There is a new podcast I’ve been listening to called Go Play in the Dirt. It shares information on health and nutrition topics you’ve probably heard about but don’t quite understand e.g., metabolic health, intuitive eating and thyroid support. The “Dirt” part comes in as a reminder of the foundational health role played by the gut microbiome and how playing in the dirt contributes to a healthy gut.
The host, Lauren Emerson, starts podcasts by asking her guests how they have been “playing in the dirt.” I envied her California guests who have been out puttering in their gardens all winter. Meanwhile, I’m itching to get my hands dirty as I look out the window at my frost-bound, snowed-in garden.
So I loved a recent email from Jean, one of our community readers who lives high in the foothills and must really be itching to get into her garden. She has taken to “gardening” inside.
Meanwhile, I remembered that March is the time when I start sprouting. For most of the year I have greens from my garden or freezer. But by this time, there’s nothing fresh outdoors and the freezer is almost bare, so sprouts are an easy option for something fresh and green.
First, Indoor Gardening You might have seen articles on this handy hack. Here’s what Jean wrote about her little “garden:” “Putting my carrot and beet tops and celery bottom in jars with tooth picks. The beets grow new greens and the carrots should root. I have been saving the center portions of my onions that started sprouting. They grew new roots and made a pot of scallions.”
Although I have tried this idea in the past, I wasn’t quite as successful as Jean. My root tops seemed to rot before growing many greens. I’m guessing that the toothpicks might help and also, Jean suggested changing the water at least weekly and adding water as needed. And the nice light in her windowsill probably encouraged more growth. I kept mine in a darker corner of the kitchen. I’m inspired to try again!
Now for Sprouting When I started composting, I tried very hard to follow all the guidelines in my composting manual, getting quite baffled and flustered by all the ratios and types of materials. But then, near the end of the manual I found welcome reassurance. “Compost happens,” it said. In other words, composting is a natural process that happens regardless of what we do or don’t do (although we can certainly improve the process with more attention.)
I keep this notion in mind when sprouting. I used to read and re-read my instruction pamphlets and worry about following them exactly. It made the process very stressful and almost made me quit.
The wonderful thing about seeds, however, is that they contain everything that’s needed to sprout. We don’t really need to worry so much. I mostly just focus on keeping them moist and drained and sprouts happen. Once you can do that much, then you can start incorporating some of the finer points in articles like How to Sprout Seeds in a Jar. Following are a few additional finer points I’ve discovered.
Need Supplies? I like buying from smaller companies, like this one that offers a sprouting lid that doubles as a draining stand. And this one for seeds.
Want to Know More? Up-Level Your Gardening Game with Sprouting is an informative background article on sprouting, why it’s beneficial and recipes for your sprouts. In line with this post, the author encourages us to think of sprouting as “gardening’s easy-going cousin.”
BTW, I’ll be using the sprouts in the last picture tomorrow in my breakfast scramble with red peppers frozen from summer.