How to germinate seeds?

How to germinate seeds?

When consuming sprouted seeds, it is thus possible to benefit from the advantages of an excellent active and highly nutritious diet. But how do you germinate seeds?

I have been very interested in microgreens and herbs for some time. So here are my best tips and tricks for germinating seeds easily.

1. Rehydrate and soak the seeds

The first thing to do before the germination stage is to soak your seeds to rehydrate them and wake them up, bring them out of their dormancy.

1. Add 1 or 2 tablespoons of seeds to a jar or tall glass (the amount of seeds varies depending on the size of the jar).
2. Pour water into the jar to cover all the seeds well and cover it with a thin breathable fabric (muslin for example) and an elastic band.
3. Let the seeds soak overnight and then remove them with a strainer.

Once your seeds are out of their dormant state, you will be able to start germinating them.

2. Germinate seeds in cotton

One trick that works really well for germinating seeds quickly and easily is to germinate them in cotton.

1. Soak a thick cotton ball in water and place it on a large plate.
2. Arrange the seeds over the entire surface of the cotton and place another damp cotton on top.
3. Leave on until the seeds start to sprout and don’t forget to mist the cotton once in a while.
4. Then remove the cotton on top and continue to moisten until the roots of the sprouted seeds grow.

If the seeds do not germinate after 5-7 days in damp cotton, it is better to start over with new seeds.

3. Germinate seeds in water

A quick and easy trick is to germinate the seeds directly in water. Personally I prefer the cotton trick, but here is how to do this trick:

1. Add 1 tablespoon of seeds to a container filled with room temperature water.
2. Change the water daily and make sure the room temperature is around 19 or 20 ºC.
3. After 4 to 6 days white tips appear, wait until they reach approximately 4 mm and remove the sprouted seeds from the water.
4. Place the sprouted seeds in the ground and cover with a very thin layer of soil and keep the soil slightly moist.

After a few days, you will be able to consume your micro-shoots or even transplant and transplant your seedlings.

4. Tips and tricks to germinate seeds quickly

If you are looking for tips and tricks to germinate seeds faster and easier then here are some that should help you:

• The right water temperature: it is important to have water around 20 degrees, because too cold or too hot water will be harmful for the germination of seeds.
• The right room temperature: just like the water temperature it is important to maintain an ambient temperature of around 20 ºC in the room where you germinate the seeds.
• Always soak the seeds: regardless of the type of seeds to germinate, I recommend soaking. This technique as explained at the beginning of the article allows to activate the germination of the seeds.
• A special soil: if you choose to germinate your seeds directly in the ground, it is important to choose a soil specially designed for sowing.

5. What are the best seeds to germinate?

I had the pleasure of tasting many microgreens (sprouts) and personally I love the sprouted seeds of herbs and vegetables, because they are the tastiest!

Easy to grow, I recommend that you germinate these seeds as soon as possible:

• radish seeds
• broccoli seeds
• coriander seeds
• basil seeds
• beet seeds
• arugula seed

Of course, if you prefer, you can also germinate cereal seeds (wheat, oats or barley) or even legume seeds.