How to Grow Bean Sprouts from Soybeans: A Detailed Guide to Sprouting

Soybean sprouts are a common vegetable in daily life, nutritious and delicious, suitable for young and old alike. Soybean sprouts can not only be bought, but also grown yourself. How do you grow bean sprouts from soybeans?

1. How to Grow Bean Sprouts from Soybeans

1. Spread out the soybeans you bought and pick out and discard the beans with wormholes, black spots, or that are not plump.

2. Rinse the remaining good soybeans once, put them in a clean, oil-free container, and add water until it is about 8-10 cm above the soybeans. Soak for 10 hours.

3. When soaking the soybeans, the room temperature should not be too high, as they spoil easily; around 28°C is fine.

4. After rinsing the soaked soybeans once, put them in a draining tray, or a leaky basin with holes. A tray underneath is best; if you do not have one, set the basin in a bucket.

5. After spreading the soybeans evenly in the tray or basin, spray them with water once, then wet a piece of gauze or cotton cloth and cover them with it. Keep the bottom of the tray clean, with no standing water.

6. Move the whole setup to a dark place to grow. In summer, when the temperature is high, you can prepare to water once the cotton cloth dries; generally water once a day. The soybeans need to be watered thoroughly, and the cotton cloth should be sprayed moist and put back on top. Usually they begin to sprout the next day. By the fourth day the sprouts are about 5-6 cm long and ready to eat.

2. Precautions for Growing Bean Sprouts

1. To sprout soybean sprouts, be sure to use mature soybeans produced in the current year or the previous year. Do not choose old beans, or they will not sprout.

2. When soaking the beans, the suitable water temperature is around 20-23°C. In winter you can extend the soaking time; in summer, 8-12 hours.

3. Soybeans are seeds that like warmth and tolerate heat. The minimum temperature for the beans to sprout is 10°C, the most suitable temperature is 21-27°C, and the maximum temperature is 28-30°C; it should not exceed 32°C. So in summer, water continuously to cool them down and do not put them in a high-temperature place. In winter, when the temperature is low, you can put them on a stove plate or radiator to keep them warm.

4. Soybean sprouts can generally be harvested in 4-5 days, when the hypocotyl is usually 5-6 cm long and the root hairs are 1-2 cm long. At this time the bean cotyledons are pale yellow, but if you put them in the sun for a few hours or they are exposed to light, photosynthesis will occur, and the large amount of chlorophyll produced will also turn the cotyledons a pale green. This is safe and non-toxic, so they can be eaten with confidence.

Growing bean sprouts from soybeans is fairly simple. Friends who are interested can give it a try.