Short answer: pick a sprouting seed mix for jar sprouts or a microgreen blend for trays. For mild sandwich sprouts, try Spring Salad Mix or Sandwich Booster. For crunchy cooked sprouts, try Crunchy Bean Mix. For spicy microgreens, try the Spicy Microgreen Blend. For a big salad base, try the Microgreen Salad Mix. Grow each blend with the soak time on its pack.
The blends
Spring Salad Mix
Broccoli, radish, red clover, alfalfa
- Type
- Sprouts
- Days
- 4–5
- Soak
- 2–3 hours
- Flavour
- Mild with a little radish bite
Sandwich Booster
Clover, alfalfa, radish, mustard
- Type
- Sprouts
- Days
- 4–5
- Soak
- 4–8 hours
- Flavour
- Mild and spicy
Broccoli Brassica Blend
Broccoli, clover, radish, mustard, arugula
- Type
- Sprouts
- Days
- 4–5
- Soak
- 2–3 hours
- Flavour
- Peppery
Spicy Lentil Crunch
Lentils, radish, alfalfa, red clover, mustard
- Type
- Sprouts
- Days
- 4–5
- Soak
- 4–6 hours
- Flavour
- Crunchy and spicy
Crunchy Bean Mix
Chickpeas, lentils, peas
- Type
- Sprouts (cook)
- Days
- 2–3
- Soak
- 6–12 hours
- Flavour
- Crunchy, nutty
Ancient Eastern Blend
Fenugreek, lentils, Kamut®, adzuki beans
- Type
- Sprouts (cook)
- Days
- 3
- Soak
- 6–12 hours
- Flavour
- Earthy, a little bitter
Salad Bowl Blend
Mung beans, black quinoa, sesame (for flavour), lentils
- Type
- Sprouts
- Days
- See product page
- Soak
- See product page
- Flavour
- Nutty grain-and-bean base
Happy Gut Microbiome Blend
30+ different seeds
- Type
- Sprouts
- Days
- See product page
- Soak
- See product page
- Flavour
- Varied
Spicy Microgreen Blend
Mustard, arugula, cress
- Type
- Microgreens
- Days
- 8–10
- Soak
- Do not soak
- Flavour
- Hot and peppery
Microgreen Salad Mix
Peas, fava beans, buckwheat, sunflower
- Type
- Microgreens
- Days
- 8–10
- Soak
- 6–12 hours
- Flavour
- Sweet, nutty, crunchy
How a sprouting seed mix works
A good mix combines seeds that soak and sprout at about the same pace, so the whole jar is ready together. Small leafy seeds like alfalfa, clover, broccoli and radish go together. Beans and lentils go together. Days and soak times below come from Sprouting.com's product pages.1
Sprouting seed mix or microgreen blend
| Sprouting blends | Microgreen blends | |
|---|---|---|
| Grown in | A jar or tray sprouter | Soil or a grow mat with light |
| Ready in | 2–5 days | 8–10 days |
| Eaten | Whole sprouts | Cut above the roots |
| Best for | Sandwiches, salads, cooking | Salads, garnishes |
How to grow a sprouting blend
Soak the blend for the time on the pack, then rinse and drain twice a day in a jar. Bean blends like Crunchy Bean Mix and Ancient Eastern Blend are best cooked before eating. See the step-by-step sprouting guide.
How to grow a microgreen blend
Sow the blend on moist soil, keep it dark for 2 to 3 days, then give light and cut at 8 to 10 days. Big-seed blends like Microgreen Salad Mix grow best with a weighted blackout. Read microgreen mixes.
Which sprouting seed mix to choose
- For sandwiches and wraps: Sandwich Booster or Spring Salad Mix.
- For cooking: Crunchy Bean Mix or Ancient Eastern Blend.
- For heat: Spicy Lentil Crunch (sprouts) or Spicy Microgreen Blend (microgreens).
- For a salad base: Microgreen Salad Mix.
Tips for growing a sprouting seed mix
- Follow the pack's soak time. It's set for the slowest seed in the mix.
- Use the right amount. About 1 to 2 tablespoons of a small-seed mix, or ½ cup of a bean mix, per quart jar.
- Shake the bag first. Seeds settle by size, so mix them before measuring.
- Harvest when most sprouts are ready. A few seeds always lag behind.
- Rinse and drain well. Mixed small seeds can mat together, so roll the jar after rinsing.
Make your own mix
You can also blend your own from single seeds. Pick seeds with similar soak times and days to sprout from the sprouting calendar. For example, alfalfa, red clover and a little radish all sprout in 4 to 5 days. For beans, mung beans, lentils and chickpeas are ready together in 2 to 3 days.
Safety
The FDA says higher-risk groups should not eat raw or lightly cooked sprouts, and Health Canada advises everyone to cook them.23 Fenugreek, in the Ancient Eastern Blend, may affect blood sugar in large amounts.4
Seed blends FAQ
What is a sprouting seed mix?
A blend of seeds chosen to soak and sprout at about the same pace, so you can grow several kinds of sprouts in one jar.
Can I grow a microgreen blend in a jar?
No. Microgreen blends are meant for soil or a grow mat with light, and they're cut above the roots after 8 to 10 days.
Should bean blends be cooked?
Yes. Bean and lentil sprouts are best cooked, and cooking lowers the food-safety risk of all sprouts.
Written by Michael
A passionate sprouting professional sharing practical tips for growing sprouts and microgreens at home. More about Michael
Sources
- Sprouting.com (Mumm's Sprouting Seeds). Product pages: days to sprout, soak time and yield for each seed. Link
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Selecting and Serving Produce Safely. Link
- Health Canada. Food safety tips for sprouts. Link
- National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Fenugreek: Usefulness and Safety. Link
