Have you run out of potting soil? Or are all your trays already filled up? Want a quick and easy way to enjoy your greens? This post is for you! Learn how to sprout broccoli seeds in a jar... with just water!
Materials needed:
- Wide mouth mason jar
- A piece of cloth, to act as a screen material
- Rubber band
- Seeds of choice
- Water
Directions
1. Clean the mason jar and screen thoroughly to avoid bacterial growth.
2. Place a few tablespoons of seeds into the jar. I used 3 tablespoons!
3. Fill the jar with enough water to cover the seeds.
4. Secure the cheesecloth around the rim of the mason jar using rubber bands. This allows for easy water change, as you do not have to worry about escaping seeds when you drain the water!
5. Allow the seeds to soak in the water overnight.
6. The next morning, drain the jar of water by turning the jar upside down and keeping it in this position for at least 5 minutes. It is important to drain off all the water, as you wouldn't want bacteria to grow and cause your seeds to smell funky!
7. Place the jar of seeds in a dark, cool area. Sprouts tend to grow faster and taste sweeter when placed in a dark spot, because of the lack of sunlight and chlorophyll!
8. Rinse the seeds with water and drain off the water twice a day. You can move the sprouts to a more sunny spot after a few days, if you want to. Here's what my sprouts looked like on the second day:
9. All you have to do now is wait a couple more days! If your sprouts have started to develop tender green leaves, they’re ready for harvest. Unlike those grown in soil, no cutting is required; just empty your microgreens from the jar, give them a quick rinse, and enjoy!
Note that not all microgreen seeds are viable in water. Seeds suited for this ‘hydroponics’ method are: alfalfa, wheatgrass, broccoli, amaranth, cabbage, kohlrabi, kale, mustard, radish, and pea. For beginners, we suggest starting out with broccoli, which is hardy and one of the easiest greens to grow!
We hope that we've inspired you to sprout your own seeds. Let us know on Instagram or Facebook if you have - we're always happy to see progress pictures from our happy customers. See you in our next post!