Description
Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds
4-6 Days. Medicago sativa. High Germination. Organic. Non-GMO. An ancient field crop that has continued to shine in this modern era, organic alfalfa has since become arguably the most popular sprouting seed on the planet. Found in nearly any restaurant, deli, or grocery store, organic alfalfa sprouts are one of the most delicious and diverse varieties of seed sprouts available. Whether sprouting at home or for commercial use, non-GMO organic alfalfa sprout seeds are simple to grow, full of raw vitamins and nutrients, and ready to harvest in just 5-6 days.
Growing Non-GMO Organic Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds
Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds
Alfalfa is one of the most reliable and effortless sprouting seeds and its worldwide success has helped introduce sprouting to a new generation. Technically a legume, alfalfa is best treated as a salad sprout because of its similar growth habits to broccoli, cabbage, and radish. Alfalfa seed is small, soft-shelled, and only requires a quick 4-6 hour soak. Like salad sprouts, keep alfalfa away from light until the final 12-24 hours before harvest.
How to Sprout Organic Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds
Alfalfa is one of the cleanest and most hygienic sprouting seeds, only requiring 2-3 daily rinses while keeping sprouts protected from light. Rinse thoroughly with cold water to keep sprouts free of organic decomposition and metabolic waste from sprouting. Although seeding rate may seem light, alfalfa sprouts will expand in about 6 days, quickly filling the tray or jar to capacity. In the final 12-24 hours of sprouting, allow alfalfa lighting to develop green chlorophyll. Sprouts may grow entirely in the dark for sweeter, white alfalfa sprouts.
- Sprouting Tray: Sprouting trays conveniently stack on the kitchen counter, providing a wide and shallow all-in-one place for seeds to soak, rinse, drain, germinate, and grow. Except for true mucilaginous seeds like chia, flax, and arugula, sprouting trays are the preferred method for nearly every type of seed.
- Sprouting Jar: Sprouting jars are the most popular and appealing method today for compact and portable 2-6 day sprouts. At home, work, or on the road, jars provide a decorative all-in-one place for seeds to soak, rinse, drain, germinate, and grow.
Harvesting Organic Alfalfa Sprouts
Nearly identical to its legume relative clover in flavor, appearance, and days to harvest, alfalfa is one of the sweetest and mildest sprouts. Like clover in both subtlety and sweetness, alfalfa also boasts a kick of chlorophyll that adds a welcomed touch of wheatgrass. Alfalfa is clean and fragrant, not requiring much rinsing before serving. Alfalfa sprouts are best harvested 2-3” long or at about 5-6 days with or without chlorophyll production.
Alfalfa Sprouting Seeds
Medicago sativa, or more commonly known as alfalfa, is an ancient legume and one of the most diverse crops ever domesticated. First believed to have been cultivated in Iran thousands of years ago, alfalfa seeds have been traditionally sown exclusively as a foraging crop for livestock feed and fodder. Only recently though has non-GMO organic alfalfa been celebrated as a beneficial cover crop legume, grown among commercial farms and home gardens for its ability to replenish depleted soils with atmospheric nitrogen, then tilled back into the soil as an all-natural and organic “green manure” garden mulch. And even more recently has the alfalfa seed been elevated for worldwide human consumption. It may have taken millennia, but organic alfalfa seeds have worked their way out of the farm and field and into many international gourmet delicacies.