trying to sprout alfafa seeds

[garden granny]

I soaked them about 8 hours, drained and rinsed a couple of times, it's been 2 days, do I keep rinsing once a day? and how long before I should get sprouts? I've just got them in a glass jar, do they need to be spread out more?

[Veganforlife]

Yes, rinse 2-3 times a day. You should start to see something soon and then more green and more green. Just make sure they are not sitting in water. Is your jar inverted? I use a nut bag to sprout them (after soaking). Works great. Other people use (fine) strainers.

[sport]

The best way is to put a little bit of cheese cloth over the top of the jar and use 2 elastic bands to hold it on.
Then place the jar at an angle so that the water can drain out but the air can get in.
There should be plenty of room in the jar.
After a couple of days I usually transfer them to one of the specially made plastic drainer systems and rinse morning and night. You can not let them in the jar because they need to get sunshine to get green so they need to be spaced out. At this point they will start to grow upwards and look more like the baby plants that they are.

You soaked them for a little longer than advisable. 4 to 6 hours is best. 4 is plenty.

[garden granny]

Thanks for all the good advice, mine are all bunched together in a glass jar covered with a piece of old pantyhose and I just turn them upside down to drain water after I rinse them. They are starting to sprout somewhat.

[sport]

Do not turn them fully upside down. If they do not get air they will go mouldy.

[garden granny]

Do not turn them fully upside down. If they do not get air they will go mouldy.

Oh - I've got the glass jar standing upright with the pantyhose on top of the glass. Sound ok?

[juliebove]

Also important after rinsing and draining, use a fork in there to turn them over and mix them to separate and put some air in between the seeds.

[sport]

Oh - I've got the glass jar standing upright with the pantyhose on top of the glass. Sound ok?

No. I should have been clearer.
You turn it down at an angle by leaning it against something.
That way the water can drain and the air can get in. I place mine in one of thoes wire things that you use to drain plates and it holds it at the right angle.

[Veganforlife]

Right. Tilted on an angle so they can drain and air can get in. Also, shake, shake, shake them - you can't hurt them.
Here - check this link out. All kinds of info on sprouts:
www.sproutpeople.com