Pics Added: Fun Fast seed/bean sprouting...

[Melaine]

I learned this in middle school and did it with the girls this week. They loved doing it and run to see the sprouts each day, yelling, "It's GROWING!" All you do is cut a a 2 liter bottle in half across the middle (remove the label first). Throw out the lid, then flip the top over and put it inside the bottom. Then you thread a paper towel down the top, into the bottom, and crumple several paper towels into the top part. Then you pour a little water into the bottom so the threaded paper towel can suck up the water into the top. Then just put seeds (we used lots of different beans from a bag of bean soup mix) in between the bottle and the paper towels so that you can easily see them. I'm thinking this doesn't make a lot of sense, so I will try to post a picture. Anyway, the paper towels draw up the water to keep the beans moist and they sprout really quickly (like 1-2 days later). We started them on Monday and they have grown a LOT. They are really tall already. We'll transfer them later to a pot or something.

[mom2224]

I've been wanting to do this with DS! If you have time, a picture would help this Momma figure it out. TIA!


THANKS for the pictures Melanie. I just drank the last of a 2 liter to purposely have an empty bottle! DS is going to love it.

[anamika]

I do this almost every week because I cook a lot with the sprouts. It is fun for DD - she calls the sprouts the "nose" of the bean.
I am lazy - I just soak them for a day and line a plate with a paper towel, drain the beans and put them on the plate. Then put them someplace warm (like the top of the heater). I sometimes forget them for a couple of days and the noses grow really big!

[MamaMolly]

Oooh, I think my DD would LOVE this. Thanks! Please post a photo! I think I've followed your post but I'm not entirely sure where the beans go. Are they sandwiched between the top part of the bottle, the paper towels, and the bottom part?

[Melaine]

Hopefully these photos show up and are clear. The beans/seeds should be sandwiched in between the paper towel and the plastic, in the upside down top part of the bottle.

[Melaine]

Oh and it is preferable to spread them out arounnd the bottle (obviously) but I let the 2 year olds place them at random, so they are sort of clumped together. I should probably separate them or the roots will all tangle up, I guess.
Anyway, I hope you guys are able to try this, it is fun!

[Melaine]

Originally Posted by sriniu

I do this almost every week because I cook a lot with the sprouts. It is fun for DD - she calls the sprouts the "nose" of the bean.
I am lazy - I just soak them for a day and line a plate with a paper towel, drain the beans and put them on the plate. Then put them someplace warm (like the top of the heater). I sometimes forget them for a couple of days and the noses grow really big!

Any tips on cooking these up? I didn't realize that you could do that....

[almostamom]

Thank you for posting the pictures. I think we'll be giving this a try this week! It looks like fun!

Linda

[MamaMolly]

Thanks for the photos, that looks like so much fun!! I think I might take the seedlings and plant them outside once it warms up a bit, too.

[baymom]

Thanks for posting the photos! It looks like such a great project--I can't wait to try it with my kiddos with week!