.) as they are so big (relative to the sprout) and wet that they compromise both texture and storage of the finished sprouts if not removed.
There is bound to be some confusion here, let me add to it: Most seeds grow in shells (Sunflower, Buckwheat, Almond, Pumpkin) or pods (Beans, Alfalfa, Clover, Peanuts, Fenugreek, Radish, Broccoli, Mustard, etc.), and those seeds have a hull as well - it is a thin dry cover around the seed itself. But in the seed "industry" the word HULLED refers to a seed which has had it's outer most portion removed. So a HULLED seed is, in our case, a seed which has been removed from it's shell or pod (see below for more confusion). For example: We use two types of Sunflower seed - WHOLE (still in its shell) for growing Sunflower Greens, and HULLED (the shell removed) for Sprouts. But, that Hulled Sunflower still has a thin dry cover (hull)! The one exception we can think of is Buckwheat. Whole Buckwheat is used to grow Greens called Buckwheat Lettuce. Hulled Buckwheat is known as Buckwheat Groats. There is no hull on a Buckwheat Groat.
Grains also are commonly "Hulled". But most Grains actually grow in a HULL, so the phrase Hulled is literally true when discussing Grains (see Hullless for exceptions). Hulled Grains therefore do not have the same dry outer covering that most other seeds have.
Hull removal is done with machines which can damage the seeds. In the case of Almonds it nicks and scratches some of the nuts. With soft seeds like Sunflowers it can destroy the seed - which is why it is not always easy to find good sprouting Sunflower seeds. Some seeds are not effected in the least - like Buckwheat Groats and almost all Beans, most Grains, Alfalfa, Clover, Fenugreek, Radish, Broccoli, Mustard and many many more. The HULLED seeds which are difficult to find in good condition are Sunflower, Almond, Peanuts,Pumpkin, Spelt and Barley. Some are impossible, so we only carry Hulless versions (Oats are the currently the only such seed).A seed which is of a type that usually grows with a Hull, but which in this case is grown without a Hull. Hulless is in some cases preferable to Hulled because the seed is not subjected to the mechanical process of Hull removal. Oats are the best example of a seed which will virtually never withstand the Hulling process and so must be Hulless if used for sprouting.
The offspring of a cross between parent varieties (usually of the same species) that are genetically different.
Hybrid seeds are usually quite expensive. If you plant a hybrid seed and harvest the seed produced by the resulting plant, those seeds will not produce the same plant again if planted, but rather will revert to aspects of their oroginal parentage. Seeds that produce plants, which yield the same genetic seed every crop cycle are called open-pollinated. All of our seeds are open-pollinated.
A method of growing plants which uses no soil or medium. Hydroponic production has plant's roots in water and uses fertilizer to feed them. Sprouting is basically hydroponic though we don't generally use fertilizer - though we are experimenting with liquid organic fertilizers at the present time.
When we refer to hydroponic Grass or Greens, we are speaking about the complete lack of a medium. We don't care for that method - though we've tried it and wish we liked it as it would simplify our lives as commercial sprout growers. Somewhere in between hydroponics and soil is a soilless medium. We are also experimenting with that presently for large Greens and Grass. We already use it for small crops of Micro-Greens and tests so far are very positive. We will offer such a medium and organic fertilizer(s) if and when we are completely satisfied that the method works well.
That which allows sprout's leaves to turn green. It takes very little light to green sprouts. Sprouts can't take light in until they have leaves, and until they have leaves, light has virtually no effect - so don't hide your sprouts in the dark! Let 'em breathe! Direct sunlight is not advisable as it can cook your sprouts - especially if you're growing in a closed sprouter. See the seed and sprouter instruction pages for details.
As in SEED LOT. Seeds are harvested at a farm, cleaned, inspected, tested, bagged and shipped. Each crop in each year from each farm is given a lot number to identify it.
That upon which we plant our seeds when we intend to produce plants like Grass, Greens and Micro-Greens. Normally we use soil (we have used many tons of sterile bagged soil to produce our non-sprout crops since we started back in 1993), but anything that holds water can be considered a medium. The lowest example of a medium is paper towel, but a good medium is something that holds water longer, and is of course, organic. We are experimenting with soilless mediums presently and hope to offer such an item, along with an organic liquid fertilizer, in the near future.
Any of various flowering plants, such as grasses, having a single cotyledon in the seed.
1. Resembling mucilage; moist and sticky. 2. Relating to or secreting mucilage. In sprouting: A seed which has a hull that when water is contacted, absorbs that water and turns into a "gel-sack". Usually slippery, these seeds can NOT grow by traditional water-only sprouting methods. They may be grown if mixed with an appropriate percentage of non-mucilaginous seeds (French Garden, Italian Blend, Nick's Hot Sprout Salad). To grow them alone they must be planted on a growing medium and harvested as Greens (Micro-Greens).
Mucilaginous seeds include: Arugula, Basil, Chia, Cress, Flax and (some) Mustards.
Another name for Hulless. Most commonly used when referring to Hulless Pumpkin seeds.
Non-hybrid plants/seeds produced by crossing two parents from the same variety, which in turn produce offspring just like the parent plants/seeds.
The process in green plants and certain other organisms by which carbohydrates are synthesized from carbon dioxide and water using light as an energy source. Most forms of photosynthesis release oxygen as a byproduct.
Plant Matter
Bits of plant that can be present in some sprouting seeds. They can be removed easily as they tend to float in water. There is nothing dangerous about plant matter - it just didn't get cleaned out completely during the lavish cleaning process that the seeds go through.
Pre-Sprout
Sprouting a seed that is intended for planting as a Green, Grass or Micro-Green.
The process we employ to keep our growing sprouts properly moist at all times. Learn ALL about Rinsing.
Any of various other underground plant parts, especially an underground stem such as a rhizome, corm, or tuber. The tail that grows from a seed is the first root. We call it a Sprout.
A thin hairlike outgrowth of an epidermal cell of a plant root that absorbs water and minerals from the soil. These microscopic roots are often mistaken for mold by new sprouters. If you take a magnifying glass you can see them for what they are. Root Hairs are usually only visible when the sprout is at it's driest - just before Rinsing. The Rinse will push them back against the main root. Root Hairs are generally only visible on certain sprouts; Brassicas (Broccoli, Radish, Mustard, etc.) and Grains (Oats, Barley, Rye, Wheat, etc.).
To slit or soften the outer coat of (seeds) in order to speed germination. Scarification is common with Alfalfa and Clover but very rare with all other sprouting seeds. Traditional scarification is no longer tolerated by discerning seed suppliers as the scratching or slitting of the outer coat allows access by bacteria, such as salmonella. Though scratch scarification is still the most common in the processing of conventional (non-organic) seed, The Sproutpeople only buy seeds which have been "polished". Polish scarification basically sands the seed coat down (that's why their is sometimes a lot to rinse off of your Clover and Alfalfa), maintaining the integrity of the seed.
For most seeds it is acceptable to store them at room temperature, in a dark, dry place. It is preferable to store them at lower temperatures, but low humidity and lack of light are more important. There are some seeds which have a very short shelf life (their germination rate decreases rapidly) and so require colder storage - most notably Alliums: Garlic, Leek and Onion. We freeze Alliums, thus extending their shelf life from 1 year (room temperature) to 5 or more. All seeds can benifit from freezing but it is not necessary to take up the space since they will germinate at a high rate if stored in the traditional way. The one condideration to take into account when freezing seeds is condensation. When you wish to sprout a seed which has been stored in the freezer, remove the amount you will be sprouting and return the rest to storage as soon as possible. If the seeds are left out, the temperature change will create condensation, which can cause your seeds to sprout. If you get them back to the freezer within 5 minutes they'll be fine. We have a page which list all of our seed's shelf lives.
The process that begins life for most sprouts - transforming the dormant seed into a living thing. See the Soak page.
Soaks
A seed that never produces a root (sprout) though it has been Soaked, Rinsed and Drained. Any seed that has soaked up water has broken it's dormancy and begun life and is great food, so eat 'em up, sprout or not! Almonds are the best example of a seed which results in a "Soak" instead of a Sprout.
A sprout is the seed and it's root and at times the plant that is growing at the same time (as with Lentils, Peas and Garbanzos if let grow long enough). Eat the whole thing!
To make free from live bacteria or other microorganisms. We mammals are dependant on bacteria - without them we would be unable to survive our environmen!. There are bad bacteria however, so we sterilize our sprouting equipment (NOT our seeds!) to provide a sterile environment for our sprouts to grow and thus produce a perfect population of benificial bacteria. Read about Cleaning your Sprouters.
An antioxidant known to have cancer preventitive properties. Sulfurophane is found in many Brassicas and is substantially higher in their sprouts (as opposed to the mature plant). The highest concentrations of sulfurophane are found in Broccoli and Arugula.
a system for naming and organizing things, esp. plants and animals, into groups which share similar qualities. In plants taxonomy is broken down like this: Family - Genus - Species - Cultivar. An example is (our) Broccoli which is:
Family: Brassicaceae
Genus:Brassica
Species: oleracea
Cultivar: Green Sprouting Calabrese
See Chart
The leaves that appear after the Cotyledon or Seed leaves.
Water
We use tap water in all aspects of sprout growing, but you can also use distilled, filtered, spring, etc.
Note: If you have additions or corrections please let us know.
Some Cultivar (Variety) names may change on rare occassion
|
Family
|
Genus
|
Species
|
Cultivar
|
Common Name
|
| Amaranthaceae | Amaranthus | cruentus | Amaranth | |
|
Amaryllidaceae
|
Allium |
tuberosum
|
||
| ampeloprasum | ||||
|
cepa
|
||||
| Brassica |
oleracea
|
Green Sprouting Calabrese
|
||
| Golden Acre | ||||
| rapa | Oriental | Mustard | ||
| Tatsoi | ||||
| Eruca | sativa | Arugula | ||
| Japonica | Kyona | Mizuna | ||
|
Lepidium
|
sativum
|
Pepper Grass
|
||
| Raphanus | sativus | China Rose | Radish | |
| Daikon | Radish | |||
| Chenopodiaceae | Chenopodium | quinoa | Quinoa | |
| Compositae | Helianthus | annuus | Sunflower | |
| Cucurbitaceae | Cucurbita | maxima or pepo | Pumpkin | |
| Gramineae/Poaceae | Avena | sativa | Oats | |
| Hordeum | Barley | |||
| Oryza | sativa | Rice | ||
| Sorghum | Millet | |||
| Secale | cereale | Rye | ||
| Triticum | aestivum | Wheat | ||
| spelta | Spelt | |||
| tauschii | Triticale | |||
| Zea | mays | Corn | ||
| Leguminosae | Arachis | hypogea | Peanut | |
| Cicer | arietinum | Garbanzo/Chick Pea | ||
| Glycine | max | Soy Bean | ||
| Lens | culinaris | Lentil | ||
| Medicago | sativa | Alfalfa | ||
| Phaseolus | vulgaris | Black Bean | ||
| Pinto Bean | ||||
| Pisum | sativum | Pea | ||
| Trifolium | incarnatum | Crimson Clover | ||
| pratense | Red Clover | |||
| Trigonella | foenum-graecum | Fenugreek | ||
| Vigna | angularis | Adzuki Bean | ||
| radiata | Mung Bean | |||
| Linaceae | Linum | grandiflorum | Flax | |
| Pedaliaceae | Sesamum | indicum | Sesame | |
| Polygonacea | Polygonum | fagopyrum | Buckwheat | |
| Rosaceae | Prunus | amygdalus | Almond | |
| Umbelliferae | Apium | graveolens | Celery | |
| Anethum | graveolens | Dill |
170 Mendell St.
San Francisco, CA 94124
Toll Free:
877/777-6887
(877/SPROUTS)
We only use the phone for emergencies.
Back in 2001 we were still using the phone. One day I was talking to a long-time customer while pushing my (then 4 year old) daughter on the swing in our backyard (this is what a mom n' pop business is like on the internet). It dawned on me that my priorities were severely messed up, so I stopped using the phone. I love to talk and I love to help, but my family would never see me if I picked up the phone again, and that's just wrong don't you think?!
The very best way to contact us is through E-mail =:-)
We are quite fast and VERY thorough. We love to help.
We have been an internet only business since 2001. We are not a big corporation. We are but 2 people, Mom n' Pop Sprout. We decided after years of juggling our family's (kids, dogs, cats and even our own) needs, and the needs of Sproutpeople, that we had to make more time for our kids, so we stopped talking on the phone. All calls go to voice mail and have since 2001.
We are very fast to fill orders and answer e-mail, and though we wish we could make the time to talk, we just can't seem to get more minutes into a each hour. We are many years older than when we started and our days are too short and made up of too few hours to do everything. This limitation in our business has not kept us from pleasing our customers, nor from growing (as we have every year since 1993). We do what we do as well as we can, and we think we do it very well indeed.
We appreciate your patronage more than we can say. We ask that you use the phone for emergencies only and that you search our site for answers before e-mailing us. This site is bigger than any 4 sprout books put together, it is always available and it is free, and we know that almost all questions are answered here.
Thanks again for your support and your many kind words.
Sproutpeople