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We'll be adding to these questions as time permits. If you
have other questions, please email us.
Send us a message:
Frequently Asked Questions
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I'm new to sprouting. What's the easiest
sprout to start with.
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I want to know more about the nutritional
benefits of sprouts. where can I find out about this.
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I'm ordering from you by (Canada Post)(US
mail), and I would like to know when to
expect my order. How long does it take?
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I'm growing radish (or broccoli, Broccoli
Brassica Blend, Spicy Lentil Crunch, etc.) sprouts, but the roots
are covered with fine white hair that looks like mould. Should
I throw them out?
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Is it necessary to
remove all, or most, of the hulls from my sprouts? Is there an easier
way than picking them off by hand?
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All your seeds are certified organic,
but I don't know what the scrambled alphabet initials of the
certification organizations stand for. What do OCIA, CCPB, etc.
stand for?
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I see you sell a tray sprouter called
the SproutMASTER. Is there any other way to sprout?
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I'd like to order a larger, more economical
amount of sprouting seeds, but I'm concerned that the seeds will
lose germination before I can use them all.
-
I recently read an on-line article by
a Dr. Weil that suggested legume sprouts might not be good for
me. Is this true?
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What's the difference between short
sprouts and shoots?
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I want to grow sunflower and pea shoots,
but I don't know where to get safe soil to grow them in.
-
What is the best way
to store finished sprouts? -
I've heard rumours
that Canola might not be good for me. Is that true? -
When is a sprout a
microgreen?
Q&A
I'm new to sprouting. What's the
easiest sprout to start with.
Most of them are really easy. Perhaps the easiest is a mix like
Spicy Lentil Crunch or Bean Mix. They're ready in just 3 days,
and very trouble free. Red clover or alfalfa are also easy to
grow.
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I want to know more about the
nutritional benefits of sprouts. Where can I find out about this.
Nutrition of sprouts is an exciting area. There is basic
information (on some sprouts) in a searchable scientific format
available from the USDA
here.
The International Sprout Growers Association has some good information
on
it's site.
Exciting new information is being released all the time, as scientists
continue to study the health benefits of this ancient food. A good
example is the recent discovery of the link between
broccoli and some other brassica sprouts and cancer prevention.
This is a link to an abstract on an article from the Annual Review
of Nutrition on the role alfalfa sprouts may play in "prevention of
menopausal symptoms, osteoporosis, cancer, and heart
disease."
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I'm ordering from you by US
Mail, and I would like to know when to expect my order. How long
does it take?
US Mail parcels from Canada are rather erratic, as they can get
held in customs occasionally. They always seem to get to our
customers, but the minimum time is about 6 days in transit, and
they can be as late as 3 weeks. We try to ship orders in less
than 2 business days, but occasionally we will be backlogged.
Check our home page for such notices.
There is the option of Express mail on our US web store. It's quite
cost effective for smaller orders, and takes 5 to 10 days.
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I'm ordering from you by Canada
Post, and I would like to know when to expect my order. How long
does it take?
Canada Post is pretty efficient. You can expect transit times
from 3 to 6 days, though some busy seasons for mail could be
slower. We try to ship orders in less than 2 business days, but
occasionally we will be backlogged. Check our home
page for such notices.
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I'm growing radish sprouts, but
the roots are covered with fine white hair that looks like mould.
Should I throw them out?
Your radish sprouts are just fine. Radish and some other related plants
will send out fine white root hairs searching for moisture if
conditions are a little dry. Try watering a little more. If you
see green or black fuzz though, discard that area with a good
margin around it.
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Is it necessary to remove all, or most, of
the hulls from my sprouts? Is there an easier way than picking them off
by hand?
There
is absolutely no problem with leaving the hulls, other than looks. They
just add fibre.
A
good way to remove most of the hulls
easily is to stir the finished sprouts in a large sink of cool water,
then skim off the hulls and lift out the sprouts with some rinsing. This
works for most other sprouts too.
If the sprouts are going to be in
the fridge a long time, removing most of the hulls will improve keeping
quality. Drain the sprouts well before storing (a salad spinner is a
quick way to do this).
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All your seeds are certified organic,
but I don't know what the scrambled alphabet initials of the
certification organizations stand for. What do OCIA, CCPB, etc.
stand for?
OCIA stands for Organic Crop Improvement Association. It's
an international organization that runs the certification program
for hundreds of farms, worldwide. The website is www.ocia.org.
CCPB (Consorzio per il Controllo dei Prodotti Biologici) is
an organization based in Italy, that certifies Italian farms
and processors. The website is http://www.ccpb.it/ (in Italian).
Both are accredited by IFOAM (International Federation of
Organic Agriculture Movements), which is a group that oversees
the credibility of many organic certification organizations.
The website is www.ifoam.org
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I see you sell a tray sprouter
called the SproutMASTER. Is there any other way to sprout?
A glass or plastic jar, a rubber band, and a piece of netting
are all you need. See our home sprouting
directions .
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I'd like to order a larger,
more economical amount of sprouting seeds, but I'm concerned
that the seeds will lose germination before I can use them all.
Sprouting seeds are very durable, as long as they are kept cool
and dry. Most seeds will keep for years. We have a sample of
alfalfa seed, stored at room temperature, that was grown here
in 1981. Germination was originally 94%, and on last test in
1999, it was still 89%. Not premium seed any more, but it would
still be sproutable in a pinch. Some seeds like onion and leek,
and perhaps sunflower, are more delicate, with a life of about
a year at room temperature. This time can be greatly extended,
though, if you can keep the seed in a moisture proof container
in a freezer or refrigerator. Freezing is a good idea for any
of the more expensive seeds that you won't be able to use in
a few months.
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I recently read an on-line article by
a Dr. Weil that suggested legume sprouts might not be good for
me. Is this true?
This is a bit of mis-information from Dr. Weil. You can
read a very good and well researched article in the Vegetarian Journal. This article
explains why you should eat sprouted legumes. I'm not
sure why Dr. Weil is on this hobbyhorse, but it probably did
get him some attention and publicity.
Personally, I think that most foods contain a balance of toxins
and helpful substances. The way to avoid any harm from the toxins
is to eat a well balanced assortment of foods.
We eat lots of legume sprouts. I like them, and feel they add
far more in good nutrients and phytochemicals to my diet than
any very minor toxins they might carry.
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What's the difference between
short sprouts and shoots?
This usually refers to large seeds like peas. They can be sprouted
for two or three days until the sprout is about .5cm (1/4")
long, or they can be grown in soil or water until they grow 3
to 6 inch tall shoots. The taste and uses are quite different.
Short sprouts can be eaten out of hand, added to salads, or cooked.
Shoots are eaten as snacks, used as garnishes, or added to sandwiches,
etc.
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I want to grow sunflower and pea
shoots, but I don't know where to get safe soil to grow them
in.
You don't need soil to grow sunflower and pea shoots, or buckwheat
lettuce and grain grass crops for that matter. Just grow in a
tray type sprouter, watering well twice a day.
If you do want to use soil, make sure it's free of pesticides
or artificial fertilizer. Some smaller seeded plants do seem
to do slightly better when grown with soil.
NEW - We now carry Baby Blanket, a natural
felted mat, that can replace soil as a substrate for seeds. In
combination with Seaspray natural kelp fertilizer, you can have
the advantages of soil sprouting without the mess.
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What is the best way to store finished
sprouts?
Like any nutritious food, always store sprouts cool, in the
refrigerator.
Make sure your sprouts have some time to air dry after the last rinsing,
before storage.
Most plastic storage containers will work well for storing sprouts,
especially if you can leave a small crack under the lid for excess
moisture to evaporate. Plastic bags don't work as well because it's
difficult to leave a small opening. For really long term storage you can
put some paper towel or other absorbent material on the bottom. Excess
moisture is the biggest enemy of stored sprouts.
The SproutMASTER sprouters, and some other tray types, come with a top
and bottom and can be used as a crisper in the fridge, if the sprouts
aren't taller than the tray. You can allow jars to drain well after the
last rinsing, then cover loosely with poly and store directly in the
fridge.
Store up to 10 days or longer, but discard if any signs of mould, bad
smells, or deteriorated sprouts show up.
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I've heard rumours that Canola might not
be good for me. Is that true?
Some history:
The ancestor of modern canola is rapeseed, a traditional oilseed crop in
Europe. Rapeseed had some problems with oil quality, so in the 50's and
60's Canadian researchers used traditional plant breeding methods to
develop a new strain of rapeseed called Canola. Canola yielded a
healthier oil.
In the 80's we tried Canola as a sprouting seed, and really liked it.
We've been sprouting it since then.
The unfortunate complication is that in the 90's Monsanto Corporation
released genetically modified canola with a tolerance to Roundup
herbicide on the Canadian prairies. This Canola quickly became a weed on
conventional farms, and crossed with some non-GM canola.
At the present time, we are still able to buy Certified Organic organic
canola from fringe areas where GM canola has been grown very little. All
our canola has been tested for the presence of the Roundup Ready or
Liberty Link characteristics, and found to be GMO free.
Bottom line - Canola sprouts, from our seeds, are healthy, nutritious,
and delicious.
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When is a
sprout a microgreen?
Microgreens is a new and trendy name for sprouts farther on their
way to becoming plants. Usually they are grown for a longer time than
sprouts, 10 to 15 days. They may be grown with water or with Baby
Blanket, soil substitute, or soil. For examples see our directions for
pea shoots and
sunflower shoots.
Some seeds that can be used for microgreen growing:
Amaranth, arugula, basil, broccoli, broccoli raab, buckwheat, cabbage,
cress, garlic chives, kale, mizuna, onion, peas( shoot types),
popcorn, daikon radish, sunflowers.
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