After soaking, smaller seeds, such as alfalfa and broccoli, can expand up to four times in volume, but larger seeds, such as mung bean and lentil, will only double in size. Place the presoaked seeds in a clean jar covered with fine mesh screen or cheesecloth. Fill and drain the jar with cool water several times, then prop the jar top down at a 45-degree angle. Using cool water, rinse and drain the sprouts two or three times a day, until roots sprout for bean seeds and cotyledons emerge for vegetable seeds. Best conditions for sprouting are temperatures from 60 o to 75 o F, high humidity, good air circulation, and frequent rinsing to deter spoilage.
Most sprouts do well in indirect light, but bean sprouts prefer the dark.
To sprout different kinds of seeds simultaneously, consider using a multilevel plastic seed sprouter. Mail-order seed companies offer several kinds. These have two or three levels, a watering tray at the top, and a water collection tray on the bottom. Because water flows down through all the levels, one rinse cleans all the seeds. If you select a model with a broad, flat germination tray, you can harvest the tallest sprouts first, leaving the others undisturbed until they are mature.