How to Sprout Seeds in a Towel

With nutrition experts advocating the consumption of fresh sprouts on a regular basis, it’s good to know that we can grow healthy sprouts at home in our own kitchens. Although most sprouts grow in jars or plastic containers, larger seeds often outgrow their container before the sprouts are ready to eat. For these seeds, using the towel method of growing sprouts produces a consistent harvest.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Clean tea towels
• Scissors
• Colander
• Container
• Sprouting seeds
• Water
• Plastic wrap

1. Cut the tea towels into 14-inch squares. Look for towels that are thin and have a tight weave. Towels with a nap tend to trap the tiny roots of the sprouting seeds, resulting in torn sprouts or towels that are difficult to launder. Alternately, if you have an old set of flannel sheets, cut them to size instead of throwing them away.

2. Choose seeds for sprouting. Towel sprouting works well with larger seeds, such as mung beans and soybeans. Avoid using tiny seeds that may become stuck in the towel weave.

3. Rinse the seeds in a colander, picking through to find any small pebbles or foreign objects. With the process used to harvest beans and seeds, it’s unusual, but not unheard of, to find pebbles.

4. Place the rinsed seeds in a large plastic or glass container and cover with three times the amount of water. Allow the seeds to soak in the water for a couple of hours and then drain and rinse again.

5. Moisten one tea towel and spread it out on the countertop. It should be damp but not sopping wet. Spread the soaked seeds on the towel, distributing them evenly in a single layer. If you have more seeds, use another towel.

6. Place a second damp towel on top of the first one and roll the towels up with the seeds inside. Continue rolling until you have a log shape.

7. Wrap the towel roll in plastic wrap to keep it damp and place it in a warm place. The top of a refrigerator or the top of a computer monitor are good choices.

8. Unwrap, mist the towels lightly with water every day and rewrap. In two or three days, you will see the sprouts forming. At that point, unroll and remove the top towel and set the bottom towel on a plate in the sunlight. Continue to mist the sprouts as needed to prevent drying.

Tips & Warnings

• Store finished sprouts in the refrigerator and use within three or four days.
• Start a few tablespoons of seeds for sprouting every two or three days for a constant supply of fresh sprouts.