When does Day 0 begin?
Day 0 begins at the date and time the dry seed enters soak water. The planner counts the harvest window from that moment so batches started at night do not silently shift by a calendar day.
Free growing tool · field sheet no. 02
A sprout schedule
you can actually follow.
Pick a variety and start time. Get exact soak and rinse reminders, a realistic harvest window, and the visible cues that matter more than a generic “Day 5.”
Plan my batchLive field sheet
Alfalfa batch
Medicago sativa
Choose when your batch begins
The planner will turn that moment into a local-time soak, rinse and harvest-check calendar.
Important food-safety boundary
A calendar is not a pathogen test.
Sprouting creates warm, moist conditions that can also help harmful bacteria multiply. Start with seed sold for sprouting, use clean equipment and potable water, drain completely, and discard any batch that becomes musty, dark, soft or persistently slimy. Home growing does not make raw sprouts risk-free. Cook sprouts thoroughly; pregnant people, young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems should avoid raw or undercooked sprouts.
How the estimate works
Dates for planning.
Evidence for deciding.
UC Davis notes that sprout maturity is judged primarily by desired length and that harvest timing varies by seed type. The planner therefore gives a check window and keeps the matching physical cues beside it.
See the UC Davis maturity reference ↗Step 1
Anchor every task to your real start time
Day 0 starts when the seed enters soak water. The selected soak duration fixes the first drain; the chosen rinse rhythm creates every later reminder in local time.
Step 2
Use a variety-specific window
Fast lentils, bulky mung beans and fine alfalfa do not share one useful deadline. Each profile carries its own vessel, seed load, darkness plan and timing range.
Step 3
Let the batch overrule the date
At the beginning of the harvest window, compare several sprouts with the listed length, texture, aroma and drainage cues. A bad-looking batch never becomes acceptable because the calendar says it is ready.
Planner questions
Before you start the soak
Should I harvest on the first date shown?
Not automatically. Begin checking on that date, then use the variety-specific length, texture, color, smell and drainage cues. Seed lot and room conditions can move a batch within—or outside—the estimated window.
Is rinsing three times daily safer than twice?
More rinses are not a safety guarantee. Fresh water, clean equipment and complete drainage all matter. The extra reminder is useful only when your setup benefits from another check-in and each rinse can drain fully.
Does home growing make raw sprouts safe?
No. Harmful bacteria can be present in or on seed and multiply during sprouting even in a clean home setup. Cooking sprouts thoroughly reduces risk; people at higher risk of foodborne illness should avoid raw or undercooked sprouts.