Germination technique

Germinated some Critical Mass (Mr Nice) and Killing Fields F3 (Sannies). Just dropped them in 1 qt pots of coco.

Soaked the seeds over night in water, then went with the paper towel method. After going paper towel method 4-5 times, am convinced it is not a good method for me.

Did have 100% germination with 20 seeds, but damn, how do you get them planted without touching the root and/or pinching the root with the seed husk? It just seems like p towel method is setting yourself up for stressing the delicate tap root.

Wondering how many "runts" in the past were due to the stress of the p towel method.

Thinking direct seed is the best way to plant seed.

You are correct, sir. Cannabis seeds germinate beautifully in soil and there is no need to dick around with paper towels.

jessy koons said:

You are correct, sir. Cannabis seeds germinate beautifully in soil and there is no need to dick around with paper towels.

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I don't like to get set in my ways with anything in the garden. But, I think direct seed is a good method to stick to.

After much reading I also have placed my seeds directly into there medium for my first time after utilizing both water and paper towel methods only in the past. Rockwool cubes. Heating mat on low(any thoughts?) No dome, humidity is at 73% (towel hanging above). Please keep us updated on how they come along! Placed mine in Sunday night!

i pop them in coco plugs and a humidity dome (and a heat mat). as soon as I see that they have popped, I put it into a big pot of my growing medium (coco and hydroton) so that the tap root can shoot down and utilize the entire pot.

I have had 100% success with the paper towel method. If the seed pops and the taproot emerges then it will make its way out of the soil just fine every time. Just be gentle when you transfer them from the towel to the medium. And the root doesn't have to be facing perfectly downward. It will make its way to the light even if you drop it in sideways which I've done several times. Oh and when properly incubated you can get 1/4 taproots in 24 hours.

I forgot to add that you should wash your hands before handling the seeds.

It might just be me. But I have been having no luck using rockwool cubes. I tried to germinate some in paper towel first then put them in rockwool. And I've also tried direct. They never sprout the tap root if I put them in the rockwool directly. And if I germ them first in a paper towel and then in rockwool it rarly goes further then that. and those that do sprout slightly get stuck in the rock wool cube and never come out and eventually just die.

So I am at a loss. I've now had like two that have worked total using rockwool. (Oh and one is dying from what I think is called damping off) From what I read it's the surface of my rockwool got to wet. Anyways. I'm leaving rockwool and my many dollars put into hydro ponics to go into soil until I have gained more experiance.

I agree with mastercheif but ive had 100% sucess with both

UnfusedGrowth said:

It might just be me. But I have been having no luck using rockwool cubes. I tried to germinate some in paper towel first then put them in rockwool. And I've also tried direct. They never sprout the tap root if I put them in the rockwool directly. And if I germ them first in a paper towel and then in rockwool it rarly goes further then that. and those that do sprout slightly get stuck in the rock wool cube and never come out and eventually just die.

So I am at a loss. I've now had like two that have worked total using rockwool. (Oh and one is dying from what I think is called damping off) From what I read it's the surface of my rockwool got to wet. Anyways. I'm leaving rockwool and my many dollars put into hydro ponics to go into soil until I have gained more experiance.

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Keeping the rockwool too wet will definitely make things harder just like making the soil too wet will. The intensity of the light over the first few days should be considerably less than the rest of the grow. My 600w gets turned to 50% and I raise it at least two feet from the plants until the first set of leaves make their appearance.

It should be in a heated humidity dome too, so if the soil is wet, stick her in and thats it. Otherwise I like the shot glass method, less you touch the seed the better, I like to keep the dark glass with the seed in it inside the heated propogator, keeps the water luke warm. I've always felt the paper towel method is pretty rough, even though it is a tried and popular method.

Now, I'm going to try to avoid hi-jacking this thread with my own questions but I put my germinating seeds in a humidity dome it's about 81 - 85 degrees and like 80 - 87% humidity. I don't have a mat or anything that is just what I have going.

I have one that I put directly in rockwool nearly 6 days ago now. It is in my humidity dome. I have a small light suspended above them and every now and then I look in to see if there is progress looks like something might be happening but they always get stuck in the rockwool.

PH is : 5.5 - 6.5

I don't have any experience with an actual humidity dome. I put them in a folded up wet, but not soaked, paper towel and seal it up in a ziploc bag. Then it goes into the cabinet over my sink which has a 20w cfl tube mounted underneath it. The heat that the cfl puts off through the wood of the cabinet is all it takes for me. No more than 48 hours every time. Never measured the humidity in there though.

I'll take a pic of the 3 I just moved from paper towel to rockwool when I get off work. They were planted today around 2 eastern time and I expect them to have already cleared the rockwool by the time I get home in an hour.

masterchief910 said:

I'll take a pic of the 3 I just moved from paper towel to rockwool when I get off work. They were planted today around 2 eastern time and I expect them to have already cleared the rockwool by the time I get home in an hour.

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Odd... I wish I knew why mine are not clearing the rockwool and always seem to just get stuck down there..

masterchief910 said:

I have had 100% success with the paper towel method. If the seed pops and the taproot emerges then it will make its way out of the soil just fine every time. Just be gentle when you transfer them from the towel to the medium. And the root doesn't have to be facing perfectly downward. It will make its way to the light even if you drop it in sideways which I've done several times. Oh and when properly incubated you can get 1/4 taproots in 24 hours.

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Yeah, the success rate and speed is very high. I def had 1/4 - 1/2 taproots in under 24 hours. 100% success rate.

I just feel like, for me, getting them out of the paper towel and into the media without some roughing up is nearly impossible. Perhaps if I had a nice tool to make the transfer it would work better. Today I used a fork. Have tried tweazers in the past, but i felt like i was pinching the husk which then would pinch the root.

Ive been doing tap root up. I don't put a ton of effort into making sure it is up or down. But, it usually ends up horizontal or pointing up. I don;t have much reason behind it. Just following the instructions from a breeder pack at some point. I know Cervantes says down. Some say up.

I would guess my direct seed success rate is about 95%. I could probably take them out and germ them in a towel, but in the past i have chucked them.

When I plant 10 seeds, I'm usually looking to end up with 8 plants. Then 4 females. But, with the Dr Greenthumb G13 seeds I am about to plant... 3 seeds for 200$US... I'll paper towel germif they dont germinate direct.

I've never done seeds in rockwool. I have heard of issues with it. I think I remember hearing people saying that the seeds would lift themselves up out of the rockwool. Not anchoring.

HeartlandHank said:

But, with the Dr Greenthumb G13 seeds I am about to plant... 3 seeds for 200$US... I'll paper towel germif they dont germinate direct.

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Daaaaammmnnnn 3 beans for $200!? I'm interested in that end result... I'm with you on not using the paper towel method. I see it this way, it's still just a plant seed. Most of the time I will soak first, but I feel people get a little crazy about technique with cannabis because of what it is and their own lack of any gardening prior to trying to grow some sensimillia. I'm not knocking those that use the paper towel method, it's just not for me because I grew up with a garden. We sowed right in containers or our patch, depending on time of year and what we were growing....

kinetic said:

Daaaaammmnnnn 3 beans for $200!? I'm interested in that end result... I'm with you on not using the paper towel method. I see it this way, it's still just a plant seed. Most of the time I will soak first, but I feel people get a little crazy about technique with cannabis because of what it is and their own lack of any gardening prior to trying to grow some sensimillia. I'm not knocking those that use the paper towel method, it's just not for me because I grew up with a garden. We sowed right in containers or our patch, depending on time of year and what we were growing....

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Yeah, I got a taste of g13, and I want it in a higher yielding plant. If I get what I want, 200 is no problem. Some people seemed to get angry about the whole G13/Dr Gt/200 for 3 seeds thing. I mean, the price is clearly marked. I was willing to pay it. Fuck it. If a keeper plant is produced, i'm happy. I've been through about 7-8 packs that I did not find a keeper. Add those up and it is waaay more than 200. If the Doc is only sending out 3, he must be confident they are enough to find a good mom.

I remember first learning of the paper towel method in an elementary school science class. I think from a point of high germination it is a good method. I don't feel like the paper towel method is the choice of inexperienced or uneducated gardeners. Most of the breeders instruction I get say to use it. Mandala is the only pack i have had that specifically instructs to plant direct.

Also, if your seeds are old. 3+ yrs. Paper towel method is just about necessary as the seed embryo has dried up and will need more water than a moderately moist medium can offer.

And then, you know, for hydro applications it probably is better. I don't know, does direct seed in rockwool even work? I've done direct seed in peat pucks before. Would seem like growing your seed in soiless mix first would be better. Then take a cutting to apply to hydro.

HeartlandHank said:

Yeah, I got a taste of g13, and I want it in a higher yielding plant. If I get what I want, 200 is no problem.

I remember first learning of the paper towel method in an elementary school science class. I think from a point of high germination it is a good method.

And then, you know, for hydro applications it probably is better. I don't know, does direct seed in rockwool even work? I've done direct seed in peat pucks before.

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Now this man loves his BUD.