Compostable Sprouting Tray Set
These trays are our new Mini Micro-green Trays, just a tad smaller than our old micro-green trays, and perfect for Micro-Greens! These compostable trays are made of GMO-free corn by people on a mission (we love supporting other cool businesses) They're great for growing small crops of Micro-Greens and they are reusable. Each Tray comes with a Clear Cover, which is also compostable.
Using Compostable Trays is extremely simple. Just sprinkle small seeds on moist Hemp Felt pads and watch 'em grow! Well, there's a tiny bit more then that, but not much.
Not a big crop sprouter, but very fun and pretty darn cool as Sprouters go. Each Compostable Tray has room for 2 small crops. The growing area in each tray is 6 x 4 inches. Nifty!
Yields approximately 4 Cups (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts
Seed Prep
Measure out 2 Tablespoons of seed* (slightly heaping) into your Sprouter or a strainer.
Rinse your seeds to remove dust and debris.
Soak
Transfer your seeds into your Sprouter (if necessary), or to a bowl.
Mix seeds up as you slowly add water to assure even water contact for all.
Add 2-3 times as much cool (70-80°F) water.
Allow seeds to Soak for 4-12 hours.
Do Not Ever Soak Again. Soaking is done only this one time.
We start counting days at this point - when the Soak is done (post-Soak is the phrase we use).
A crop of Leafy Sprouts usually takes 6 days - from This point in time to harvest.
Sprouting
Empty the seeds into your Sprouter (if necessary).
Drain off the soak water.
You can use it - it has nutrients in it. We use it on house plants.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (70-80°F) water.
Drain thoroughly.
Draining Thoroughly (Maniacally even) is the key to great crops. The smaller the seed (all Leafy Sprouts are small seeds) the more thorough you must be. Do Not skimp on Rinsing - but focus seriously on Draining.
If you need to see what we mean by Thorough Draining - check out our videos.
Set your Sprouter anywhere out of direct sunlight and at room temperature (70° is optimal) between Rinses.
This is where your sprouts do their growing. We use a counter top - in the corner of our kitchen, where the sprouter won't get knocked over by cats, dogs, kids or us. Indirect sunlight is fine, as is your regular room light - because light just does not matter much in the first couple days.
A plant can only perform photosynthesis when it has leaves. Until a plant has leaves, light has little if any effect. Sprouts also happen to like air-circulation, so don't hide your sprouts. When leaves do appear, this will be plenty of light for them to green up. You can also use Grow Lights if you like.
Rinse and Drain again every 8-12 hours for 3 days.
Always be sure to Drain very thoroughly. The most common cause of inferior sprouts is inadequate drainage. Even the best designed Sprouting Device holds water, so pay special attention to this step.
Greening
On the 4th day (post soak) relocate your sprouts, if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light - move them. Avoid direct sun as it can cook your sprouts, unless you are growing in a Tray Sprouter - in which case direct sunlight is great. Indirect sunlight is best for non-tray Sprouters but grow lights work well too. Experiment - you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up. Photosynthesis is a marvel!
Continue to Rinse and Drain thoroughly every 8-12 hours.
Your last Rinse and Drain will be either at the end of day 5 or the start of day 6.
Always Drain Thoroughly.
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done about the end of day 6.
The majority of sprouts will have open leaves which will be green. You'll recognize them.
De-Hulling
Hulls are the thin coat on a seed. In most cases they separate themselves from the sprout. They are only a problem when it comes to the shelf life of your finished crop. We've eaten them for years and consider them extra roughage, but the crop looks better and lasts longer without them - so removing them is good.
You may De-Hull your sprouts at any time during day 5 or 6.
If you have a Salad Spinner - De-Hulling can be your last step. You can harvest and refrigerate them immediately after you finish.
You can also remove hulls prior to harvest...
If you are growing in a Jar - using the Coarse Mesh Screen will allow some hulls to float out through the screen while Rinsing. Repeating and agitating your sprouts will allow more hulls to escape.
If you're growing in an Easy Sprout Sprouter - transfer your sprouts to the Solid Base, fill with water, and agitate with a fork. This will help hulls get to the surface - where you can skim them off. When you've gotten all you can - move your sprouts back to the Growing Vessel, Rinse again, and Drain Thoroughly.
If you're growing in our Stainless Steel Sprouter you can get rid of most of the hulls by Rinsing Upside Down. Instead of writing words - let us direct you to our short video on the subject: Rinsing Leafy Sprouts Upside Down
Here is our video on De-Hulling.
Harvest
If you De-hulled with a salad spinner - you can go right to refrigeration. If not... Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final Rinse and Very Thorough Draining. If we minimize the surface moisture of our sprouts they store much better in refrigeration, so we let them sit for 8-12 hours after that final Maniacal Draining.
Storing Your Crop
Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice. We have Produce Storage Bags that can extend shelf life substantially.
Leafy Sprouts are best within a week of harvest, but we've had some crops last for over a month in the fridge.
Great work sprout farmer!
*Amount of Seed to Use
* If using Sproutpeople's Single Harvest Pack - use the whole bag (for a one-quart Sprouter). It will produce a crop of approximately 8 ounces.
These seeds yield approximately 7:1 - which means the sprouts will weigh 7 times as much as the seed you start with, but, they will increase even more in volume - so don't start with more than 2 (heaping) Tablespoons per quart/litre of sprouter capacity.
The height of simplicity - a Tray and Cover is made of corn (NON-GMO) by people on a mission. It is perfect for mini crops of gourmet Micro-Greens at home or even at the "office".
Compostable Trays are small and so, more for fun than for serious production. Each Tray also comes with a Clear Cover, which is also compostable. We also sell an inexpensive compostable planting medium called Hemp Felt - which you can buy, cut to size or in bulk (which is less expensive, of course). All together these make up an amazingly earth friendly, inexpensive way to grow Micro-Greens.
If you want to grow bigger crops of Micro-Greens you should also look at Sproutpeople's Hemp Bag and - if you want serious production - our selection of Trays - which can also be used with Hemp Felt or other Mediums.
The Compostable Tray's growing area measures 6 inches x 4 inches.
Capacity: Up to 4 teaspoons of dry seed per tray (depending on the seed/mix).
See the Seed's Detailed Instruction Page for specifics.
Eat More Sprouts + Grow More Often!
For Sprouting Instructions, click the name of the Seed or Mix you want to grow.
FOR USE WITH THESE SEEDS/CROPS
Seeds to Sprout
in the Compostable Tray
This Sprouting Device is made for just one thing!
The Perfect match for the Compostable Tray:
Micro-Greens - Any very small seed can be grown into a plant (when it buries it's roots in something (a medium) and we harvest the crop by cutting it just above the medium; we call it a plant). Here are a few of the seeds that you can use to grow Micro-Greens in a Compostable Tray:
Note: Some of these very small seeds form gel sacks around themselves when they come into contact with water. They are called Mucilaginous:
Cress, Arugula, Flax, Chia, Basil, Rape (Canola), Mizuna.....
The same goes for our fabulous Micro-Mix: Bruno's Indoor Garden.
Other small Non-Mucilaginous seeds which can be used in the Compostable Tray include but are not limited to:
Alfalfa, Clover, Mustard, Radish, Cabbage, Broccoli, Cauliflower, Turnip, Kohlrabi, Kale, Collards...
Impossible?:
Everything except small seeds that produce edible plants. Well - - you could grow Grass or Greens, so you could grow big seeds, but - they will have such massive root systems that they might outgrow the shallow Growing Trays. If you want to try big seeds - be sure to use Hemp Felt and remember - you'll be experimenting (which is the best way to learn).
Compostable Tray Assembly
Place a Hemp Felt (or similar water retaining medium) in the Tray(s) in which you will be growing.
Thoroughly moisten Hemp Felt
After planting seeds, snap Clear Cover onto Tray.
Notes
Cleaning: Between crops: Wash with soap and WARM (not hot) water. Rinse well!
Remember how inexpensive these are - and that they are compostable. When they stop working you should feel no guilt in replacing them.
