Sprouted Seeds

williep · Post by **williep** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 5:01 am

Maybe I'm sprouting seeds the wrong way, but when I use the method supplied on FIC I end up with 1000000 sprouted seeds stuck to the wet paper towel and no way to separate it.

I have resorted to my older less successful method of using a wet sheet of printer paper. This alleviates the stick-to-the-paper problem but doesn't produce as many sprouted seed.

Is there another way of doing this or am I just wetting my paper towels the wrong way (which would make me feel pretty stupid) but that’s how we learn.

TammyS · Post by **TammyS** » Mon Feb 18, 2008 11:20 am

For the past 4 years I have been using a a seed sprouter. With the seed sprouter, I don't have any problems with mold/fungi growth and I find it much easier to use than most of the suggested sprouting methods.

It also helps if you are using a seed mix that is designed to be sprouted.

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:15 pm

I always put my inside and old cleaned pair of panty hose, lol

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Tue Feb 19, 2008 4:18 pm

FF....panty hose!!!? Okay now you just gotta post a picture of that...you have peaked my curiosity!!

williep · Post by **williep** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 1:40 am

Seed sprouter, I didn't even know there was such a thing!

Do u have a link or pic of where i might see one.

As for the panty hose, I'm with FH I have to see this.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 7:36 am

williep....I was looking up seed sprouters on the Internet and there sure are a lot of makes and models of them. And quite a price range too! Anywhere from $90.00 to $12.00....so I guess it takes some research...but the PantyHose idea sound the cheapest to me so far!

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Wed Feb 20, 2008 9:51 pm

There's no need to try and make seeds sprout...if your like me you have grass shoots all over the garden that wont die out. I pick out a few every now and then for my finches.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:39 am

Ummmm....HillJack....being I live in MN with minus temps right now I don't think I would find any grass shoots under all the snow and if I did they would be pretty well frozen!

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 6:06 pm

FH any easy way to get clean grass for the birds to have is get a planter of some sort with dirt that you baked in oven to kill anything bad.
Simply sprinkle some of your bird seed on top water it and wala in a week you will have yummie tender baby grass / seed sprouted goodness.

I do this fo rmy birds and the cats, Its fun to see 13 cats circled around grazing like cows. lol

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:28 pm

FF...thanks for the suggestion.

jonvill · Post by **jonvill** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:37 pm

You can use any old jar that is clean to soak the seeds till they get good and soaked for four to eight hours. Then you can use clean panty hose, plastic screening or any old kitchen seive that you buy at Target or any home store to rinse/drain the seed then you have to rinse/drain it every night and then again in the morning till the seeds sprout. If you miss a morning or night rinse then toss the seed and don't risk feeding it to your birds. I toss it outside and the wild birds love it! i forgot to mention, I use a rubberband on the lid of the jar to hold the screening material in place.

FeatherHarp · Post by **FeatherHarp** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 7:52 pm

Johnvill...that is good advice thanks.

I haven't sprouted anything but for the last 2 years I grew my own golden spray millet...it actually did very well in our Minnesota garden...although the sprays were much smaller than you can get in the stores...but they are just the right size for my birdies!

hilljack13 · Post by **hilljack13** » Thu Feb 21, 2008 11:34 pm

FeatherHarp wrote:Ummmm....HillJack....being I live in MN with minus temps right now I don't think I would find any grass shoots under all the snow and if I did they would be pretty well frozen!

Sunny in da south ... $\:D/$ $\:D/$

But we don't grow our deer as big as you guys

williep · Post by **williep** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 2:13 am

Jonvill, I'll definitely try your method and let you guys know how it went.

According to me sprouted seeds and grass from sprouted seeds is 2 different things.

A sprouted seed is about 3 - 5 days "old", meaning it just formed a root about 1" long. This I feed with my wet food. But I also noticed that the seeds that fall out of my feeding stations sometimes grow and the birds eat this as well.

FF do you feed this regularly to your birds (and cats LOL, that is so funny)?

Fancie Flight · Post by **Fancie Flight** » Fri Feb 22, 2008 3:38 am

I actually AVOID sprouted seed anymore because of the possability of bacteria which is so deadly to gouldians and finches.
I nightly toss them some of the young grass and they go nuts like they have NEVER had it before, the cats get it about twice a week, lol

I used to do soaked seeds ALOT and used 2 drops of bleach with each batch for bacteria purposes, the panty hose actually are better than glass because ya get beter air and easier to rinse, ya can tie the panty hose over the faucett and let it run as long as ya want.

I also had ALOT of birds die of UNKNOWN bacterial infections * I always did anecropsy* and all they can say is bacteria in gut, I stopped any moist food, egg food etc and have not had a bacteria death since that was 3 years ago,