Smart Pot Question

Hey Fellow Growers,

I used to germinate and plant seeds in plastic pots with almost 100% success rate. My soil mix is usually 75% generic potting soil + 25% perlite.

Recently, I decided to switch to smart pots to take advantage of their enhanced air flow features. I germinated and planted 8 healthy germinated seeds. 4 in Smart Pots, and 4 in Plastic pots. However, none surfaced from the smart pots, but all surfaced from the plastic pots. I kept humidity always above 75%, and I was misting every 8 hours. Temperature and lighting were adequate as well. All conditions were optimal.

What do you think went wrong? I dug the soil from one of the smart pots to see where the germinated seed went after 4 days, I found it deep as in almost quarter way into the pot (maybe it moved down the soil while misting). The seed was fully sprouted and just needed to surface, but sadly it was too deep.

Is there a misting procedure for smart pots? Or did I mess something else up. The other seedlings in the plastic pots are healthy and thriving.

Tamp down the soil by tapping the pot against the floor. Don't compact it but tamp it down. Seeds showing a tap root. A pencil eraser deep or less with the tap root pointed down.

Wild cannabis drops its seeds. The wind doesn't carry them. No animal walks them somewhere with them being stuck to fur. What seeds that hit the ground and end up with a very light covering of soil. Dead leaves. Those are the seeds that make up the next generation.

You can lay the seed on top the soil and sprinkle some dirt on it. It'll take off. It's a weed. Warmth is one of the biggest things to watch. The seed needs to feel like it's the first warm day of spring. 80f.

Misting should never move seeds unless you're using the stream . Why germinate seeds for soil? Fn with seeds in soil other than sowing and misting is a waste. Taproots know which way is down especially when they emerge in the soil

Like hive said seeds hit the ground,no pre germination or paper towels needed

Thank you both for the informative replies.

@bam0813 I think you are missing the point. My issue is “Why my seeds sprout in plastic, but not in smart (fabric) pots?”

I never had a problem with popping seeds before, but I appreciate sharing your views on it.

@Beehive I think I should have tapped the soil harder .. it was a bit loose to be honest. Will pre-watering the soil a day or two before help it stick together and firm up a bit? Maybe this will solve the issue of seeds moving down.

But Bam mentioned a good point that misting should never move seeds ...

What do you think went wrong? I dug the soil from one of the smart pots to see where the germinated seed went after 4 days, I found it deep as in almost quarter way into the pot (maybe it moved down the soil while misting). The seed was fully sprouted and just needed to surface, but sadly it was too deep.

This is what went wrong

Pots have zero to do with germination imo you can elimate the pot as a cause

Not being an ....my honest opinion only

Maybe i misunderstood and you did plant seed directly in soil, if you did germinate out of soil,was the taproot noticeably longer. If so id have to say the same too deep and it ran out of energy or you ran out of patience