Apart from the 3 seeds we are selling at Sprouts in a Jar, there are a lot of seeds, grains or beans that you may try sprouting too. While for the question, the answer is yes for most of them with a few tricks. For example, basil, mizuna, mustard, cress and rocket belong to a group of seeds called gelatinous seeds which become sticky when soaked in water and retain water all over their surface. They need a little bit of special attention to get past the gelatinous phase and into the actual sprouting.
These varieties are best grown with medium, in soil, on a thickness of paper towels in a flat dish or tray and kept moist by sprinkling water over them regularly. Once the sprouts are standing up (after 5-6 days), you can harvest and enjoy your microgreens.
If you insist on using a jar to grow these seeds, the easiest way to sprout gelatinous seeds is to mix them (~10%) with other regular sprouting seeds (~90%) in small quantities. For example, if you are sprouting 10g of alfalfa or clover, substitute 1g of cress. This way, the gelatinous substance is diluted through other seeds and all will sprout normally.
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- Learn how to sprout and how to grow microgreens with us.
- Check out our sprouting FAQ.
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Like! The article has truly peaked my interest.
You just put my heart at ease. I have been experimenting with sprouting various mixes and getting my feet wet. Today I introduced cress. I saw the gel and realized I had made a mistake. The cress was less than a teaspoon mixed with two tablespoons of a salad mix. I thought I had ruined it all! I am going to stick with it and see if it works. I love the flavor of cress. Thanks for giving me the courage to try this out!