Soak Seed / Sprouting Mixtures

By Editor

(from http://www.birdhealth.com.au/bird/canary/sproutedseed.html )

Soaked Seed Options
This soaked seed recipe must use seed free of bacterial or fungal contamination. Seed should be tested by sprouting on cotton wool or culture tested. A number of seed combinations may be used in these soaked seed recipes.

Soaked Seed Preparation Technique
The seed selected for soaking must be pre-tested for cleanliness by culture testing or sprouting on cotton wool. Seed that bubbles excessively, smells bad or grows fungus must be rejected.

1. Soak seed mix in a 4 litre plastic ice cream container overnight. Add 1 teaspoon of Water Cleanser powder to the water added to the container.

2. Wash thoroughly through a 25 cm (10 inch) sieve with tap water, then final rinse with Water Cleanser. Allow sieved seed to drain thoroughly before placing in an oven or on a warm surface for 24 hours.

3. Next morning wash out with Water Cleanser again.

4. Wash again in the evening with Water Cleanser. Make sure it is drained well. Repeat morning and night until seed shoots appear or seeds are opening wide enough for birds to pull sprout out. The amount of time to germinate varies upon the air temperature. Make sure the soaked seeds are not too wet nor too dry.

5. Seeds should have a short sprout only. Add Dr. Rob’s Nutritonal Supplements to soaked seed. Supplements: Turbobooster, Dufoplus, Ioford, Energy supplement. Energy supplement and F-vite should be made available in finger drawers at all times. Soft food may also be mixed into soaked seed now.

6. Sprouting equipment must be thoroughly sterilised between use.

7. Reject seed that smells “off” at any stage or develops a mould.