best way to germinate seeds

what is the closest to perfect way to germinate seeds? it's simple enough to do it the right way, but I recently found myself asking "what can I do to make it better?" I may have just gotten a bad batch of seeds, or maybe the conditions aren't perfectly right. I hope to clear this up then come up with some improved ideas. I have 2 strains from nirvana with a 40% success rate germinating. some were damaged in the mail, but it still seems a bit low.

first, a quote and a note:

The human anus has proven to maintain consistent humidity, temperature, and moisture levels for germinating seeds. While I no longer participate in such practices, I approve this message.

Click to expand...

I didn't see a sticky thread on the topic, so maybe we can start one.

here's what I do. day 1, I soak the seeds in plain tap water over night in a warm dark place. I use a cabinet full of running computer equipment. there is little light, very dry and clean, and a consistent ~90F temperature. could this be a little to warm and cause a problem? on the second day, I wrap a damp paper towel around the inside of a clear plastic cup and put the seeds in between the paper towel and the walls of the cup. I like this method because you can see the seeds in the cup without taking them out, and any extra water will collect at the bottom of the cup and wont keep the seeds overly moist. I usually have a few good sized tap roots by the 3rd day and get planted in soil or starter cubes from there.

I've heard of people using sandpaper to roughen up the shell of the seeds before germinating them, to let the plant escape the shell easier. I've never done this, I rather let nature do its thing on the tinny living plants. I would be worried about damaging the seed.

I put a small clear plastic bag over the cup while germinating the seeds, to keep the paper towel from drying out to quickly and keep the humidity level high. I take it off once a day to let in fresh air.

in nature, seeds freeze in the ground over the winter. once the conditions get right in the spring, they will sprout and grow. I've tried simulating a winter season by putting the seeds in the freezer for a few weeks before letting them defrost for a day then germinating. this worked fairly well, but I haven't done it enough to tell if it helps or hurts the success rate or speed.

what is the perfect temperature for seeds to grow? I think 80F-85F would be perfect. my computer cabinet is 90F-95F in different places inside the box, maybe even over 100F sitting right on top something. any chance this could kill seeds if they reach 95F?

man i have never seen someone have to make germinating seeds so fucking complicated...... i have had a 100% germ rate by first squeezing the seeds slightly if they pop or get crushed they are no good.. if they dont pop just put them in a folded up paper towel and wet it. then put the paper towel into a ziplok sandwich bag u keep ur stash in and put it in the cupboard.

sprouting of the seeds is really the least important thing of growing as far as im concernd... if they sprout within a week you are doing good>..............

we put so much effort and money into making conditions perfect for the plants as they're growing. germinating seeds can be very simple, yes, but it's the beginning of the life of the plant. why wouldn't we want a perfect start to a grow? it's more forgiving, in the sense that if you kill the seeds you only lost a few days. but when you're buying seeds from a breeder, you don't want those expensive seeds to die.

I have 6 out of 20 growing. I just got replacement seeds for the ones that were damaged in the mail last time, so I should have better results with these then just 30% success.

me too...wow if there is this much forethought on germination....i'd love to see later posts

i submerge mine in water 2 days, then i fold a paper towel in half long ways a few times, and then unfold once, put the seeds in on the fold, then cover, then let it sit for a day until the white starts to pop out, then i plant it with the white part down, seed up.

thats my mo