Home Grown Sprouts

One of the easiest ways to garden is to grow sprouts. Growing sprouts is similar to hydroponic gardening. You don't need soil to grow sprouts. All you need is a Mason jar, special lids to work with sprouting (they come in sprouting kits.), seeds to sprout (mung beans are my favorite), and water (I prefer purified or filtered water). One thing to keep in mind is that once the sprouts start to grow, they grow really fast, so I just start out with a tablespoon of mung bean seeds and place them in the jar (the bigger the better). Add the filtered water to cover them well and leave them sit for a while in the water. Then drain off the water and lay the jar on its side, with a towel or something covering it (you don't want the sprouts to go through the process of photosynthesis). The sprouts will develop well even though they are covered. Rinse the bean sprouts three times a day (I let them soak a little too before I drain the water off). They should be ready to use in about 3-5 days. They go well in oriental meals, as well as additions to salads. They are versatile and are full of vitamins.