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Who Cracks Seeds in H2O Before Soil Grow?

rrog

Active member
Veteran
I'm about to start my seeds in Promix. Then to aerated organic soil. I could soak them overnight to crack and plant in Promix the next day, or simply put the seeds in the Promix now. I used to do paper towels, but no longer.

To crack or not to crack...?
 

stonedar

Macro-aggressor
Veteran
after I scarify them, I soak my seeds overnight then direct plant into soil of choice. But it's more out of habit than anything else. I'm not sure it speeds things up.
 

DaPurps

Member
I used to use a paper towel also.. I guess out of laziness from planting seeds so much I do a soak then right into the dirt. The soak will let you know their all viable.
 

DaPurps

Member
Mine sink, crack open, and start to grow a tail. I try to catch them as they crack to go to dirt.

I've seen pics from other members using paper towels and letting their taproots get crazy long before planting. Diff strokes
 

TACOE

Member
I don't soak. 100% germ last round.

They may still pop even if they float.

Don't complicate things that work.

Handling a seed with a root hanging out isn't good. And roots that aren't in soil are no good.

MJ seeds are not usually difficult to crack.. Scarify if they are known to be difficult to germ, but thats it...

I don't think that in nature they soak themselves for 24 or so hours, and then burrow into the soil.

Do what's natural and what's organic

-Savoir Faire ;)

Again.. of course soaking them in water will work.. but why!? I think ppl use alternative methods out of paranoia (they wanna see their shits pop, and don't wanna screw up) and impatience. Read up on germination (of any seeds) in a botany or gardening book... it'll take 5 minutes.
 

MileHighGuy

Active member
Veteran
Viable pop a tail... lol... okay not trying to be a smartass.

But they usually won't until they sink.

Put in the fridge for a few days before.... worst case... at least a few hours.

You want them cold like they are coming out of winter.

Drop them in a glass with plain water (I always cover with foil but don't think it does anything other than keep heat in)

Usually the strongest pop their tail in less than 24 hours, but all should within 48.

The absolute best way to get them in less than 24 hours.... put the glass with seeds on a heating mat, this realllly gets them cracking.

I've heard of people saying you'll drown your seeds if left more than 24 hours...

Thats crazy talk, they will be fine, I always wait until they pop tails... but once they do, it's OUT!

Anyways, I know everyone posting here can germ seeds, but alot of us use clones and even more use the paper towel method, it just seems crazy to me when plain water and a shot glass work the best.

@ rrog - if you're going straight into promix, wait until you see the tails and then make sure they are sideways or tail down when you plant them... Don't know about you but when I plant seeds straight into any medium I can't stop digging around to see if they have even opened after a few days. Sooo, I say CRACK THEM!
 

Budley Doright

Active member
Veteran
I don't soak. 100% germ last round.

They may still pop even if they float.

Don't complicate things that work.

Handling a seed with a root hanging out isn't good. And roots that aren't in soil are no good.

MJ seeds are not usually difficult to crack.. Scarify if they are known to be difficult to germ, but thats it...

I don't think that in nature they soak themselves for 24 or so hours, and then burrow into the soil.

Do what's natural and what's organic

-Savoir Faire ;)

Again.. of course soaking them in water will work.. but why!? I think ppl use alternative methods out of paranoia (they wanna see their shits pop, and don't wanna screw up) and impatience. Read up on germination (of any seeds) in a botany or gardening book... it'll take 5 minutes.



Ive read a few of those.....

Mine say that fewer than 1% of natural seeds make it.....


I use paper towels because I like doing better than 1%

I use paper towel because its easier to give those seeds perfect germination environment which is impossible to do for more than a few seeds at a time....

Many plants like a higher germination temp than they grow in....

Maybe you should spend more than 5 minutes reading????
 

MileHighGuy

Active member
Veteran
Again.. of course soaking them in water will work.. but why!? I think ppl use alternative methods out of paranoia (they wanna see their shits pop, and don't wanna screw up) and impatience. Read up on germination (of any seeds) in a botany or gardening book... it'll take 5 minutes.

Seeds cost crazy money.... besides I'm way better than nature.

Now I'm being a smartass... :laughing:

But seriously, you're right.... there probably isn't a need to soak.

For some reason, it seems easier for a beginner to mess it up when direct sowing... Maybe I just suck. :dunno:

and... it does happen in nature, lots of seeds sprout after torrential downpour and a long soak. :tiphat:
 

sunnydog

Drip King
Veteran
Water till shells split,then paper towel till tail is ~half inch long.
I have way better results waiting for the tail to get a bit longer than by rushing them.
 

TACOE

Member
I blame JORGE! and HIGH TIMES
MJ aint that different than many other veggies.

SOME seeds need special treatment before planting.. MJ is just not one of them.. If you plant it right (not difficult) and it doesn't sprout.. well it probably wasn't going to sprout..
 
the whole sinking and floating this is just the shell absorbing water, some seeds float forever while some sink instantly, it also has to do with nut density but if the seed is well developed and large, some seeds sink from the get go.

if you just want to soak I suggest you just soak until the shell changes color, weather it sinks or floats because its about to crack open
 
well the once or maybe twice I tried the paper towel method, I did not get great results and I don't think I got any smoke from that. Although it could have been paranoia or a whole host of other things, I have had 90-100 % results just directly into soilless mix, without soaking or scarifying or anything. Keep it simple stupid as they say right? Hey it would not hurt to scarify or use hydrogen peroxide for old seeds but I do think many tend to overthink things a bit.
 

TACOE

Member
Seeds cost crazy money.... besides I'm way better than nature.

Now I'm being a smartass... :laughing:

But seriously, you're right.... there probably isn't a need to soak.

For some reason, it seems easier for a beginner to mess it up when direct sowing... Maybe I just suck. :dunno:

and... it does happen in nature, lots of seeds sprout after torrential downpour and a long soak. :tiphat:

That's exactly it.. Expensive seeds.. so we dont wanna fuck up.. so we do everything within OUR power to make it happen. Well shit, it happens all on its own. It doesn't even want our help if ya ask me.

You are right about the rain though. But I believe that rain helps to get the seeds into the soil.

You def. don't suck..

Heres wat works fine, and is stupid simple. wet ur mix... put a seed on TOP of the soil, and just sprinkle a pinch of soil over it.. then water real light. TADA its like a soil paper towel. I dont tamp it, or worry about too much backfill or anything. no need to worry about burying 2 times as deep as the width squared divided by 4 (jk, its not that complicated even if u bury it)

pick up a botany book for the chapter on germing. In fact.. botany for gardeners by Brian C(something) is a readily available book at borders, bANDn, the library. That's where i learned all i need to know bout germing.. If i can find my notes maybe i can scan em or something.
 

echo_chamber

Active member
I put all my seeds in a plastic dixie/solo cup with bottled water, i keep the cup in a dark cupboard til the white taproot comes out (usually 2 days) then throw them in a rooting cube.. I dont recall a ever losing a seed or one not sprouting. I've done this for years with all my 10 packs and its the only way i'll ever sprout things til i learn something that will make them sprout overnight :)
 
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