Clean is Good

All that you really need to know is noted on the Sprouter information pages, but we will put it here too.

Basically you should sterilize your Sprouter as often as you can. We do this every 3-4 crops in our home Sprouter, but when we grew professionally we sterilized in between EVERY CROP (and we used a lot higher bleach concentration). It is always best to have a clean Sprouter - that way your crop will have a head start. We suggest soaking your Sprouter for 10-20 minutes in bleach water (1 Tbs. of bleach per pint of water is good and strong according to the FDA and local Health Department.) and then scrubbing thoroughly.

You can also use food-grade Hydrogen Peroxide, and some folks like Grapefruit Seed Extract. Whatever works for you is fine - we do not like bleach, we hate it, but we know it to work and we use so little now.....

With a few of our Sprouters you may need to poke some seeds out of some tight places. We use a paper clip or toothpick for this task.

Be sure to rinse all of that bleach out - you don't want it on your seeds!

And - be careful not to burn yourself - bleach is caustic after all.

The Basics of Sprouting:

• • Seed Storage: Keeping your dormant seeds happy.
    
  • Soaking: Turning a dormant seed into a nutritional powerhouse.
  • Rinsing: Water is the key ingredient in sprouts. Use it liberally.
    
  • Draining: It is essential that sprouts be drained thoroughly after rinsing. Sitting in a puddle is the most common cause of crop failure.
    
  • Air Circulation: If your sprouts can’t breathe while growing - they can die. Don’t put them in a closed cabinet.
    
  • Greening: Photosynthesis is cool, and so is Chlorophyll, but not all sprouts are into it, nor is it necessary. Sprouts of all colors are packed with flavor and nutrition!
  • Cleanliness: Your seed should be clean and your sprouting device should be sterile. Wash your sprouter well between crops with dilute bleach (1 Tbs. of bleach per pint of water is plenty).
    
  • Storage: Properly stored, fresh sprouts will keep for up to 6 weeks in your refrigerator but fresher is better. Never refrigerate wet sprouts.
  • Eat More Sprouts! Grow More Often!

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