Sprouts! The Rice has Sprouted!

I noticed yesterday as I was dutifully changing the water in my tambo that the little guys have sprouted! I immediately contacted the farmers, and they most generously sent a series of emails with photos instructing me on the next steps. (All photos courtesy of the farmers. Quite possibly one of my most favorite email streams yet!)

1. Place the sprouted seeds on a damp tissue. This gives you a chance to really examine the sprouts to see which ones are better, and puts them in a safe, moist holding place while the field is prepared. Sprouted grains of rice have a little root (sometimes two) coming out one end.

2. Fill the former sprouting cup with soil from the bag. It should be about 70% full. Then, fill the cup with water to the same level as the soil. The saturation level is a little unclear to me, but I believe it should not be too soupy. A thick mud or sludge is what I believe one should aim for here.

3. Using a toothpick, make six or seven holes in the soil. The holes should be about 6mm or 7mm deep.

4. Place the good sprouts in the holes and cover with soil. I took "good sprouts" to mean those with two vigorous sprouts or roots. Most of mine sprouted, so I sort of jammed them into the pot and covered them with soil. I'm not sure if I'll regret that choice or not, but I just went for it.

5. Place tiny pot in a sunny window and monitor the water level. Keep it moist until little green shoots appear.

Fingers crossed now, as with every seed I plant, that the green sprouts appear!