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Germinating in wet paper towels vs soil

AllStuff420

Member
Well, for the most part, many seeds germinate significantly faster in paper towels than seeds sown in the soil. Heat, moisture, and regulated circumstances within a plastic baggie allow them to germinate in a matter of days or less, depending on the seed.
 

colinriley854

New member
yes i agree seeds germinates faster in paper towels because in this they have proper control environment and seeds in soil atmosphere vary time to time
 

Im'One

Active member
I soak mine for twelve hours if they sink they go into paper towels. If not then back in the water for another twelve. I put between folded very moist paper towels in a sandwich bag with has it top open about one inch. I hang the bag on the back of a big screen TV that is turned on. I check them every twelve hours. As soon as the tail is a quarter inch long I put them in light soil in jiffy cups. I push a hole with my finger up to first knuckle. I then crumbled some peat or soil over the seedling which is dropped in to the hole with root pointing up or to the side. NOT DOWN. After covering with crumbled soil I spray the soil with hydrogen peroxide. If they have helmet head, rarely do...I sprya the seedling with hydrogen peroxide until moist then pick it off with a pair of tweezers...or the tip of an xaxto knife. Once I had to cut the edge of the cup.off so I could lightly grip the stalk with my fingers and pry it off.
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
I've done it both ways 100 of times each and what I have learned is using the soil to germinate is the fastest way in the long run. Let me explain.

Paper towels are the fastest way to crack the seed shell to expose the root tail. However, putting a seed tail root into a high EC soil is the slowest way for a seed to adjust and grow. A lot of times the sprout will burn if its seed tail is long and put in a soil-like FoxFarms or ROOTs Organic.

When a seed is germinated or started in the new soil it will adapt to whatever the soil EC is without any problems. However, if you put a paper towel germinated seed with a root tail into a hot mix it will burn it or shock the root. People do it but the spouts are very slow to grow and adjust to the soil. A new plant should have at least 4 nodes in 2&1/2weeks. Using paper towels takes up to 4 weeks for 4 nodes. So in the long run sprouting in the soil is the fastest and easiest way in my experience. . 😎
 

Douglas.Curtis

Autistic Diplomat in Training
Depends a lot on whether your grow is live soil or not. Live soil, you want the seedling pumping sugars into the soil, not a paper towel devoid of beneficial microbes. Not a live soil grow? CreeperPark has the best explanation for it posted above, thanks. :)
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
No mention of soaking in a jar to tail the seed.
Any way will work as long as the microphyle stays wet long enough to allow the water to enter the seed to stimulate the seed embryo. 😎

How does water enter a seed?
A tiny hole, called the microphyle, found along the seam of the seed, allows water to enter the seed, softening it so the embryo can break through the covering and begin to germinate. Google

Whatever the case the seed needs to have water exposure for at least 24 hr and in some cases for hard shells 48 hrs. I leave my seeds in the dark wet soil for the first 48 hrs and have 100 % success.

I always use the same water I germinate the seeds with to grow the seedlings into veg. never switch water. 😎
 

flylowgethigh

Non-growing Lurker
ICMag Donor
I put a little aloe in the water I soak the seeds in. They take about 36 hours, and the water should be warm enough. I figure 75* or a little higher. I use the same water to wet the soil after tailed seeds are stuck in the starter soil. This run I have the bottom half of the Dixie cups with my soil, the top half is the light fluffy starter. When the sprouts have too tall a stem, I will top-add some BAS top dress.
 

Ca++

Well-known member
If it's towel or soil, I choose soil.
I use coco, as I can be more certain about it's condition. Just 40 cell tray. So that little block can then go into most systems. Moisture control is a big issue. As is temperature. I won't use a mat or heated prop. I will control the air in a small space, where I put my props and lighting.
 

VerdantGreen

Genetics Facilitator
Boutique Breeder
Mentor
ICMag Donor
Veteran
Soil every time!... why introduce a procedure that means you are handling the seed/seedling at it's most vulnerable stage? - much better that it is doing what it evolved to do. Easy to control the temp of soil if that's what you worried about.
That said, if you're getting 95% germination the way you doing it.. carry on.
VG
 

Hammerhead

Disabled Farmer
ICMag Donor
Veteran
With high priced hyped seeds found today going directly into soil is a risky endeavor. Not all seeds will germ easily. Giving seeds a helping hand will help more seeds to successfully germinate. Making sure they have a tail before planting is a better option IMO. I've saved more seeds than I can count by cracking the perianth myself when needed. Not doing anything the seeds are doomed.
 

jwm

Well-known member
Veteran
So I had 20 seeds. I put 10 in wet paper towels, and 10 in moist soil on a heat mat. I planted the 10 when they cracked. The paper towel seeds broke ground first by two days.

These results aren't conclusive because of two variables I couldn't accurately measure or control in the soil. Moisture level and temperature. The wet paper towels were more moist and warmer. I believe if those two variables are identical, media doesn't matter as long as the seeds are in direct contact with it.

Further experiments to come.
My preferred method is domed peat pellets on heat mat.
 

nono_fr

Active member
Soil needs a happy microbial life to keep the baddies out or these can endanger a fresh sprout. Fusarium can cause damping off, so helpful fungi or bacteria in soil can help to deprive the unwanted access.
coco which contain Trichoderma harzianum can help prevent bad fungi .

But h2o2 and microbial life do not go together, so I do not use h2o2 ( with organic ) .
 

Ca++

Well-known member
coco which contain Trichoderma harzianum can help prevent bad fungi .

But h2o2 and microbial life do not go together, so I do not use h2o2 ( with organic ) .
I read many pot sites saying this, but my own tests say otherwise.

Before posting I did a quick Trichoderma harzianum/H2O2 search, and 120ppm (on the high side) had a beneficial effect. Quite the opposite of harmful.
 

jwm

Well-known member
Veteran
I use the wet paper towels with nearly a 100% sprout rate but my issues is after it's sprouted then getting them to take in the soil.
Yup, that’s the trick. I did ok using that method but find it much easier and more effective using peat pellets. I boil my water, let it sit for 10 minutes or so then throw the pellets in. They expand much faster and gives the seeds a nice warm environment. It’s basically like doing a pre soak. Pellets go into a seed tray on a heat mat. The trays I use sit inside another tray, the tray the pellets are in don’t sit directly on the mat. Then a dome goes on and w/in 2-3 days I have sprouts. Easy peasy.
I place the pellets on top of a small cup with my damp soil.
After a couple days I gently remove the netting and bury the pellets in the cup. They’ll stay there for 3 weeks until transplanted into their final pot.
 

jwm

Well-known member
Veteran
I soak mine for twelve hours if they sink they go into paper towels. If not then back in the water for another twelve. I put between folded very moist paper towels in a sandwich bag with has it top open about one inch. I hang the bag on the back of a big screen TV that is turned on. I check them every twelve hours. As soon as the tail is a quarter inch long I put them in light soil in jiffy cups. I push a hole with my finger up to first knuckle. I then crumbled some peat or soil over the seedling which is dropped in to the hole with root pointing up or to the side. NOT DOWN. After covering with crumbled soil I spray the soil with hydrogen peroxide. If they have helmet head, rarely do...I sprya the seedling with hydrogen peroxide until moist then pick it off with a pair of tweezers...or the tip of an xaxto knife. Once I had to cut the edge of the cup.off so I could lightly grip the stalk with my fingers and pry it off.
Two things stand out for me, that sprout should be pointed down, never up and I don’t mess with helmet head unless it’s severe. Spraying w/ just water will loosen it. Tampering w/ it is risky
 

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