With spring just around the corner, it’s time to take stock of your seed stash and start planning for the coming garden season. Here in Colorado, we’ll reach 10 hours of daylight on January 25, which is enough sunlight to support photosynthesis and steady plant growth. Taking inventory now gives you time to order what you need so you’re ready to plant by Groundhog Day, the first day of spring on the Celtic calendar.

If you buy in bulk or trade seeds, you probably have baggies and envelopes with fuzzy dates. The last thing you want is to sow at the right time in ideal soil only to find your seeds are too old to sprout. Do yourself a favor and run germination tests now.

 TEST YOUR SEED VIABILITY

Start with at least 10 seeds from each packet; 20 is better. Space the seeds on a paper towel, fold the edges so they don’t fall out, then roll it up like a cigar. Label the towel with the seed variety with a pen, not a marker—you don’t want it bleeding through. 

Spritz the roll with water until it’s thoroughly moist and tuck it into a jar with a loose-fitting lid. Seeds need moisture and airflow to germinate, so something like an old Parmesan cheese shaker with the cap open works perfectly.

Keep the jar in a warm, dark place, such as on top of the water heater or in a cupboard. Sprinkle water on the paper towel as needed to keep it damp and check the seeds during their expected germination window, usually seven to 10 days. Count how many seeds sprouted and calculate the germination rate. A rate of 80-100% is ideal. Even a 30 percent rate can work if you remember to plant three seeds in each hole.

Most seedlings are edible at this stage. When a seed germinates, it draws on a built-in reserve of nutrients to grow its first leaves and start photosynthesizing. Those reserves are packed with vitamins, minerals and other beneficial compounds that our bodies can easily absorb. Enzymes in sprouts can also support digestion and nutrient absorption. Every plant family offers its own mix of helpful nutrients. 

 TINY GREENS, BIG BENEFITS

One great example of the power of freshly sprouted seeds is broccoli. Sulforaphane, a phytochemical concentrated in broccoli, is also found in kale, cauliflower, cabbage and garden cress. Research by the National Institutes of Health suggests sulforaphane may help protect against several cancers, including prostate, breast and skin. It forms from a precursor called glucoraphanin, which converts after cutting or chewing. Cooking can interfere with this process, so raw sprouts are an especially good source, as they contain several times more glucoraphanin than mature broccoli heads.

A 2019 study in the journal “Science” estimated you’d need to eat about 15.5 pounds of broccoli to reduce the size and number of cancer cells. Because broccoli sprouts contain 50 to 100 times more of these precursors than mature broccoli, just 3 to 4 ounces, or about 1/4 to 1/2 cup, can deliver a similar dose of sulforaphane and its cancer-fighting benefits. 

Other studies suggest broccoli sprouts may help lower blood pressure, support immunity, reduce inflammation, boost cognitive function and protect skin from UV damage.

 FAST-SPROUTING SEEDS TO TRY

For sprouts you plan to eat, switch from paper towels to jars, which allow better growth. You can buy sprouting kits, but a wide mouth canning jar works just as well. Cover the opening with a square of doubled cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band. This breathable lid makes rinsing simple.

Add seeds to the jar, cover them with water, swirl and drain the water through the cheesecloth.
Do this a second time, then lay the jar on its side so the seeds spread out. Rinse and drain them twice a day. Keep the jar in a dark, room-temperature spot and monitor their growth. When they reach the size you like, cap the jar with a regular lid and refrigerate to slow further growth.

Wheat berries and mung beans are among the easiest and fastest to sprout. Peas, radishes and mustards also perform well. Alfalfa, clover and broccoli take a bit more patience but are worth it. A mix of Genovese, purple and lemon basil sprouts is one of my favorites, taking pasta dishes to a whole new level. 

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