What Could I be Doing Wrong

If you can get the tap to pop.....

...then when you plant it in the soil dont plant too deep....keep the temp stable (i use t5 light on 24/0) at around 79ish... and most of all DO NOT saturate the soil too much...

That was my propblem at the start. You want the roots to grow quickly and they will when they have to go searching for moisture... if the soil is to wet the tap root wont do much other than rot and die...

So what i do is plant a popeed seed in a beer cup with bone dry promix about 1 cm deep... then drop mabe a tablespoon or two of water on that spot. Once the top pops up i gradually water more and more. It takes me about a week to get up to an ounce of water...then by the second week i am watering until it leaks out the holes in the bottom....

And after about a dozen times i still struggle with getting them the right amount of water at the right time doing it this way .... but i am getting better

tinkywinky said:

Now this is one thing I thought as my taps dont seem to get anywhere near what others are getting in the pictures even when I leave them for a bit longer, thanks.

Click to expand...

Then get a heat mat.

Or electrical dome, that increased my rates.

Some potting soils have fertilizer in them when you buy them like Miracle Grow, I try to avoid them because they will fry tiny seedlings.

Dobby said:

Some potting soils have fertilizer in them when you buy them like Miracle Grow, I try to avoid them.

Click to expand...

(Mg root boost potting mix) is the best...
all other mg with the blue and other bits are bad.
Just a FYI you can get it and try is good but not for very young plants

Hey thanks everyone for your tips. Update is here.

I used the following method/s and changed a few things around, I will do it in steps so easier to read and pictures to follow

1, put two seeds in a shot glass with some bottled water about an inch deep untill they sank, approx 20 hours.
2, put seeds in wet paper towel in side jiffy zip bag slightly open and in the cubord for approx 48 hours
3, watered small plant pot in center with my 4,1,1 mix, approx 2 soup spoons of bottled water
4, planted seeds 1.5 cm deep lightly covered with soil and placed cling film over top of pot
5, put pot on 5 watt heat matt, crossed fingers and played some bob marley
6, shes alive! and about an inch tall.

Now I just need to keep her that way, I have heard mixed things about feed some say once she shows leaves to feed her a little others have said to leave it with just water for two weeks, any suggestions?. For my first grow I will be using MG feed as it covers all bases neut wise, as I get more exp I will try to go to organic. The potting soil I am using only has added seeweed.

No feed mate unless it has clonex lol for two weeks or so don't kill what you got buddy and good luck.

Labs Dexter said:

No feed mate unless it has clonex lol for two weeks or so don't kill what you got buddy and good luck.

Click to expand...

Thanks Dexter, I will just take the film off later and give her another soup spoon of water then build on it as she gets bigger.

Nice and easy.. Patients brings you nice bud

Labs Dexter said:

Nice and easy.. Patients brings you nice bud

Click to expand...

Good advice... patience, less is more, slowly slowly catch the monkey yeah? Well done on cracking your bean, I just stick mine in a root riot and water it... shazam!

Sorry meant to reply to tinky fucking winky but me fingers weren't able to take it serious man!

@tinkywinky

nomoresnow said:

Have you tried planting a seed right in the soil or maybe a rapid rooter/jiffy pellet? Maybe the universe doesn't want you to be a paper towel grower. I have never tried the paper towel thing except in 4th grade science class so can't offer any help there.

Click to expand...

Plant directly into good quality, nutrient free soil. On a seedling heat mat for 2-3 days with a loose cover and whammo! Remove any cover as soon as they emerge.

Soak seeds in water until they sink and crack to expose taproot, plant seeds in 4 inch pot with sterile soil like promix. Water well, put under a dome or cover with ziploc bag and never water again until seeds are out and soil has dried out a bit. Commun mistake when starting seeds is over watering. Also if soil wasn't sterile you might have gnats eating taproot before it has time to pop out.

Fresh healthy viable seeds are usually out of soil within 72 hours after placing them in a glass of water. I have 100% germination with my own seeds.

Plus I like the heat mat idea because I use it for seedlings it helps the root build up.

Labs Dexter said:

Plus I like the heat mat idea because I use it for seedlings it helps the root build up.

Click to expand...

The heat mats speed clone root development too. Spent $20 on one years ago and it is the single most useful thing I own for pot after my EC and pH meters.