Soaking Seeds to grow Sprouts. DISASTER.

[flymouse]

Ok I used the following directions from somewhere. Geesh I thought I bookmarked it. It said to put about 2inches of seed in a seed sprouting jar. Rinse and drain 3 times. Then Soak for 4 hours. Rinse and Soak for 4 more hours.

Then Drain and rotate every 30 minutes. Well I went to bed before it was dry. Woke up to the most awful smell.

Did I do to many seeds. HELP please.

[Sally]

There are many ways to soak seeds. I use the Mike Fidler method, but you can use the same methods that are posted on many sites for sprouting seed for people. One friend puts some seed in a jar in the morning, rinses it well, and then when she gets home from work, she rinses it again. Next morning, she rinses it again. She is not rinsing every four hours, as she works, so I don't think you need to do this. The seed should have a fresh, nutty smell--anything that doesn't smell good should be tossed. A 5% bleach solution will help prevent seed going bad, as will many of the bird-save disinfectants such as Virkon-S, KD water cleanser, etc.

[cindy]

check out this page http://nixity.angelfire.com/sprouting.html

[lovezebs]

flymouse

I don't recall my sprouting seeds ever smelling really bad. They smell like seeds (sort of nutty, just like Sally said).

I put the seeds into a sieve or colander or whatever you call these things (with small holes, so that the seeds don't pass through). I wash the seeds under running water for a few minutes. Then I put the colander over a bowl. I fill the bowl with water, until the seeds are submerged. Several times a day, I dump the water from the bowl, rinse the seeds under running water, and repeat the process, until the seeds start cracking open and showing tiny white and green tips.

[xz_zebs]

I agree with Sally that you should toss anything that smells bad.

I soak my seed for ~8 hours with KD water cleanser. Then I rinse thoroughly and drain every ~8-12 hours until just sprouted. It's come out perfect every time. I use the Easy Sprouter, which may be a bit different from a jar though.

[slwatson]

flymouse

I've purchased sprouting seed, made containers for it, and plan on using Mike Fidler's method, (I think that's the one with the youtube video). I haven't been brave enough to try it yet though, so I think I'll do it this weekend.

[monotwine]

Sounds like your seeds went sour and probably had a nasty something in there. You can't necessarily do too many seeds. I sprout seeds by the kilo at a time.

Soak seeds for few hours (usually I do this overnight), rinse well, then soak for 15 min in a dilute bleach solution and drain off. A surface sterilization is all you should need for seeds to remain fresh. I don't like doing the initial soaking of the seed in bleach water as I worry it gets taken up by the seeds, however even if you do it does no harm to the birds.
There after I turn the seeds every now and then when I remember, just to keep the bottom ones out of the worst moisture build up. Usually I have sprouted seed within 2 days.

If your home is very warm, which contributes to seeds souring quickly you can soak etc and then leave the seeds to sprout in a cooler room or in the veggie rack in your fridge (though they will take far longer to sprout)

[monotwine]

ps if your sprouted seeds continue to sour, I'd check your seed supplier because you could have poor quality seeds.

[flymouse]

ok I now need to get the seeds out of the jar. I put them outside and scraped out what I could. Then left out to dry because I could NOT seem to get them all out.

The seeds I put in the jar to soak was the same seeds I feed them daily. A good mix like ladyGouldian told me to buy. I did add the skinny black seeds that says for finches that they WILL NOT EAT. I thought maybe they will sprout and like them. Can't think what they are called but they are like the ones you buy for wild bird feeders outside.

I read the article posted at angelfire site. It says not to grow seeds in pots of dirt. WHY? My birds love those.

Ok back to seed sprouting. Angelfire does not say if she rinses and adds more water back to them to soak or just tips jar at an angle and lets it drain. I'm still very confused. Ok going to watch the video by Mike Fidler method

[flymouse]

Ok decided I will just grab a new jar and put my sprout lid on it. AND I MIGHT HAVE figured out my problem.

See when I got my finches we bought finch bird seed in a bag. Well Lorraine told me they need a better mix and there was to many white seeds. Well I have 2 bags of this other stuff. I grew up that you do not waste stuff.


SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO when I mixed up my seed mix i also added a table spoon of this bird seed from the bag. Well inside this is little pellets. I think that is what turned nasty and soured. I forgot they were in there. DUH i'm blond and 54 so give me a little break on the stupidity level. LOL.

So only a 1/4 cup of GOOOOOOOD seed in sprout jar now. Going to rinse and soak after watchin the video.

[debbie276]

Those little black seed (niger or thistle) will not sprout either, they are sterilized so not to sprout.

[cindy]

pull your pellets out of the bag before soaking... most birds will not eat the pellets that are premixed in bag foods anyway... most of those are hard or to big depending on the brand. Try a good plain seed mix to sprout, check the expirations on the bags also. A good seed mix if fresh can last up to 3 yrs if stored properly. Another to try is a pigeon mix... once sprouted they will eat the sprout not the seed. Mung beans work are good to.

Try Sprout People for various seeds to sprout... plain white millet, rye, wheat grass is good.

[monotwine]

least you found the cause for the souring. Try again and you should have grand success.
The only reason you need to soak the seeds is to allow them to take water up (trigger for germination). There after you need to surface sterilize so you don't have fungal growth which also likes the environment that germinating seeds like.
Warm, moist and no direct sunlight.

The reason they don't recommend seeds sown in dirt is that dirt often contains a myriad of diseases / stages of diseases e.g. coccidiosis, parasites etc. Also the sprouted seeds are most nutritious when the seed is pipping, just having the radical (young root) emerging. As soon as the sprouts have stems etc they have less nutritional value to them.
SO grown in the ground and the birds will be chewing nice green shoots, but it won't offer as much to them as sprouted seed. No harm in giving them variety though.
If you want to sprout seeds to allow them to help themselves to leafy green you can sow your seeds in peat washed through with boiling water prior to sowing seed.

[monotwine]

OR sow seeds and add a layer of sterilized pea gravel over the top of the soil.

With all that said. My birds live on washed river sand in my aviary. I just sterilize it every now and then and have a good preventative regime for pests.

[flymouse]

flymouse

I've purchased sprouting seed, made containers for it, and plan on using Mike Fidler's method, (I think that's the one with the youtube video). I haven't been brave enough to try it yet though, so I think I'll do it this weekend.

Did you try this yet? I have done it 3 times and have decided the smell now is what it should be. Still don't smell sweet, but they like it. BUT it don't seem to grown to many little white tails. And I am not sure how to put it in fridge. Am I suppose to cover it or not. So far it is on my counter and I just stir it and have another set that is on counter dried out. I have been giving them that one and they like it.