Sprouting Sunflower Seeds

Beautiful Sunflower Sprouts

These are probably my most favorite sprout. They are so easy to grow, thanks to the wonderful explanation given by the leader of our Raw Food Group. Thanks Lisa!

Soak about 1/2-1 C black sunflower seeds, in the shell, in a jar filled with filtered water. Put a piece of screen on top and secure with a rubber band. Let soak overnight. In the morning pour off the brown colored water, keeping the screen and rubberband on the top of your jar, and rinse well, till water runs clear. Drain off all the water and put at an angel upside down in a small bowl, keeping the screen on top or jar, to allow any excess water to drain off the seeds. Rinse your seeds 2x/day and return to the bowl at an angel to allow for drainage. The rinsing prevents mold and keeps seeds moist so they can sprout. In about 2 days your seeds will sprout white tails. Once that happens you can sprinkle them on top of a good organic mixture of potting soil. I have to keep things simple so this is what I did:

I bought one of those disposable Hefty EZ Foil cake pans, 13x9x2. Fill the tray w/ organic potting mix mixed with good compost. Made sure it was light and fluffy. You don't want a heavy, dense soil. Next I sprinkled my sprouted seeds just onto the surface of the soil, You do not cover them w/ soil!!! Gently water them till moist. Put the lid from the cake pad upside down on top of the seeds to create a little pressure. Place a kitchen towel on top of the pan's lid and let sit on your countertop. In a day or so the sprouts will begin to push up the cake pan cover, now it is time to remove the cover and towel and place your sprout tray near a window. Continue to allow your sprouts to grow. Don't forget to water them when the soil feels dry to the touch. Their roots will go down into the soil and your sprouts will emerge in a few days. I harvest them when they are about 3 inches tall. I start my next batch of seeds soaking the day before I harvest the first sprouts. That way I'll have a continuous supply of them in the refrigerator. Harvest your sprouts by cutting them off close to the soil as possible with kitchen scissors. Store in a vegetable bag in the fridge. Rinse before eating if needed. Sometimes I get a little bit of dirt on them when cutting them off. I compost the remaining root and soil. It will come out of your cake pan like a mat of dirt and roots. You'll be shocked when you turn it upside down and see the network of roots all swirled around each other. Enjoy in good health!
Today I am grateful for loving people like Lisa who take the time to share their knowledge freely with others.

~JMJ~