BASIC INGREDIENTS (Vegetable Gardening)

You can sprout all kinds of seeds, legumes, and grains. Try wheat, rye, alfalfa, mung beans, chick peas, soybeans, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, or any of the other sprouting seeds, grains, and vegetables suggested in “Directions for Sprouting,” later in this topic. Only one thing is essential — when buying seeds for sprouting, always check to be sure you’re getting live, untreated seed. Seeds that are intended to grow crops are specially treated to make them resistant to insects and plant diseases — and you shouldn’t eat sprouts started from these chemically treated seeds.
You also can’t sprout seeds that have been heat-treated, because even relatively low temperatures kill the seeds, leaving them edible but no longer capable of growth. For this reason, if you’re growing beans, peas, or other vegetables for sprouting, be sure to use the drying method recommended for this purpose. Seeds dried by blanching, chilling, and heating will not sprout.
The only other ingredient you’ll need for sprouting is water. Some experts recommend that you let city water (which may be high in chlorine) sit for a day or two before you use it, in order to let the chlorine dissipate into the air. When sprouting seeds, use lukewarm or room-temperature water, rather than cold or hot.