Indoor 'winter' gardening ; soonest harvest

(re-post)

I like the flavour of sprouts;  the nutrients make their culture all the more worthwhile (just ask good ol' Google) ; there is something satisfying about growing food on the kitchen counter;  it is fun.

And it is easy.  A scrupulously clean glass jar is really all that is needed as equipment.  Those handy screw-on lids are available in dollar stores etc. but a piece of cheesecloth elastic'ed over the mouth of  jar works just fine.

Those are fenugreek seeds (less than 1/4 cup) which I soaked overnight and today drained, rinsed, drained again and now have them in a spread-out tilt near a window.  Within a day or so they will start to sprout and I will harvest them when they look (and taste test) ready to eat.

 Each day across the growing period they will get rinsed (still in the jar) gently in cool water, drained, and put back in the light.  

They make a nice snack, either as is or in a small bowl with a dribble of olive oil and grind of salt;  added to a salad;  in an omelette;  sprinkled over cooked vegetables;  blended into a smoothie;  topped onto a steak just before you turn it as it is cooking.

It is recycling day tomorrow and I hope to find, on my morning walk, more glass jars with the right size opening to start the lentils and the garbanzo beans.  

Posted on December 27, 2011 at 10:31 AM | Permalink

I like the flavour of sprouts;  the nutrients make their culture all the more worthwhile (just ask good ol' Google) ; there is something satisfying about growing food on the kitchen counter;  it is fun.

And it is easy.  A scrupulously clean glass jar is really all that is needed as equipment.  Those handy screw-on lids are available in dollar stores etc. but a piece of cheesecloth elastic'ed over the mouth of  jar works just fine.

Those are fenugreek seeds (less than 1/4 cup) which I soaked overnight and today drained, rinsed, drained again and now have them in a spread-out tilt near a window.  Within a day or so they will start to sprout and I will harvest them when they look (and taste test) ready to eat.

 Each day across the growing period they will get rinsed (still in the jar) gently in cool water, drained, and put back in the light.  

They make a nice snack, either as is or in a small bowl with a dribble of olive oil and grind of salt;  added to a salad;  in an omelette;  sprinkled over cooked vegetables;  blended into a smoothie;  topped onto a steak just before you turn it as it is cooking.

It is recycling day tomorrow and I hope to find, on my morning walk, more glass jars with the right size opening to start the lentils and the garbanzo beans.