Sprouting Instructions
Yields approximately 1/2 lb. of Sprouts
Prep 4 Tablespoons of seed* then transfer (if necessary) into a bowl or into your Sprouter.
Add 2-3 times as much cool (60-70 degree) water.
Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
Notes: Alliums tend to float. Try to sink those that do by knocking them down with your fingers. Most of those floating seeds will sink during the hours they are soaking, but it is a good habit to pay attention to your seed's needs, and this is the perfect place to start!
There tends to be some plant matter in with the seeds of Alliums. This plant matter is nothing but small pieces of the plants which the seeds grew on. This plant matter has so far eluded the massive seed cleaning methods used on sprouting seed. They will not elude you! These dry plant bits usually float, so the perfect time to get rid of them is before you soak - during seed Prep and/or after the seeds have soaked for 8 - 12 hours - pour off the floating stuff. You can help by stirring the seeds up - thus helping any non-floating bits to surface from below. Easy isn't it?
Allow seeds to Soak for 8-12 hours.
Note: Now is a good time to discard floating plant bits.
Empty the seeds into your sprouter (if necessary).
Drain off the soak water.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60°-70°) water.
Drain thoroughly.
Set your Sprouter anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is optimal) between Rinses.
When we sprout at home we use a counter top in our kitchen - right in the middle of the room but where the sprouter won't get knocked over by kids, dogs, cats or us. Our kitchen is not very bright and anyway, light just does not matter much. A plant can only perform photosynthesis when it has leaves. Until then light has little if any effect, so don't hide your sprouts! This is most true with Alliums because they can begin photosynthesis as soon as they sprout. Unlike other seeds, Alliums sprout their plant first, not their root.
Rinse and Drain every 8-12 hours.
Alliums take A LONG TIME to germinate! Just keep Rinsing and Draining Thoroughly, at least twice a day.
You should see some sprouting action in between 4 and 7 days. Don't give up - EVER - they will sprout!
Note: Alliums are unique in that the sprout they produce is actually the plant - as opposed to the root - which is what almost all other seeds produce during the sprouting process. These plants look like - and are - tiny little Greens - like micro-scallions! As soon as these micro-scallions emerge from the seed they are able to take up light - because they are the leaf! You don't have to do anything drastic but you can move on to......
Greening
Once you see sprouting, Relocate your sprouts - if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light for some reason, move them. Avoid direct sun - it can cook your sprouts. Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will do. Experiment - you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up.
Continue to Rinse and Drain every 8-12 hours.
As long as you grow you have to keep the sprouts happy.
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done between day 10 and 15.
The majority of sprouts will have long thin micro-scallions, which will be green if you exposed them to light. You can eat them at any length but if you let them get to an inch or more the seed itself will be more tender.
Note: The seed of an Allium is pretty intense. If you grow for a long enough time, many will fall away from the sprout, but we've never gone that long. They just taste toooooo good and we don't mind the seed enough to wait.
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. After the final Rinse we need to Drain very thoroughly and let our sprouts dry a bit. If we minimize the surface moisture of our sprouts they store much better in refrigeration, so we let them sit for 8-12 hours....
OR
We can use a salad spinner to dry the sprouts after their final Rinse and skip the final 8-12 hour wait, instead going directly to Refrigeration.
Refrigerate
Transfer the sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice.
Notes:
When conditions are warmer your sprouts will likely grow faster. Likewise they may grow slower if conditions are very cool. As always 70° is optimal.
Depending on your sprouting device, not all of your sprouts will have access to light and so some will not green. This is not only OK - it is good. The yellow sprouts will be equally nutritious (they have everything but chlorophyll) and many think them more delicious (in Europe vegetables are often grown "blanched" by avoiding light). We think they are prettier when there is a mix of green and yellow to go with the white roots. So don't sweat it - just eat more sprouts!
You can help your crop by "breaking up" your sprouts when they clump up - around day 5-10 and daily thereafter. We use high water pressure when Rinsing to keep our sprouts loose, but this only works for so long - so - when water isn't enough, break the clump of sprouts up using a fork, or your fingers (wash your hands first please, if they need it). If you are using a sprouter that can hold water, fill it mostly full then use a fork to loosen the mass of sprouts. You can also dump your sprouts onto or into something and just shake them apart. This is by no means mandatory - this loosening - but it can help more of them green. Don't ever be afraid*** of touching your sprouts. They are much stronger then they appear - just be reasonably gentle.
*** The only thing to fear is fear itself!
Seed Storage
Alliums have the shortest shelf life of any sprouting seed. Since they are also so painfully expensive we suggest that you freeze your seed. Keep them in any sealed container. The only concern is condensation and all you need to do to avoid it is, return the seed to the freezer within a few minutes, after you've removed what you need to sprout. You do not have to wait to soak the seeds.
* If using Single Harvest Pack - use the whole bag.
Alliums yield approximately 4.5:1, so in theory you can start with as much as 1/5 as much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity.
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