Sprouts Meaning
To grow a sprout simply means to take a seed through its first stage of growth. Seeds germinate by swelling with water, and then they burst open, sending out a root to dig into the soil (AKA a radical) and a shoot to reach toward sunlight (AKA a cotyledon). Together, this initial root and shoot make up a sprout. Sprouts are typically pale because they have not yet begun photosynthesizing and producing chlorophyll, which is what gives them that nice green color.
If we wanted these little sprouts to continue growing into first microgreens and then a mature plant, we would need to give them soil, nutrients, and light (either sunlight or an artificial source). But we're just after sprouts. That means we don't need soil, fertilizer, or even light. We just need seeds and water.
(Read more on sprouts vs microgreens.)
Here's Why Everyone Should Try Growing Their Own Sprouts
If you were paying attention to how sprouts grow, you're probably thinking they sound really easy to try at home, even for brand-new gardeners—and you're right. Sprouts are incredibly easy to grow, and you only need a couple of supplies, plus some seeds and water. You can buy special sprouts jars or sprouts kits or use materials you already have at home.
Since you can grow sprouts indoors—I literally grow mine on my kitchen countertop next to my sink—you can have batches of sprouts going year round no matter where you live. Rain or shine, heatwave or snowstorm, it doesn't matter what the weather's doing. You can still have that garden-fresh flavor thanks to sprouts.
Plus, Sprouts Are So Good for You
When you eat a sprout, you're getting the initial nutrition of the seed. Basically, seeds aren't sure what the situation will be for the seedlings as they're getting established, so the seeds themselves store enough of the good stuff to get those seedlings started. Sprouts, as a broad term to cover many different varieties of plants you can grow for their initial stage, are a great source of vitamin K, calcium, potassium, magnesium, folate, and beta-carotene. Obviously, the amounts of each would vary based on which type of plant you're growing as a sprout.
The really cool thing is that all those nutrients would eventually be spread out through the parts of the plant: the leaves, the flowers, the fruit, and so on. You actually get more nutrition in each sprout than you would in the mature version of the plant. That's reason enough for me to throw some sprouts on my sandwiches and salads!
Shop our Alfalfa Sprout Seeds
Our 4-ounce bag of alfalfa sprout seeds is the perfect choice for health-conscious gardeners and sprout lovers. These high-quality seeds grow into nutrient-dense sprouts that are packed with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Alfalfa sprouts have a mild, fresh flavor, making them a versatile addition to salads, sandwiches, and wraps. Easy to grow at home in as little as 5-7 days, they offer a quick and convenient way to boost your daily nutrition with crisp, delicious sprouts. Non-GMO and perfect for home sprouting!
The Best Varieties of Seeds to Grow as Sprouts
Many people's first association with sprouts are mung beans, but the easiest seeds to use for sprouts are actually seeds for leafy greens and radishes. Any plant that you would typically see being grown for its leaves in a kitchen garden will likely do well as a sprout, as will things that grow very quickly from seed. So seeds for plants like radishes, arugula, and lettuce basically translate into the perfect seeds for growing sprouts at home.
Even though broccoli normally takes a long time to grow in your garden, broccoli seeds are easy and relatively quick to sprout. Growing broccoli sprouts is a great way to get all the nutrition of broccoli without giving up a lot of time or space in your raised beds.
You can also grow larger plants like peas and chickpeas and tons of other varieties, but if you're just getting started, I highly recommend simple greens and radishes.
A List of Common Sprouts
- alfalfa sprouts
- arugula sprouts
- beets sprouts
- broccoli sprouts
- cabbage sprouts
- cilantro sprouts
- dill sprouts
- fenugreek sprouts
- garbanzo bean sprouts
- kale sprouts
- kohlrabi sprouts
- lettuce sprouts
- mizuna sprouts
- mung bean sprouts
- mustard sprouts
- pak choi sprouts
- parsley sprouts
- radish sprouts
- red clover sprouts
- romaine sprouts
- spinach sprouts
- sunflower sprouts
- Swiss chard sprouts
- tendergreen sprouts
- turnip sprouts
Shop Our Broccoli Sprout Seeds
Experience the incredible health benefits of homegrown sprouts with our 4-ounce bag of broccoli sprout seeds. Known for their powerful concentration of sulforaphane, these sprouts are a superfood loaded with nutrients that support detoxification and overall wellbeing. With a slightly peppery flavor, broccoli sprouts add a nutritious crunch to salads, smoothies, and sandwiches. Easy to grow in just 5-7 days, these non-GMO seeds are ideal for anyone looking to add a fresh, flavorful, and nutrient-packed element to their diet.
Note:
Microgreens seeds can typically be grown as sprouts unless specifically marked as not intended for sprouting. All sprout seeds can be grown as microgreens or even planted out in the garden. Really, the only thing that distinguishes seeds for sprouts/microgreens is (one) the leaves and stems are safe to consume and (two) the seeds come in larger quantities.
Speaking of quantity, it's a good idea to buy in bulk since you'll need a lot of seeds to create every delicious leafy bite of sprouts for your sandwich or salad. Our Gardenary sprout seeds come in 4-ounce resealable packages. They're non-GMO and organic.
Shop Our Super Sprout System by Gardenary
Get all you need to start growing organic fresh sprouts at home right away. Follow along with Nicole's Step 1, Sprouts, from her bestselling book, Leaves, Roots & Fruit.
We will teach you how easy it is to grow your own healthy, organic sprouts in a matter of days! Each kit includes:
- Stainless steel sprout container
- Seed packs of our favorite sprouts (8)
- Nicole's Sprouting Course so you can follow along with us!
It's Sprouts Time!
If you're still weighing the best type of sprouts to eat, start with flavors that you know you enjoy. If you love the spice of a fresh radish, for example, try radish sprouts. They're super easy to grow (and very spicy!).
Or grab several different varieties of sprouts to try out, and you just might unlock flavors you've never tasted before. Plus, you're going to be adding so much nutrition to your plate with each little sprout you've grown yourself.
My goal this year is to start at least one tray of sprouts every week for the entirety of the year. I hope you'll join me!
