Things you need to know before sprouting Dill:
We are not experts in regards to Dill. We are still experimenting with it once in a while, so our instructions may change in time, though these instructions do work well.
Dill is the exception to many "rules" of sprouting. Enjoy the experience!
Yields approximately 1 Cup (1/2 lb.) of Sprouts
Seed Prep
Measure out 1/4 Cup of seed*
Rinse your seeds to remove dust or plant debris.
Do NOT Soak Dill.
Sprouting
Put the seeds into your Sprouter.
Rinse thoroughly with cool (60-70°) water.
Drain thoroughly.
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.
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, but where the sprouter won't get knocked over by cats, dogs, kids or us.
We don't mind the indirect sunlight or the 150 watts of incandescent light, because light just does not matter much. These Sprouts will never have leaves, and a plant can only perform photosynthesis when it has leaves.
Until then light has little if any effect, so don't hide your sprouts. Plus, they like air-circulation. This will be more than enough light to when the time comes.
Rinse and Drain again in 24 hours.
Yup, once a day!
Rinse and Drain every 24 hours for 5 days.
After that it gets even weirder....
Rinse and Drain every 48 hours from here on.
You should start seeing roots by the 2nd of these every-other-day cycles (it takes 7-8 days, in our experience).
Greening
On, approximately the 12th day - relocate your sprouts if necessary.
If you've been keeping them away from light for some reason, move them. Avoid direct sun - it can cook your sprouts, if you are using an enclosed Sprouter. Indirect sunlight is best but virtually any light will do. Experiment -
you will be amazed at how little light sprouts require to green up. Photosynthesis is a marvel!
Remember: Continue to Rinse and Drain every 48 hours.
As long as you grow you have to keep the sprouts happy.
Finishing
Your sprouts will be done between days 14-16.
The majority of sprouts will have open leaves which will be green if you exposed them to light.
As always, we suggest that you taste your crop at EVERY Rinse - including the very first - just after the Soak period. The soaked seeds are already alive and super nutritious - and - they are without
enzyme inhibitors (a very good thing indeed!) so they'll digest themselves and nourish you. So taste them often and find out for yourself when they are most delicious! That's when they're done.
This is especially true with Dill. Its flavor changes dramatically over time. We find it very spicy early on. It becomes very dilly near the end.
Harvest
Your sprouts are done 8-12 hours after your final Rinse.
Be sure to Drain them as thoroughly as possible after that final Rinse.
The goal during the final 8-12 hours is to minimize the surface moisture of your sprouts - they will store best in your refrigerator if they are dry to the touch.
Refrigerate
Transfer your sprout crop to a plastic bag or the sealed container of your choice and put them in your refrigerator.
We offer Produce Storage Bags that will extend shelf life substantially.
Note: Dill can last in refrigeration for up to 2 weeks, but they are very fine sprouts. If you can use 'em fresher we think you'll like them better.
*Seed to Use
*You can sprout smaller amounts - which in this case is a good idea. Dill is an fairly expensive seed which produces an uncommon sprout - a sprout most have never had. We think it a good idea to try a small amount before committing a lot of seed. We run our tests with 1 Tablespoon, in an
Easy Sprout Sprouter.
These seeds will yield approximately 4:1 (you get 4 pounds for every pound of dry seed), so in theory you can start with 1/4 as much dry seed as your Sprouter has capacity.
We generally advise maxing out at 1/2 capacity, until you get used to growing a particular crop.
