Red cabbage sprouts have been touted as the latest superfood by Dr Mercola. With forty times more vitamin C than the mature plant, red cabbage sprouts and microgreens pack a nutritional punch.
Not only are these sprouts super good for you, but they have beautiful, deep reddish, purple colours and a sweet cabbage flavour.
You can grow red cabbage as microgreens in soil, or grow them in a sprouting jar or tray. In this article, you’ll learn how to sprout these seeds with a sprouting jar.
YOU’LL NEED
- One litre glass sprouting jar.
- 1.5 tablespoons of non-GMO, non-hybrid and not chemically treated (preferably organic) seeds.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR SPROUTING RED CABBAGE SEEDS
- Rinse 1.5 tablespoons of seeds in cool water.
- Add seeds to your glass sprouting jar. Top up with water.
- Soak for 6-12 hours, depending on the climate. In warmer weather, it is best to soak for six hours.
- Drain the water from your seeds, using the sprouting lid (strainer) in your jar. Rinse with cool water for at least a few minutes.
- Place your jar upside down in a bowl or in a dish drainer, and leave to drain for 8-12 hours.
- Rinse well.
- Repeat the draining and rinsing process for 5-6 days until your cabbage seeds have sprouted.
- Your harvest will be approximately 1 cup of fresh, living sprouts.
TIPS AND TROUBLESHOOTING
- Rinse your sprouts well (at least a few minutes each time) to reduce the risk of mould. High humidity/temperatures are a common cause of mould.
- Discard your sprouts if they have visible signs of mould, or if they don’t look right. They will usually have a small web of root hairs, which is OK and normal. Mould will have black or brown spots.
- The ideal growing temperature is between 16-28 degrees Celsius.
- It is advisable to use the recommended amount of seeds, as too many seeds will lead to sprouts overcrowding, clumping and mould.
- Keep your sprouts out of direct sunlight. The best spot to grow your sprouts is on your kitchen bench.
- Store your sprouts in the fridge, in a breathable container. Rinse well with water every few days.
