Day 3 of sprouting! Pic, wow it's going well.

[Nicole01]

I'm sprouting alfalfa and sunflower seeds. The alfalfa is going to be for us and the chickens and the sunflower sprouts are for chickens only. I soaked the sunflower seeds 8 hrs before planting.

Day 3 of sprouting. The alfalfa taste wonderfully fresh! Yum!

 

[WoodlandWoman]

That looks great!

 

[jmtcmkb]

looks great! I bought an easy sprouter and it works wonderfully- I feed my chickens sprouts every day, the love them, it's the only treat they like.

 

[Nicole01]

Thanks! I'm very thrilled how this is turning out!

 

[Angiebubs]

For the sunflower seeds-you said you soaked them for hrs before "planting"? What do you mean by planting? I am wanting to start sprouting myself and my understanding is soak them for ___ hrs...then rinse once or twice daily,place in jar and keep in a warm location? Anything else I need to know? Any other "choice" seeds to sprout?

 

[Nicole01]

The sunflower seeds, I soaked in a bowl over night in the glass pie plate, I put the other glass pie plate over it and soaked 8 hours. I rinsed the sunflower seeds and planted them in the sand(our backyard soil). I make sure they are moist. The alfalfa I did not soak prior to putting in the container. I rinse the alfalfa twice a day in cold water. I placed everything on the kitchen counter out of the sunlight.(hubby is not pleased..lol) We are going to eat the alfalfa ourselves and share with the chickens. The sunflower sprouts is for chickens only. I'm using the sunflower seeds from the 50lb wild bird food bought from the farm store. I bought the alfalfa seeds through amazon. I paid $9.00 for a pound. I'm going to buy the mixed bean/seed variety for us to eat too. I might share that with the chickens as well. I've tried the alfalfa and they do taste really good and refreshing. I might start growing the sunflower sprouts downstairs in a plastic bin to save kitchen space. I'm a bit surprised the sprouts grow in sand. I do not have any black soil. My chickens will be happy and I'm hoping this will give the yolks a deep orange since there is no more grass and bugs for the winter.

I'm sure the sunflower would work in the tier sprouter, but I can't grow as many.

 

[jmtcmkb]

if you use an easy sprout no need for soil- easy sprouts in days!

 

[Nicole01]

Quote:
I don't use soil for the alfalfa.

I use the 4 tier sprouter for the alfalfa.

 

[SteveBaz]

I think there is a product called Root-Tone I used once and you mix the solution for 8 hours and plant them and there off. Not exactly sure but it is for a germination accelerator.

 

[Attila the Hen]

I'm sorry to throw a damper on this, but I recently read in an alert from the Dept of Agriculture that sprouting can be danerous as it is a breeding ground for nasty things like salmonella?? One of those. I sprouted lentils all the time for the chickens, now I am concerned that they might get sick. THey really loved them.