How do YOU germinate your seeds? What's your success rate?
- Thread starter Caille
- Start date
generalgrowth
Member
I have tried diffrents methods in the past years with various results!
with "the-papertowel-method" I have succeededgerminating 50% of my premium seeds!
And with the "soaked-rockwool-cubes" I've succeded germinating about 70% of my seeds wich 40% died because of mold!
And nowadays I plant my seeds i plastic cups with potting-soil and have a 95% success since!
I only use seeds from Mandala!
with "the-papertowel-method" I have succeededgerminating 50% of my premium seeds!
And with the "soaked-rockwool-cubes" I've succeded germinating about 70% of my seeds wich 40% died because of mold!
And nowadays I plant my seeds i plastic cups with potting-soil and have a 95% success since!
I only use seeds from Mandala!
johndenver
Member
just my two cents, the plastic bag with the towel works great, i only put in between two plates to simulate darkness and I put them in a colder place (55-65 F). I get a pretty solid 99.9% rate.
Bunz
Active member
Add one drop of bleach to a cup of warm r/o water. Wet a folded paper towel with this and wring out. Place seeds between the paper towel, put on a small plate and put the plate and towel in a ziploc baggie. Place on top of cable box and check daily. Bleach is enough to stop any mold or mildew growth for the 3 days or so the seeds will be in the towels, however it won't adversely affect the seed sprouting. Been doing it this way for over 20 years and if the seeds are good they pop.
Bunz
Bunz
Panama Fred
New member
Psycho Paul is smart using reverse osmosis water, all my plants get RO water every watering. i buy rapid rooters as my germination media because too many expensive seeds were damaged during the move from paper towels to growing media. before i put the seed in the rapid rooter hole, i soak them in hydrogen peroxide for a few minutes to kill any lingering micro organisms on the seeds. then i cover the seeds in the hole with some seed starting mixture, as the seedling reaches for light the seed case easily separates from the seedling.
I've had the most success planting seeds directly into peat pellets that are soak using tap water with a PH of 7.0. With paper towels, there are too many variables that need to be correct to achieve maximum results. For example: temps, sterilization, safe transfer of seed & avoiding rot are all issues of concern.
I tried paper towels over and over and had varying results based on my efforts. But planting directly into peat pellets has given be the ability to reach 100% germination rates in a shorter period of time with little effort. I try to keep the temps in the upper 70's when germinating seeds.
I tried paper towels over and over and had varying results based on my efforts. But planting directly into peat pellets has given be the ability to reach 100% germination rates in a shorter period of time with little effort. I try to keep the temps in the upper 70's when germinating seeds.
H
HighPlainsToker
Same for me with the peat pellets; I haven't checked my tap water PH, but it works fine.
Leroy Brown
Member
I popped my latest round in..........................
The aero cloner! Shlt works killer. Unravel my pipe insulation collars, insert seed, wait. Check on them in a few days & if they are cracked w/1" taproot I waise the seed itself up above the collar & reinsert in the aerocloner.
The aero cloner! Shlt works killer. Unravel my pipe insulation collars, insert seed, wait. Check on them in a few days & if they are cracked w/1" taproot I waise the seed itself up above the collar & reinsert in the aerocloner.
Some people seem to have trouble with germination, so I thought I would show my method. It seems to work very well.
I start with a large bowl of 80degF TAP water. For some reason tap seems to work best at this stage.
Next, I add 1.2 ml of Roots Excelerator And stir it up!
Next I drop in 12 Jiffy Pucks top up. If you put them in top down, the peat comes out in the water. Leave them soak 15-30 mins.
They start life like this -
And are soon looking much more rotund -
Save This!
Next, and very importantly we need to squeeze out about half of the water, and break up the weird stuff in the puck. Just gently squeeze it and make it about 50% taller.
Stick them all in your little Jiffy GreenHouse -
And tamp them down a little with your finger. Then reopen the holes with a skewer or cake tester.
Now we're ready for planting!
I like to put them in point side down - base up and then cover them with some of the Jiffy's peat.
I like to tape the top on, so they can't dry out unexpectedly.
Don't forget good labeling!
Now onto the heat mat. Gonna have to share!
Set for 80degF
This is what we saved the Jiffy puck water for - A spring outdoor Sour Lifesaver!
And that's how I do that.
I start with a large bowl of 80degF TAP water. For some reason tap seems to work best at this stage.
Next, I add 1.2 ml of Roots Excelerator And stir it up!
Next I drop in 12 Jiffy Pucks top up. If you put them in top down, the peat comes out in the water. Leave them soak 15-30 mins.
They start life like this -
And are soon looking much more rotund -
Save This!
Next, and very importantly we need to squeeze out about half of the water, and break up the weird stuff in the puck. Just gently squeeze it and make it about 50% taller.
Stick them all in your little Jiffy GreenHouse -
And tamp them down a little with your finger. Then reopen the holes with a skewer or cake tester.
Now we're ready for planting!
I like to put them in point side down - base up and then cover them with some of the Jiffy's peat.
I like to tape the top on, so they can't dry out unexpectedly.
Don't forget good labeling!
Now onto the heat mat. Gonna have to share!
Set for 80degF
This is what we saved the Jiffy puck water for - A spring outdoor Sour Lifesaver!
And that's how I do that.
R
RedOne
nice and simple Kcar just how i like it! rarely lose a bean and if i do there's plenty more
H
HighPlainsToker
Nice tutorial Kcar, that's pretty much my routine, minus the Excelerator stuff. KISS principle!
paper towels.... 100% success rate
- Warm 80-5 temps,
- clean container (bacteria run rampant with the warm temp),
- oxygenated water (just give it a good shake in a sealed container)
- try to time germination with full moon,
- use piece of sandpaper folded up and roll the seeds around in it for a few minutes,
then use whatever medium you choose
- clean container (bacteria run rampant with the warm temp),
- oxygenated water (just give it a good shake in a sealed container)
- try to time germination with full moon,
- use piece of sandpaper folded up and roll the seeds around in it for a few minutes,
then use whatever medium you choose
my technique is very basic
I take a lid from a chinese restaurant-container
I take some tiletpaper, fold it a few times and make it wet and place it on the lid
place the seeds on that with a piece of paper with the strain on it, if multiple strains I keep a little room between the strains so it's obvious wich paper belongs to wich seeds
then I get another piece of toiletpaper that I fold a few times, make it wet and fold over 1 edge(so it doesn't tear when I lift it to see how the seeds are doing) and place that over the seeds
then place it just somewhere randomly where I won't knock it over, so just roomtemp(wich is probably lower than most of your roomtemps since I like it a little on the cold side, 17-18 degrees celsius)
and then mist it whenever it looks too dry(since I don't cover it it evaporates pretty quickly, usually have to mist it 1-2 times a day and then I mist it till it's soaking wet again)
almost always get 9/10 or 10/10 that way, there is some difference in times tough, some strains/batches allgerm within a day, some take a couple of days
usually when the first of a batch goes the rest will follow quickly and then there's often 1 that takes a bit longer as the rest
I take a lid from a chinese restaurant-container
I take some tiletpaper, fold it a few times and make it wet and place it on the lid
place the seeds on that with a piece of paper with the strain on it, if multiple strains I keep a little room between the strains so it's obvious wich paper belongs to wich seeds
then I get another piece of toiletpaper that I fold a few times, make it wet and fold over 1 edge(so it doesn't tear when I lift it to see how the seeds are doing) and place that over the seeds
then place it just somewhere randomly where I won't knock it over, so just roomtemp(wich is probably lower than most of your roomtemps since I like it a little on the cold side, 17-18 degrees celsius)
and then mist it whenever it looks too dry(since I don't cover it it evaporates pretty quickly, usually have to mist it 1-2 times a day and then I mist it till it's soaking wet again)
almost always get 9/10 or 10/10 that way, there is some difference in times tough, some strains/batches allgerm within a day, some take a couple of days
usually when the first of a batch goes the rest will follow quickly and then there's often 1 that takes a bit longer as the rest
G
Guest 263194
For me, I use RO water, drop the seeds for 24hr and put it in the medium. don't need to Ph the water or anything. just make sure the cup of water is open and in dark a little warm space.
G
Goodkarma
18 ounce, squared at the bottom, Solo cup. Trim the four corners with scissors for drainage.
Fox Farms Ocean Forest. Break it up lightly fluff it. Tap water until it drains.
Take a pencil or pen and poke 3/4 inch deep. Drop seed in. Lightly press the opening together to cover seed.
Put on top shelf of closet with thermometer. Turn heater on and let temp rise to 90 degrees for about an hour, until the cups feel warm. Then, set heater to 80 degrees.
Sprouts are put under lights after they have completely broken ground.
I have over 100% success with this method
Fox Farms Ocean Forest. Break it up lightly fluff it. Tap water until it drains.
Take a pencil or pen and poke 3/4 inch deep. Drop seed in. Lightly press the opening together to cover seed.
Put on top shelf of closet with thermometer. Turn heater on and let temp rise to 90 degrees for about an hour, until the cups feel warm. Then, set heater to 80 degrees.
Sprouts are put under lights after they have completely broken ground.
I have over 100% success with this method
S
Stray
they go straight into root riots that have been soaked in plain tap water for a few mins to hydrate and thats about it....if it ain't gonna pop (on the rare occasion) there's plenty more.
