Germinating in paper towel vs Strait to organic soil??

Budley Doright

Well-Known Member
image.jpg For the first few days defused light doesn't seem to bother them when I germ them. I really am not sure what the effect of leaving them out in the light longer would be, mine get buried as soon as they pop. My guess would be the tap root would try to find a place to get under the dirt and if not, die. The pic above was 24 hours after putting them in PT. I was actually surprised all opened in that time frame, its typically 36. I did put them on top of water heater so it was about 80-85 up there, perhaps that helped.
 

vostok

Well-Known Member
I always thought they weren't supposed to have light. Until they were the whole way up and out of the dirt.

Was that old guy who showed me in 1974 giving me bad info? :shock::shock::shock:
Not at all, you just wasn't listening ..as any seed ...won't need light until the cotyledons are at best partially developed,

until then its all water and warmth they need ... yeah 74 was a bad year for me,

I took up my apprenticeship and got severe drilling in this 'art' ...lol

here https://www.rollitup.org/Journal/Entry/germination-101.31319/ I got most of this page from a Horti. magazine and will finish it soon

ps but there is no reason why one does not germ with a small light on, its no biggy, just convenient for you to check on now and then
 

vostok

Well-Known Member
...I should add ...I'm germing now in paper towels also some in the plastic bag they came in,

an old DWC trick to ensure a straight tail(radicle) emerges straight, rather than it curling around the seed husk

also some in rapid rooters that are just shit to use, as often the peat enclosed throws out the ph for the plant

and I'm certain that light does stimulate the radicle some, but I've yet to read that in any lab or hort: report

I do use a soft small light to germ by ..but more for me than the germies.

good luck

ps
should you decide to germ in the small plastic seed bag ensure you have 2-3 teaspoons of quality water added and leave the bag open for some air
 

Grandpa GreenJeans

Well-Known Member
...I should add ...I'm germing now in paper towels also some in the plastic bag they came in,

an old DWC trick to ensure a straight tail(radicle) emerges straight, rather than it curling around the seed husk

also some in rapid rooters that are just shit to use, as often the peat enclosed throws out the ph for the plant

and I'm certain that light does stimulate the radicle some, but I've yet to read that in any lab or hort: report

I do use a soft small light to germ by ..but more for me than the germies.

good luck

ps
should you decide to germ in the small plastic seed bag ensure you have 2-3 teaspoons of quality water added and leave the bag open for some air
Red light encourages germination. 660nm
 

Resinhound

Well-Known Member
Most methods are viable...as this seed WANTS to grow...ive thrown seeds in the trash and have seen them sprout and root on a piece of wet cardboard.The only answer is how strong of a start do you want to give them.

I always grow stronger plants when they are germinated right in the medium they are going to grow in...especially with something like auto where the length of that initial tap root seems to be tied to final plant size...at leat thats what I have experienced.
 

vostok

Well-Known Member
Red light encourages germination. 660nm

Nice find Grandpa, but the article is about lettuce! a plant far more sensitive to light than our weed

and a very easy option for plant scientists to play with back in the '50s, really as theirs no comparison, I wish their were,

lettuce are a composite seed of the aster group, where as canna is an oily based seed, and has a very different reaction to imbibition

(Lettuce "seeds" are actually fruits and have 2-3 cell layers of endosperm below the pericarp. Lettuce endosperm weakening
has been demonstrated and the hormonal regulation of lettuce seed germination is similar to tobacco.
http://www.seedbiology.de/structure.asp)

I have considerable difficulty germing lettuce, as they love the light so much, but any heat just wilts them away

note the above over paid geek using cool white (6500k) more on the link below(2014)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2831841/Farming-future-Toshiba-s-clean-factory-farm-three-million-bags-lettuce-grown-without-sunlight-soil.html
 

Grandpa GreenJeans

Well-Known Member
There isn't any specific data on cannabis seed germination and it's seems like most of the research done is on grasses and leafy greens and such.
I have stumbled upon dozens of abstracts and decided to try it myself. I have a few 660nm and 630nm led bloom boosters, from my experiment I didn't notice any significant increase in germination ratios. I chalked up up to luck honestly, as I wasn't fully convinced of it. I do still employ the technique from time to time.
I'd rather rely on mother nature's way. Heat, air and moisture.
 

Don Geno

Well-Known Member
I like just putting it into soil vs a paper towel just starting it theres just so many things such as the soak in cup of water and scarifying or even dipping them into beneficials or vit b 1 it all just comes down to what works for ya :bigjoint:
 
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