just got my white widow seeds this am that I ordered online 2 days ago...was wondering the best way to germinate Ive seen lots do that paper towel method but read u can damage the tap root easily last plant i did i just put in soil and a week later it came up so any help would be greatly appreciated
What is a easy and reliable way to germinate seeds
- Thread starter tikka
- Start date
bostoner
Active Member
What I do is real simple. I only had one bean ever not germ so far. Germed like close to 100 so I'm at 99 percent but I did use rockwool for seed before and don't anymore due to early burns on my babies. What I do is easy just soak my seeds in water to soften the shells for an hour to 12. Doesnt make a difference just when ever you get the pot all ready. Then I just use my finger to make a little crater in the middle of the pot and smooth the crater out so the seed will have a nice place to stick into and not tip. Take a seed n stick it in pointy side down and secure it pretty good so you only see the little circle side sticking up. lightly cover it and pat with your finger a bit to make sure it secure in there. Now the only reason one of mine didn't germ is because If you water too fast it will dislodge the seed and your seed might end up just sitting on the surface of the soil and dry up. This is what happened to me once and I'm more careful now. No problems since. So screw all the other weird germ tactics that expose taproots to air and light. Just soak and plant the sucker.
gotigers0420
Active Member
Wet, wet paper towel with distilled, put beans in center inch or so apart, fold up keeping flat, slide in ziploc, seal and stick it in your sock drawer for 2-4 days. dont peek for at least two days.
With hydroponics sometimes it's easier to do the paper towel method. The key is to get them in the grow medium before the tap root gets longer than a 1/4" or so. I use tweezers and very gently grasp the sprouted seed by the shell only. The longer the tap root gets, which usually happens quickly within hours, the more difficult it is not to damage the fine hairs that begin to grow off the tap root. With experience I've been able to, carefully as a surgeon, plant seeds with furry tap roots 1-1/2" long that were already branching out and the seed's shell falling off. Soaking the seeds for a day or two first is a good idea if you're going the soil route described above which also works quite well. Whatever you do, though warmth is helpful to speed germination, too much will destroy the tiny embryos just as they begin to hatch. Don't let temps get above 75 deg.
gotigers0420
Active Member
sock drawer temp
As mentioned above, seeds should sprout in 2-4 days. Those that take much longer to sprout at 72 deg F. aren't ususally worth keeping. Those late developing plants often don't grow out well. But also not always the first to pop wind up being the most vigorous and potent keepers either. And like a watched pot that never boils, try not to peek at the seeds every few hours to see if something's happened yet. It usually takes at least a day and a half for the to begin popping. And you want to wait till most of them have germinated before you start moving things around anyway.
k thanks im wanting to try both methods now so will put 2 seeds in paper towel and ziploc bagged tucked into a sock...will also put seeds in a cup to soak for a day or so then will be putting in soil....when I do this soil technique do i wanna keep the seeds soaking in the dark while in a cup or? as well I will be using a small disposable plastic cup for the first bit will i need to put a dome over top to keep it somewhat humid and wet as well as should i put a couple cfls on over top it? thanks guys
bostoner
Active Member
I put a light on em after I plant. Not really to warm them up because I dont need that in my climate but just so when It pops, usually 2-3 days later, it opens up to a nice amount of light straight away. They usually pop when I'm asleep.
edit. No dome imo. I only use a dome on clones. Doesn't really matter dark or not for the soak. They wont pop open in 12 hours or less. I do the same, solo cups for a week to 10 days then transplant deep.
edit. No dome imo. I only use a dome on clones. Doesn't really matter dark or not for the soak. They wont pop open in 12 hours or less. I do the same, solo cups for a week to 10 days then transplant deep.
edsthreads
Well-Known Member
Wet paper towel method for me - let the tap roots get approx inch long before potting
http://www.cannabisgrowguide.net/2010/06/germinating-cannabis-seeds.html
http://www.cannabisgrowguide.net/2010/06/germinating-cannabis-seeds.html
weird question do i need to blow air into the ziploc bag to give it oxygen? or just put into the sock and let it be and how wet should the paper towel be? just moist or should it have some retained water?
put them in moist paper towel then into a ziploc tucked into a sock is it going to be a problem no fresh air is gettin to it?
edsthreads
Well-Known Member
You don't need an air flow or air getting in you want to keep it humid & damp
jondamon
Well-Known Member
If your using soil then just plant your seed into a small hole and cover. Make sure your soil is watered before adding your seed. Then light it up under a small t5 or something similar.
If your using rockwool presoak your rockwool in a seed starting nute approx 0.6EC pH5.8 for at least 6 hours then plant and squeeze cube together.
J
If your using rockwool presoak your rockwool in a seed starting nute approx 0.6EC pH5.8 for at least 6 hours then plant and squeeze cube together.
J
edsthreads
Well-Known Member
Yeah about that - I let em get quite long so they don't struggle too much when potted