Sprouts!

What says “springtime” better than the delicate little umbrella of a baby plant’s Cotyledon leaves?  Like two thumbprints, like a wee butterfly, like little rabbit’s ears, these precious troopers pop up out of the soil and grant the plant its first taste of sunshine.  Chlorophyl blastin’ through its stem, the seed has now done its job.  In the following days, adult leaves take over.  The annonymity of these first two leaves is why I like ‘em: in the beginning, all plants were created (to look) equal.  These are squash cotyledon–soon they will have big fatty leaves and take over your garden, completely and unapologetically.

For everyone I’ve ever met who’s said “But I can’t garden!” I say, start with sprouts.  Take a yogurt container.  Pop a few holes in the bottom.  Fill it with soil (sterile planting soil is best, but trust me, a few scoops from around a healthy plant you’ve spotted in your park should do the trick).  Buy–borrow–forage some seeds, scatter a pinch in your soil as you would salt an egg (about 1″ down is the general rule; check your seed package or ask around).  Soak it well with water (imagine a good rainstorm!) and keep it in a warm and sunny place.  Water infrequently but well–a good trick is to feel the soil, and when it’s damp but not wet, put it in your sink, let water run gently through, and allow it to drain for a few hours.  Then put it back on the windowsill.   I say, give it two weeks, tops, ’til you have a mini forest of tasty treats.  If nothing has come up by then, start afresh (and email Growing Chefs with questions!)

 Alas, to eat a sprout is to kill your plant.  However, you’re also thinning out the crop when you harvest away, so feel free to leave one or two in the container while you nibble away the rest. Not all baby plants are delicious or edible.  I recommend sunflowers (nutty in taste), radishes (woo, way spicy!), peas (so sweet! and keep the strongest looking sprout to grow into a full vine), broccoli or buckwheat as a starter crop.  They make an excellent addition to a salad, sandwich or as an elegant soup garnish.