Sprouting Made Easy

JerseyWendy

New member
Jul 20, 2012
20,995
24
We often receive questions on how to sprout, and if it's difficult to do.

Short answer: It's super easy, and HIGHLY nutritious. :D

I used a super cheap seed mix for the photos below. You can buy seed mixes at your local pet shop, or online. Let your imagination run wild and have some fun with it.

Here are a few online places:
https://sproutpeople.org/just-for-pets/bird-seed-mixes/
A-HIG32272 Higgins Sunburst Soak and Sprout 3 oz - HIGGINS
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0055ZB0KO?keywords=sprout%20mix&qid=1443967522&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4"]The Sprout House Certified Organic Non-gmo Sprouting Seeds Holly's Mix - Mung, Adzuki, Green Pea, Red Lentil, French Lentil, Green Lentil 1 Pound: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet Food[/ame]


I start off with pouring the desired amount of seeds/sprouting mix into a SS strainer that will fit into a bowl filled with water, and add a few drops of pure lemon juice. (Some people use GSE GSE01000 Grapefruit Seed Extract Liquid Concentrate 2 oz. - VITAMINS/HEALTH AIDS instead)

Sprouting%20003.jpg


Sprouting%20004.jpg


(I use the empty Blueberry Container to keep my sprouts in once they have sprouted, and place them in the vegetable section in my fridge).

Soak the seeds/sprout mix overnight at room temperature. The entire sprouting process is done at room temperature.

The next morning simply lift the strainer with the seed mix out of the water and rinse gently but thoroughly.

Do NOT submerge them in water again.

Rinse several times throughout the day. The important thing is not to let them dry out.

After only a couple of days you will see the seeds have plumped, and some may have began sprouting already.

Sprouting%20008.jpg


Continue rinsing, until all (or most...because not all will) have sprouted.

Sprouting%20010.jpg


Sprouts WILL continue to grow very slowly, even once they've been refrigerated. And they don't keep very long either. I make enough so that my fids can enjoy them for 3 days at the most. If you detect an unpleasant odor, discard them.

Sprouting%20007.jpg


Sprouting%20011.jpg
 

Allee

Well-known member
Oct 27, 2013
16,852
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2
212
Texas
Parrots
U2-Poppy(Poppy lives with her new mommy, Misty now) CAG-Jack, YNA, Bingo, Budgie-Piper, Cockatiel-Sweet Pea Quakers-Harry, Sammy, Wilson ***Zeke (quaker) Twinkle (budgie) forever in our hearts
Thank you for posting the links, photos and easy to follow instructions, Wendy, and a very special Thank You to Hunter for demonstrating how irrisistable a fresh bowl of sprouts are to a parrot.
 

Anansi

Moderator
Staff member
Super Moderator
Dec 18, 2013
22,301
4,211
Somerset,NJ
Parrots
Maya (Female Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Jolly (Male Solomon Island eclectus parrot), Bixby (Male, red-sided eclectus. RIP), Suzie (Male cockatiel. RIP)
Great thread, Wendy!!! Easy to follow instructions, great pics and extremely helpful links.
 

ChrisWink

Member
Sep 7, 2015
86
Media
3
8
Pennsylvania
Parrots
Echo ~ TAG DNA male

Jasper ~ U2 DNA male
Never thought of using a seed mix from the pet store. My next adventure will be doing so thanks!
 

Aquila

New member
Nov 19, 2012
1,225
1
Philadelphia
Parrots
Sydney - Blue Front Amazon
Gonzo - Congo African Grey
Willow - Cockatiel
RIP:
Snowy, Ivy, Kiwi, Ghost - Parakeets
Berry - Cinnamon GCC
I actually finally had some luck sprouting after reading this. I chose grains and seeds and had luck the next day. Going to just do some pumpkin seeds separately since they seem to take a bit longer but I was surprised that it worked!

I used a mason jar with cheesecloth under the ring instead of the top since my strainer wasn't fine enough for the quinoa, though it still got kind of stuck in the cheesecloth.
 

The_Jungle_Nest

New member
Jul 31, 2018
3
0
Michigan
Parrots
Blue front/yellow shoulder hybrid amazon
Parakeets
We often receive questions on how to sprout, and if it's difficult to do.

Short answer: It's super easy, and HIGHLY nutritious. :D

I used a super cheap seed mix for the photos below. You can buy seed mixes at your local pet shop, or online. Let your imagination run wild and have some fun with it.

Here are a few online places:
https://sproutpeople.org/just-for-pets/bird-seed-mixes/
A-HIG32272 Higgins Sunburst Soak and Sprout 3 oz - HIGGINS
The Sprout House Certified Organic Non-gmo Sprouting Seeds Holly's Mix - Mung, Adzuki, Green Pea, Red Lentil, French Lentil, Green Lentil 1 Pound: Amazon.com: Grocery & Gourmet Food


I start off with pouring the desired amount of seeds/sprouting mix into a SS strainer that will fit into a bowl filled with water, and add a few drops of pure lemon juice. (Some people use GSE GSE01000 Grapefruit Seed Extract Liquid Concentrate 2 oz. - VITAMINS/HEALTH AIDS instead)

Sprouting%20003.jpg


Sprouting%20004.jpg


(I use the empty Blueberry Container to keep my sprouts in once they have sprouted, and place them in the vegetable section in my fridge).

Soak the seeds/sprout mix overnight at room temperature. The entire sprouting process is done at room temperature.

The next morning simply lift the strainer with the seed mix out of the water and rinse gently but thoroughly.

Do NOT submerge them in water again.

Rinse several times throughout the day. The important thing is not to let them dry out.

After only a couple of days you will see the seeds have plumped, and some may have began sprouting already.

Sprouting%20008.jpg


Continue rinsing, until all (or most...because not all will) have sprouted.

Sprouting%20010.jpg


Sprouts WILL continue to grow very slowly, even once they've been refrigerated. And they don't keep very long either. I make enough so that my fids can enjoy them for 3 days at the most. If you detect an unpleasant odor, discard them.

Sprouting%20007.jpg


Sprouting%20011.jpg

I'm curious, as I'm looking through all of "Sprout House" sprouting mixes on Amazon. com... would all of them be OKAY for the fids? I'd like to purchase a variety but want to make sure I do not unintentionally get something they're not supposed to have! Thanks in advance! :green:
 

ChristaNL

Banned
Banned
May 23, 2018
3,559
157
NL= the Netherlands, Europe
Parrots
Sunny a female B&G macaw;
Japie (m) & Appie (f), both are congo african grey;
All are rescues- had to leave their previous homes for 'reasons', are still in contact with them :)
Never thought of using a seed mix from the pet store. My next adventure will be doing so thanks!


LOL- the "will it sprout-test" is THE go-to test to see if the seeds in your batch are fresh or old (some seeds can be 5 years old when finally sold).
If after soaking (at least 6 hours) and 3 days nothing is sprouting (at a comfortable roomtemperature) that batch belongs in the garbage- too old, so no health benefits (vitamins deteriorate, oils get rancid) for the parrots at all.
 

itzjbean

Well-known member
Jan 27, 2017
2,572
Media
4
119
Iowa, USA
Parrots
2 cockatiels
Never thought of using a seed mix from the pet store. My next adventure will be doing so thanks!


LOL- the "will it sprout-test" is THE go-to test to see if the seeds in your batch are fresh or old (some seeds can be 5 years old when finally sold).
If after soaking (at least 6 hours) and 3 days nothing is sprouting (at a comfortable roomtemperature) that batch belongs in the garbage- too old, so no health benefits (vitamins deteriorate, oils get rancid) for the parrots at all.

I'll agree with you here. It's important to find a quality mix... I use Volkman's seed mix for cockatiels and it's something I cannot find at my pet store. Most of the pet store seed mixes are not going to be quality mixes.
 

PenClem

New member
Oct 15, 2018
89
Media
2
3
Texas
Parrots
Penelope & Clementine (Peach-faced Lovebirds); RIP Dewey (Budgie)
I just started sprouting some Top's seed and have been rinsing 3 x day x 2 days. Today is the 3rd day. Some have sprouted. Most have not.

What does the lemon juice do for the sprouts? Is it necessary? When do I use it?

What do I do now? When do I start feeding the sprouted seed? How do I serve it?

I'm learning so much about sprouting seeds that all of the conflicting info is a bit overwhelming.
 

Flboy

Well-known member
Dec 28, 2014
12,598
4,101
Greater Orlando area, Florida
Parrots
JoJo, 'Special' GCC, Bongo, Cinnamon GCC(wife's)
I just started sprouting some Top's seed and have been rinsing 3 x day x 2 days. Today is the 3rd day. Some have sprouted. Most have not.
I also use TOPS, both Napoleon, and all in one! That is the way they sprout! Some do, some don’t!

What does the lemon juice do for the sprouts? Is it necessary? When do I use it?
The lemon juice is to keep baddies, mold, bacteria out, you use during the rise times. You can do a final rinse now!
What do I do now? When do I start feeding the sprouted seed? How do I serve it?

You can serve now, make very sure there is no funky odor, old sock, sour, etc!
I dry out my sprouts to stabilize them, and make it a bit easier on myself! I just place them in a food bowl, if serving wet, fresh, never more than a couple hours!
.......
I'm learning so much about sprouting seeds that all of the conflicting info is a bit overwhelming.
 

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