Curly sunflower greens

[Norvegen]

On google images the sunflower greens looks straight and tall, but my sunflower greens always end up crawling along the soil before curling upwards in between each other.. also they don't grow to the same height, but that maybe from the horizontal crawling..
Makes me almost have to harvest them one by one...

Am I doing something wrong or is it just bad quality seeds?

This also goes for my buckwheat greens to some degree, not curly like the sunflowers, but they grow to different heights.. can I blame the seeds or do I have to blame myself?

Pea shoots grow just fine, straight and tall... =o)

Just started growing popcorn greens... any suggestion to other greens I can try?

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

On google images the sunflower greens looks straight and tall, but my sunflower greens always end up crawling along the soil before curling upwards in between each other.. also they don't grow to the same height,

Try covering the sunflower seeds with a thin sprinkling of soil over the top of them, place a sheet over plastic over the tray and put something light (newspaper) over the plastic covering. This should put some pressure on the sunflower seeds and get them to grow straight.

Am I doing something wrong or is it just bad quality seeds?

Seeds sound good.

This also goes for my buckwheat greens to some degree, not curly like the sunflowers, but they grow to different heights.. can I blame the seeds or do I have to blame myself?

Sunflower and Buckwheat always have uneven sprouting rates. lt's inconvenient but worth the hassle.

Just started growing popcorn greens... any suggestion to other greens I can try?

They are the main ones l think, but you could also try growing: wheatgrass, ryegrass and barleygrass.

l hear that sprouting watermellon seeds on soil is good too (27 - 39)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k0zdq...21&playnext=17

[DebB]

I soak my seeds overnight, then I sprout them until small tails grow. That's when I plant them in my tray on top of the dirt. Now I take another tray and place it over the top of the planted tray. I weight this down with little containers of water evenly dispersed.

I put this in a dark place for 3 days, spraying the sunflower seeds daily and then reweighting them again. By the third day - the greens will be pushing up the weighted tray. Now I remove the top tray and place them in indirect bright sunlight.

They grown straight and tall. I learned this from a Renegade Health YouTube video when they showed doing this way at Gabriel Cousens' retreat in AZ. *Ü*

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

deleted.......

[amanda]

Yum... I need to start sprouting. Had some delicious sprouts the other day at Macy's Skyroom salad bar in Mpls.

[Norvegen]

Pressure sounds logical the more I think about it... will try this next time!


As for other greens, I already grow wheatgrass.... my popcorn greens really took a shot during the night (no pun intended) so I had to taste this morning.. tasted almost like grass...

[levamssg]

Thanks for this info Deb! I sprouted my first batch of sunny seed and planted it today. I set them under grow lights intending to turn on the ights tomorrow. After reading your post, I've just put covers on the trays and will let them start to grow before I put them under the grow lights.

Can't wait for my first crop!!

[DebB]

Hi Terry ~ I tried to find the video from Tree of Life that I posted about, but I wasn't able to.... The nurseryman explained why it's important to weight the cover (he used bricks). I don't remember exactly but I think he said for the s.f. to establish a strong root system those first 3 days. It really works like a charm. I get the most beautiful trays of s.f. greens! (If I do say so mah-self) *Ü*


weighted tray lid after planting


just uncovered & greening up nicely


ready to harvest as they have their second set of leaves

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Deb: all your hulls have fallen off. Many people have to pull about 20% off. You're lucky.

Sunflower greens on soil get very thirty, so they need regular water. A fantastic food.

[DebB]

I do have to pick off a small amount of hulls, but usually just brushing my hand back & forth over the tops of them dislodges most of the hulls.

The reason to weigh the tray down for 3 days is it forces the root system down into the dirt. During this weighted time period - I lift off the weighted top and spray (with a spray bottle) the seeds well once a day and then replace the top. After the 3 days I carry the tray to the sink and thoroughly water, until water runs out the drain holes every 1-2 days. Usually every 2 days. They do develop roots that go down to the bottom of the tray.

I love putting them into a 'blended salad' (savory smoothie). I agree - they're a fantastic food. *Ü*


round 1 of a blended salad - then I add the sunnies, avocado & spices

[The Sproutarian (Mr Raw)]

Here's some of mine:

[DebB]

Ahh - I use the black oil sunflower seeds. I have the best luck with those as far as shedding their hulls. I tried the striped ones and they don't come off as well without a lot of picking.

Great looking greens Mr. Raw!!

[Norvegen]

The weight thing really did the trick!! =o)

[DebB]

I'm glad to hear that Norvegan! I figure if they do it at The Tree of Life in AZ - there must be good reason, so I've been growing mine that way ever since. *Ü*