Seed Germination Issue

The last few times I've tried germinating seeds, from various breeders and distributors, I seem to get something like a 10% germination rate all the way through. Most seeds will pop and then nothing more. The water has always been tap water and I use the paper towel method. I normally wait till I see the tap root at about half an inch length and then put em in jiffy peat pellets or some variant of seed starting mix. Usually in the past it takes 2-4 days before most seeds are ready to be put in their first medium. Now currently the seeds seem to stall out and I don't really know what could be wrong. Maybe I'm jumping the gun on the post and the seeds just are taking long, but I'm at roughly day 5 with 1 fully ready seed out of 20 and at this point
I'm just tossing money in the trash on seeds. like I said they are different breeders and the seeds from 1 pack looked very healthy so I assume the problem is something I'm doing and not the seeds being old or bunk.

How clean are you n area when your doing this?
Are you writing on the paper towel with a sharpie?
What’s your temps ?
If they pop, they are a good seed , then it’s up to you. Maybe look up adding a little H202 to your water .

Put them in your medium, water them, put a warm light 2-3 inches above the medium and wait 3 days. Tada!

When you say 10% Germ rate (thats 1 in 10 seeds popping, ouch!) are you referring to seeds not even opening? Or are you referring to seeds that pop and then stall?

If they don't open, you can try scuffing them a little, with a container and sand-paper.

If they pop and stall it could be bad water, maybe try a little Hydrogen Peroxide.
If they pop and stall it could simply be too much water (water-logged).

Also consider the temperature where you seeds are at. You want it around 68F-77F (20-25C).

Temps are uncertain because I broke my gauge so guessing around 65-70. Air is a bit dusty, but there's a carbon filter scrubbing air moving out so to some extent the air is getting cleaned in a closed area. It was 13 seeds with which about 11 or all of them popped, but didn't progress past the initial pop and maybe a single millimeter of a tap root. My current guess is water log although i'm uncertain. This time around I'm going to try less water in the paper towels and bottled water instead of tap (even though tap always worked before). I've never scuffed seeds and am just hearing about this now. I might try it but I worry about sanding away the shell or something. I am also trying adding some Myko powder to the outside of the paper towel to kinda leech into the water and maybe help germinate this next pack.

mastermind303033 said:

Temps are uncertain because I broke my gauge so guessing around 65-70. Air is a bit dusty, but there's a carbon filter scrubbing air moving out so to some extent the air is getting cleaned in a closed area. It was 13 seeds with which about 11 or all of them popped, but didn't progress past the initial pop and maybe a single millimeter of a tap root. My current guess is water log although i'm uncertain. This time around I'm going to try less water in the paper towels and bottled water instead of tap (even though tap always worked before). I've never scuffed seeds and am just hearing about this now. I might try it but I worry about sanding away the shell or something. I am also trying adding some Myko powder to the outside of the paper towel to kinda leech into the water and maybe help germinate this next pack.

Click to expand...

Why not put them right in the medium? That's how nature does it.

mastermind303033 said:

Temps are uncertain because I broke my gauge so guessing around 65-70. Air is a bit dusty, but there's a carbon filter scrubbing air moving out so to some extent the air is getting cleaned in a closed area. It was 13 seeds with which about 11 or all of them popped, but didn't progress past the initial pop and maybe a single millimeter of a tap root. My current guess is water log although i'm uncertain. This time around I'm going to try less water in the paper towels and bottled water instead of tap (even though tap always worked before). I've never scuffed seeds and am just hearing about this now. I might try it but I worry about sanding away the shell or something. I am also trying adding some Myko powder to the outside of the paper towel to kinda leech into the water and maybe help germinate this next pack.

Click to expand...

Sounds like you have a solid plan. My guess is also that they were too wet. This reduced much needed oxygen, and they don't work as hard to grow (look for water).

I would not introduce Myko until your roots have established a little. Don't over complicate things.

Paper-Towel, Bottled Water, 68-76F / 20-25C. Wet the paper towel, it should be damp, but it does not need to be dripping.

Make sure it does not dry out. A couple drops of water is all it needs when you think it's getting dry.

3-7 days seeds should crack.

That simple method I've had a small tap roots poke out as soon at 18 hours! Normally 2-7 days.

3rd Monkey said:

Why not put them right in the medium? That's how nature does it.

Click to expand...

Indoor Growing isn't exactly nature.

... I'm just pulling your tail, you can most definitely start straight in soil. I've always done the paper-towel with 100% germ rates when I do things correctly.

Joint Monster said:

Indoor Growing isn't exactly nature.

... I'm just pulling your tail, you can most definitely start straight in soil. I've always done the paper-towel with 100% germ rates when I do things correctly.

Click to expand...

No, I got you. YOU have had good success. I understand the, if you fail try try again, but why not try something different?

I prefer coffee filters over paper towels, but I prefer medium over both lol. Never saw a benefit to the paper towel method.

Even though I can most definitely see putting them directly into your medium being better, I've always done the paper towel method. Only because it's always worked for me. Out of 10 or so seeds I'll typically get 1 or maybe 2 that don't pop. But I think it depends heavily on water quality, temps, and being somewhere that light isn't seeping in. Without a seedling heating mat, I see a dramatic increase in the time it takes them to sprout, and the germination rate.

Simple rooter plug in a prop tray , cover on a warming mat . T5 or simple flouro lamp.

mastermind303033 said:

Temps are uncertain because I broke my gauge so guessing around 65-70

Click to expand...

That was all i needed to see! Most issues with regards to germination are temperature related. You gotta get your temps into the 80's to speed up and insure germination! No matter what i have used, whether its paper towels, napkins, coffee filters, one thing played the biggest role in fast/successful germination...temperature! Keep it damp, not wet, and temps around 80f/25c for better results.

mastermind303033 said:

Temps are uncertain because I broke my gauge so guessing around 65-70. Air is a bit dusty, but there's a carbon filter scrubbing air moving out so to some extent the air is getting cleaned in a closed area. It was 13 seeds with which about 11 or all of them popped, but didn't progress past the initial pop and maybe a single millimeter of a tap root. My current guess is water log although i'm uncertain. This time around I'm going to try less water in the paper towels and bottled water instead of tap (even though tap always worked before). I've never scuffed seeds and am just hearing about this now. I might try it but I worry about sanding away the shell or something. I am also trying adding some Myko powder to the outside of the paper towel to kinda leech into the water and maybe help germinate this next pack.

Click to expand...

Could be too wet or bad temps. Only time I had issues with sprouting was Promix being too wet. Too dry will screw it too but I’m sure you’d know if it was dried out.

Blitz35 said:

That was all i needed to see! Most issues with regards to germination are temperature related. You gotta get your temps into the 80's to speed up and insure germination! No matter what i have used, whether its paper towels, napkins, coffee filters, one thing played the biggest role in fast/successful germination...temperature! Keep it damp, not wet, and temps around 80f/25c for better results.

Click to expand...

Definitely faster sprouts in warmer temps.that being said, I just had 100% success rate with 24;seeds in a room that was low 70s at daytime and mid 60s at night. 4-5 days for all of them. If he doesnt get some more sprouts in the next day or two I’d say the medium is too wet.

danjac82 said:

Definitely faster sprouts in warmer temps.that being said, I just had 100% success rate with 24;seeds in a room that was low 70s at daytime and mid 60s at night. 4-5 days for all of them. If he doesnt get some more sprouts in the next day or two I’d say the medium is too wet.

Click to expand...

you can still have success in cooler temps, but it's not as sure and will take much longer. i have peppers that sprout within a week of putting straight to soil in the summer (mid 70's-low 80's)..in winter, it can take 3-4 weeks for it to sprout (high 60's), if it does. With cannabis, if given the right heat, i put them in napkins, and within 36 hours they are ready to go in dirt, with cooler temps, i've waited a week+ in the beginning to get them to crack.

Blitz35 said:

you can still have success in cooler temps, but it's not as sure and will take much longer. i have peppers that sprout within a week of putting straight to soil in the summer (mid 70's-low 80's)..in winter, it can take 3-4 weeks for it to sprout (high 60's), if it does. With cannabis, if given the right heat, i put them in napkins, and within 36 hours they are ready to go in dirt, with cooler temps, i've waited a week+ in the beginning to get them to crack.

Click to expand...

I’ve been pretty lucky with germination always. Have had high success even outside in solo cups here in northeast 3rd week of May. Nights in low 60s. Never took more than a week. Idk. Just good luck with the seeds

Just soak them in tap or bottled water for 18-24 hours at 23-29 Celcius.. Then put them straight to the media.. Really no reason to use paper the towel method or anything else..