You can grow your own shoots this fall. Yes! You can! Get some dried peas, sunflower seeds and popping corn, and grow your own shoots!! It’s easy, especially as we have super simple and fast instructions compliments of SPIN-Farming!

Now that summer is winding down for many of us, it’s time to gear up our shoot production. Shoots are packed full of nutrition and are one of the easiest crops to grow, according to the folks at SPIN-Farming®. Best of all, you can grow them year-round on a spare table, window sill or dining room table, and you don’t need special skill or expensive gear. Here are growing instructions for pea, corn and sunflower shoots so you can rake in good health all winter!

Of course, you don’t have to plant this many, but whatever you do plant will give you incredible nutrition throughout the season!

SPIN-FARMING SHOOT PRODUCTION

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Pea, corn, and sunflower shoots can be grown in trays on a spare table, window sill or shelving units in the house, without direct sunlight. All of these greens can be grown year round. Shoots are grown in 11" X 21" drip-less greenhouse trays in a soilless medium called a Baby Blanket. We get our seed and baby blankets through Mumm’s Sprouting Seeds in Saskatchewan, SK. (Mumm’s checks all their seeds and their Baby blanket for E-Coli contamination; the seeds are also certified organic ). Check for a local supplier in your area. Baby’s blankets cannot be re-used, but are excellent for composting or mulching.

Pea shoots are the easiest and highest yielding if you need to choose a single crop for shoot production.

PEA SHOOT GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

-Measure 1 cup of dry peas. Soak for one night. (One cup dried peas = 2 cups soaked or wet peas. ) Change water if soaking for more than one night. Do not soak any longer than two nights.)

-Take one capful of organic kelp fertilizer and mix into to a couple of cups water. Soak 1 Baby’s blanket inside drip less tray for 5 - 10 minutes. Pour out any excess water and save for the next soaking (or water a houseplant with the excess water mix.)

-Take 2 cups wet peas and distribute ALL peas evenly on the soaked Baby’s blanket in the greenhouse tray. Pack them down onto the blanket.

-Stack the trays inside each other, no more than 6-high. Make sure the top tray is covered with an empty flat and weigh down the empty flat with a book. Leave the trays undisturbed for around 4 days. Trays can be left in a dark area of the house.

-After 4 days, de-stack the trays and place on a table, window sill, or in shelving units. No direct sunlight is required for growth. Try various parts of the house for optimum growing conditions.

-Commence normal watering of fresh water (no fertilizer mix), approximately 1 cup per tray a day, depending on climatic conditions indoors. Don’t leave any standing water in the tray. Lift the mat up, then pour in the water, work it through the tray, then empty out the excess. You will develop a feel for watering requirements.

-The pea shoots will be ready for harvesting within 2 - 3 weeks.

-Yields approximately 1 lb. of pea shoots per tray.

-Replant after harvesting.

USES: Salads, sandwiches, spring rolls, stir fries, soup.

CORN SHOOT GROWING INSTRUCTIONS

-Measure 1 cup of dry popping corn. One cup dry popping corn = 2 cups soaked corn

-Soak popping corn until softened, usually 3 - 4 days. Change soaking water every day.

-Soak Baby’s blanket using the same method as for pea shoots.

--Take 2 cups of soaked corn and distribute evenly on the soaked Baby’s blanket in the greenhouse tray. Pack them down onto the blanket.

-Stacking, growing, watering procedures are the same as for pea and corn shoots.

-The corn shoots will be ready for harvesting in 3 weeks. You can get two cuts per tray.

-Yields approximately 1/2 lb. of corn shoots per tray.

-Replant after harvesting.

USES: Juiced with wheat grass or used as a finely cut salad green in gourmet cooking.

SUNFLOWER SHOOTS

-Measure 1 cup soaked sunflower seeds per tray. One cup dry sunflower seed = 2 cups wet sunflower shoots

-Stacking, growing, watering procedures are the same as for pea and corn shoots.

-The sunflower shoots will be ready for harvesting in 2 - 3 weeks.

-Seeds should be picked off the plants just before harvesting.

-Yields are approximately 1/2 lb. of sunflower shoots per tray.

-Replant after harvesting.

USES: Salads, sandwiches, spring rolls, stir fries, soup.

Now isn’t that easy? Instead of buying expensive shoots, grow your own this season! Just be sure to use organic peas, sunflower seeds and organic corn (so it’s non-GMO!!)