Hanging Sprout Jars (improved With Bicycle Tubes)

I just discovered how delicious and healthy fresh sprouts are. So I wanted to grow my own.
Buying equipment was not an option since this was crying out for DIY free or at least cheap solutions.

Thinkenstein brought me to try out his hanging sprout jars:
(www.instructables.com/id/Hanging-Sprout-Jars/)
(www.instructables.com/id/Hanging-Sprout-Jars-Improved/)

The jars with the screen in the lid work pretty well, but the hanging-version included a little too much wire bending for me. I´m really lazy. Also I wanted some detachable solution for an easier cleaning of the jars.

So here is what I came up with after thinking about it for a while:

A rubber holder with a keyring for easy handling

- one size fits different (sizes of) jars or can be custom build for larger or smaller jars
- easy to attach and to remove for cleaning
- easily adaptable for hanging the jars upright or upside down
- cheap
- built in minutes
- no special tools needed, only some scissors

- a sprouting jar with a screen in the lid (or holes in the lid)
- a piece of bicycle inner tube
- scissors
- (optional) keyrings
- (optional) hooks

Cut off a piece of the tube, length depending on the diameter of your jar.

Rule of thumb: diameter of the jar plus one inch (or 2.5 cm) worked fine for me.

Cut open the piece of tube.

Cut out a piece about one inch (2- 2.5 cm) wide.

Fold it into half und cut. Leave space at the ends.

Leave some space at one end for the hanger and cut out circles at the ends of the slit to prevent the rubber from ripping apart when it´s under tension.

This is a really important step, if you leave the ends of the slit raw, it is very likely that your piece of rubber will tear apart once you stretch it!

Add another hole at one end which will work as a hanger.
Fold the rubber sheet again and cut out a half circle. If you just cut a slit into it, the rubber will rip.

Time for some fine-tuning. Cut off excess material and chamfer the edges.
Your result should now somehow look like this, probably a lot nicer ;-) (I had an idea and just made it quick and dirty...)

Optionally attach a keyring now. It will work without, but it makes the handling a lot more comfortable.

Now your ready to use your new and improved sprout jar hanger.
Make sure the size fits really tightly, so your jars won´t slip out of it.
Rubber is very stretchable and robust (to a certain degree...).
But if it won´t fit nicely at all, just build a smaller or larger version.

Now enjoy your fresh sprouts and be sure to check out Thinkensteins other great ´ibles (and mine, too ;-)  )!