I planted three Jap pumpkin vines in the middle of November. They’re six metres long with numerous sideshoots, are escaping up a tree and over the fence, and they finally have fruit. The first is three weeks old and huge already (notwithstanding taste tests by the local possums):
And the second has just appeared:
The ultimate saving in space and funds is the growing of sprouts. Start with one, such as alfalfa, and have fresh, crisp sprouts for sandwiches and salads. A tablespoon of seeds will provide you with cups of sprouts within three to five days.
How to Grow Sprouts at Home
This is the lazy person’s method for growing sprouts - and how I grow them in my own kitchen.
To make your sprouts, simply put the seeds in a large jar, the mouth of the jar covered with cheesecloth. Cover the seeds with water and leave overnight. Tip out the water and roll the jar around a bit to coat the sides of the jar.
Each day after that, rinse the sprouts and put them back. When they are a few centimetres long and look like edible sprouts, rinse as usual and drain the sprouts very well. Then just replace the cheesecloth with plastic wrap, and put your jar of sprouts into the fridge.
Types of Sprouts
Alfalfa
These are really economical to grow. A bag of nearly half a kilo of alfalfa seeds are less than five dollars from Eden Seeds, and that will keep you in salad and sandwich sprouts for months on end for the cost of two packets from the fruit shop. One tablespoon of seeds becomes more than a cup of sprouts, and they keep in the fridge well.
Other Types
There are plenty of other seeds you can sprout in your kitchen in a similar way: mung beans, soy beans, sunflower seeds, wheat. It depends on your taste and how keen you are; my own next project is going to be growing mung beans from seed to make my own beansprouts.