Germination issues, please help!

[Kingrow1]

Dosent matter but as soon as they germinate they want light.

 

[ANC]

Paper towels for new bees is not an option, thats where its going all wrong. Come back to that after you master cubes

Yeah at least practice on some bag seed first... I remember the first time I did the towel thing and broke one taproot after the other.

 

[shiva71]

Thanks for the help today guys. Fingers crossed we've identified the problem. Will try making things less soggy and see how I get on

 

[1212ham]

If your seeds are old there is more chance for pathogens on the shell been ready to pounce when the bean cracks.
They are clearly viable or the wouldn't open.

You could try a few hour soak in h2o2 diluted ( google the dilution rate)
That will sterilise the seed.
Then you can also use a diluted h2o2 spray onto your paper towel, they don't need to be dripping wet, just moist enough so you can't see dry bits.
That will eliminate any contamination and also provide extra o2 to help against rot.

Thanks, I wasn't aware, could explain a lot. FWIW, I've decided I don't like paper towels. What advantage do they offer? My new opinion is a few hour soak in warmish diluted h2o2 , then into the final medium or a starter if needed. Step two, keep warm and don't drown them.

 

[hotrodharley]

Hi guys
Im having a nightmare trying to get my seeds started, I really need help. I am clearly doing something very wrong but i cannot figure out what it is. Im doing dwc so seeds go into a rapid rooter type plug. I soak seeds in water for 24 hours then put them in wet paper towels until they crack. I soak a RR in ph 6 water and put the seed in taproot pointing down, about 5mm deep. They go under cfls in a small cab, 70°. I dont use any humidity dome type thing as the only time i had success I didnt use one. The plug gets 3 squirts with a mister of ph'd water a day, they are moist but not soggy. And thats it, they never sprout, every time.
I did think that maybe I was damaging the taproot when i was putting them in the cubes, so I wanted to let the taproot grow longer and cut the cube in half and do it that way, a bit like this https://www.growweedeasy.com/germinate but - once the taproot appears in the paper towels, thats it. I cannot ever see the taproot grow. Its as if the seeds pop and die immediately.
My seeds are 2 years old maybe older but that shouldnt result in a 0% germ rate should it? And if the seeds are dud they wouldnt pop in the first palce...?
Its incredibly frustrating. Horrible feeling that you cant even do the most basic sh!t without screwing up.
Help - please!
Cheers!

Black Gold seedling mix. Cheap everywhere. Dixie cups. Save the crap about clear because you can root cuttings in glasses of water on the counter. Tap water or RO. Seed directly in. I planted 10. 9 came up. The 10th was a seed from 2014 I found in my toolbox so no surprise there. This is all you need to do. And if it’s hydro then plant them directly in vermiculite. Same feeding and light no matter which.

Btw this is now outdoors in Alaska. Rain hit them last night early. Then again about 0400. Wind blew some both times. The temperature was 38 this morning. Cannabis is a tough plant.

Island Sweet Skunk, Lemon OG and 2 strains I’ve made.

 

[shiva71]

@hotrodharley cheers, I'm going hydro so soil ain't gonna work in dwc.
Well surprise surprise one of them has sprouted! Success!! Not the strain I really want to grow but it tells me my methods can work, just need to stop drenching everything. Gonna try going direct to the cubes as many have suggested.

 

[Jypsy Dog]

Yeah at least practice on some bag seed first... I remember the first time I did the towel thing and broke one taproot after the other.

That's why I use Coffee filters, no fibers to snag the micro hairs.

 

[hotrodharley]

@hotrodharley cheers, I'm going hydro so soil ain't gonna work in dwc.
Well surprise surprise one of them has sprouted! Success!! Not the strain I really want to grow but it tells me my methods can work, just need to stop drenching everything. Gonna try going direct to the cubes as many have suggested.

Note I said for hydro to use straight vermiculite. It rinses off the roots easily for transplant into the DWC. It’s great for cuttings for the same reason. Good luck. You’ll get it down with something.

 

[shiva71]

Cheers, I'm going through my methods step by step, I know what doesn't work, so I just need to find out what does!

 

[Tlarss]

I used to do the whole soak in water and then into paper towels and then into medium.

In the past 2 years every seed I’ve started, probably about 40, I’ve put directly into the medium and kept it moist with a spray bottle on top of something warm like a heating pad, your light, cable box...anything to warm. Within a week they all come up. I’ve had literally 100% germination success with this method in the last 2 years.

The trick is don’t make things to wet. Damp is all that’s needed.

 

[Hempire828]

For the longest I used paper towels.. I really didn’t have problems...then I’m reading and wanting to be more natural...I got better results just placing the seed in the soil, 2-3 days with a good environment.. it’s sprouting...I was taking 1 day in water ,2-3 days in paper towel, then still 2-3 to come out of soil... Now I just plant and go.. Normally by day 3- 4 it has sprouted..more natural and in less time .. with less work to do

 

[shiva71]

Yeah I've got 3 which were in water for 24 hours and straight into cubes skipping paper towels, just as an experiment.
I have another one, paper towel method except I've used make up removal pads, seemed like a nice absorbent material. Did not over water and the taproot has actually grown properly so now it is clear what was happening - I was drowning the seeds.
Thanks again!

 

[shiva71]

Amazing, everything has sprouted! The 3 that went straight into the cubes came up after 3 days. The one started in the make up pads has also sprouted. All I did different was to cut back on the water.
So, problem solved. Brilliant! Many thanks again for all your help

 

[oldbeancounter]

View attachment 4335592

Black Gold seedling mix. Cheap everywhere. Dixie cups. Save the crap about clear because you can root cuttings in glasses of water on the counter. Tap water or RO. Seed directly in. I planted 10. 9 came up. The 10th was a seed from 2014 I found in my toolbox so no surprise there. This is all you need to do. And if it’s hydro then plant them directly in vermiculite. Same feeding and light no matter which.

Btw this is now outdoors in Alaska. Rain hit them last night early. Then again about 0400. Wind blew some both times. The temperature was 38 this morning. Cannabis is a tough plant.

Island Sweet Skunk, Lemon OG and 2 strains I’ve made.

Great advice.
Mind if I ask some questions about Black Gold Products and also using vermiculite in a cup
May try one plant DWC so interested in PPM, temps etc for 5 gallon pail kinda one plant grow.
Have EC,PPM, PM temp meter.
Use RO water .
Natural as much as I can this is for me not interested in huge crop just healthy well grown in fabric pots.
DWC whatever gives best results.
I had started and had to postpone a grow but have a few plants on hold kinda thing till I am totally ready.
I do have fair bit of stuff here more looking for product names and techniques if you care to share.
Lights I have lots.
Also plenty of HVAC
Aware of VPD and use it as I am able here
indoor only
Bet fishing is good up your way.

 

[hotrodharley]

Great advice.
Mind if I ask some questions about Black Gold Products and also using vermiculite in a cup
May try one plant DWC so interested in PPM, temps etc for 5 gallon pail kinda one plant grow.
Have EC,PPM, PM temp meter.
Use RO water .
Natural as much as I can this is for me not interested in huge crop just healthy well grown in fabric pots.
DWC whatever gives best results.
I had started and had to postpone a grow but have a few plants on hold kinda thing till I am totally ready.
I do have fair bit of stuff here more looking for product names and techniques if you care to share.
Lights I have lots.
Also plenty of HVAC
Aware of VPD and use it as I am able here
indoor only
Bet fishing is good up your way.

My experience with DWC makes me say “chiller” immediately. Excellent way to grow a huge plant. Check pH and EC daily. I started around 350 PPM and adjusted when it dropped to 200. Adjusted up to about 450 and waited for it to drop about 200 before adjusting again. Watch the roots. A chiller, in my personal experience and opinion, is the piece of equipment that gives you much more control than relying on trying to cool the DWC environment. Keep res temperatures less than 70F and you will do well. Others with much more experience than me with hydro can really help you out here. @HydroRed .

The fishing is incredible. My best bud here is a well known fishing guide. Come on up. Arctic grayling just down the road. Drive a bit more and we get salmon, trout. Pike are everywhere. Use a steel leader with those things.

 

[HydroRed]

My experience with DWC makes me say “chiller” immediately. Excellent way to grow a huge plant. Check pH and EC daily. I started around 350 PPM and adjusted when it dropped to 200. Adjusted up to about 450 and waited for it to drop about 200 before adjusting again. Watch the roots. A chiller, in my personal experience and opinion, is the piece of equipment that gives you much more control than relying on trying to cool the DWC environment. Keep res temperatures less than 70F and you will do well. Others with much more experience than me with hydro can really help you out here. @HydroRed .

The fishing is incredible. My best bud here is a well known fishing guide. Come on up. Arctic grayling just down the road. Drive a bit more and we get salmon, trout. Pike are everywhere. Use a steel leader with those things.

Sounds about right to me