Sprouting Instructions
Yields approximately 1 Cup (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts

Put 2/3 Cup of seed* into a bowl or into your Sprouter.
Add 1 cup cool (60-70 degree) water.
Mix seeds up to assure even water contact for all.
Allow seeds to Soak for 8-12 hours.

Note: There are some seeds in these bird mixes whose sprouting instructions call for less soaking. Fear not. In the interest of convenience we have mixed all the seeds together and we can tell you from vast experience, they will sprout quite well if you follow the directions here.

Empty the seeds into your sprouter (if necessary).
Drain off the soak water.

Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70°) water
and Drain thoroughly.

Set anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is optimal) between Rinses.

Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours.
Then
Rinse and Drain again in 8-12 hours.
And, perhaps one more...
Rinse and Drain in 8-12 hours.

We usually stop here.

Most of your seeds will now have little tails (sprouts). Not all of the seeds are intended to germinate in this amount of time but , as soon as a seed soaks up water it’s nutritional value skyrockets, it's enzymes are no longer inhibited! So know that what you are feeding your friends is beyond compare - tail or no tail!

You can trust that the batch is done when most have sprouts. They are ready to feed! You may grow them longer if you like - experiment to see what your bird’s
favorite stage is.

Depending on your climate and the time of year you are sprouting and most importantly your personal preference - You may Rinse and Drain again at 8-12 hour intervals for several days. However - we prefer to sprout only to the point where most of the seeds have sprouted tiny (1/4 inch) roots, which is typically after just 2 or 3 Rinse and Drain cycles.

Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final rinse. Be sure to Drain them as thoroughly as possible after that final rinse.

The goal during the final 8-12 hours is to minimize the surface moisture of your sprouts - they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch.

Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice - glass is good - and put them in your refrigerator.

Note: These do not store particularly well in refrigeration so you should try to grow just what you need. It isn't actually that they store poorly, it is just that there are quite a few grains in here and they are cool weather crops, so though they slow down quite a bit, they continue to grow - even in the refrigerator.

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Plants for Birds?

Some folks have told us that birds also like these seeds grown into plants - on soil. And that birds are well served nutritionally by the soil as well as the plants.

If you are interested in growing our mixes on soil we can tell you that they work quite well (see that lil' picture?) and that all you need is a container with drainage.

Follow these directions
if you wish to grow avain plants:

Sprout your seeds as detailed above.

Spread seeds evenly on thoroughly moistened soil.

Cover the container.

Place in a low-light, room temperature location.
(70° is always optimal)

Water lightly every day or two
the goal is to keep the seeds moist (as with any sprouts) until their roots bury themselves in the soil - at which point your goal is to keep the soil moist.

You may uncover your plants at this point
or you may wait a few days until your plants are an inch or two tall.

Water
from the side if possible, to prevent injuring the tiny plants.

Move to a well lit location to turn 'em green
(If you use direct sunlight be prepared to do more watering). Keep it moist. Watch them grow. Feed when you like.

* If using Single Harvest Pack use the whole bag.

Remember that the yield will be approximately 1.75:1, so in theory you can start with as much as 2/3 as much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity.