How Many Types of Sprouts Are There? A Detailed Guide to Seed Selection and Growing Methods

Sprouts have a crisp texture and are rich in nutrients, making them deeply loved by the public. At present, the varieties of sprouts are also becoming more and more diverse, so how many types of sprouts are there? What is used as seeds? What growing methods are there? Below is a detailed share for everyone.

1. How many types of sprouts are there? What is used as seeds?

1. How many types of sprouts are there?

There is no official statistic on exactly how many types of sprouts there are, but there are still more than 100 types, and major sprout companies are still continuously cultivating new varieties.

People usually understand sprouts as “bean sprouts”, nothing more than soybean sprouts and mung bean sprouts. In fact, this view has long been outdated. It is just that most vegetable markets, when stocking, also take public acceptability into consideration, so they still remain at the stage of selling only these two major categories of sprouts. A few vegetable markets have also begun selling peanut sprouts, but overall sales are not very promising.

2. What is used as seeds for sprouts?

As for what is used as seeds for sprouts, it is naturally closely related to the high quality of the varieties being cultivated.

The seeds of the following vegetables can all be used to grow sprouts:

Mung bean, soybean, black bean, pea, love pea, dragon beard pea, broad bean, peanut, oil sunflower, pine willow, alfalfa, Sichuan pepper, buckwheat, sunflower seed, radish, spinach, water spinach and other seeds are all common varieties cultivated as sprouts.

2. How are sprouts grown? What growing methods are there?

Of course, different varieties of sprouts definitely differ in their growing methods. Below, bean sprouts are taken as an example to share with everyone.

1. Seed soaking treatment

First wash the beans with cold water about 3 times to remove dust and floating debris, then soak for 2 days. The ratio of seeds to water can refer to 1:3.

2. Selection of seedling container and planting

It is best to buy a special mesh tray and seedling paper for bean sprouts, then spray the seedling paper wet with water, and evenly spread the soaked seeds on the seedling paper in the mesh tray.

If there is no mesh tray, an ordinary foam box can also be used, but a few holes must be evenly poked in the bottom of the box for drainage and ventilation.

3. Daily management

After sowing, the following measures need to be taken for the daily management of sprouts:

(1) Temperature: Before the sprouts have germinated, the temperature needs to be controlled at 18-22°C. After budding, the temperature can be raised appropriately, but it should not exceed 25°C.

(2) Watering: For sprouts, watering is very important. Specifically, it can be determined according to weather conditions. When the temperature is high, water 3-4 times a day; when the temperature is low, water once a day. Under normal weather, maintaining a watering frequency of about 2 times a day is enough.

(3) Light: Do not let the sprouts come into contact with direct sunlight. It is best to provide shade treatment.

4. Harvesting sprouts

Usually, sprouts can be harvested for eating about 1 week after budding, when they have grown to about 8-10 cm.

Overall, sprouts are a kind of daily vegetable very suitable for home growing. Friends who are interested can give it a try right away!