How to Grow Sunflower Seeds Without Soil

Mature sunflowers average heights of 12 feet, producing impressive oversize blooms that bear edible seeds when the growing season is over. These seeds germinate into young seedlings when planted in rich soil. Sunflower seeds are also capable of growing without soil, evolving into nutritious green sprouts that are high in vitamins and protein. Harvested once they reach 1 to 2 inches in length, snack on the sunflower sprouts alone or with your favorite recipe or salad.

Sunflower seeds
2-quart glass jar
Cheesecloth
Rubber band
Wire colander

Instructions

- 1
  Remove the shells from the sunflower seeds. Pour the seeds into a 2-quart glass jar.
- 2
  Fill a 2-quart jar halfway with lukewarm water. Cover the mouth of the jar with a piece of cheesecloth secured with a rubber band. Set the jar in a dark room or pantry, at room temperature, for 12 hours.
- 3
  Remove the jar from the dark after 12 hours and drain the water from the jar using a wire colander to catch the seeds. Rinse the seeds and place them back in the jar. Cover the jar with cheesecloth and set it back in the dark. Repeat the process twice a day for the next six days.
- 4
  Retrieve the jar from the darkness on the seventh day. Drain the jar and rinse the seeds. Place the sunflower seeds back in the jar and cover it with cheesecloth. This time, instead of placing the jar in darkness, place it in an area where it receives bright, indirect sunlight. Grow the sunflower seeds in the sunlight for two days until they germinate, reaching 1 to 2 inches in length, before harvesting.
- 5
  Uncover the jar and empty the sprouts into a colander for rinsing. Place the clean sprouts in a sealed baggie and store the sunflower sprouts in the refrigerator for up to three days.

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