How do YOU germinate your seeds? What's your success rate?

Caille · Oct 5, 2010

Just got beans for the first time, I have always grown from clone.

Wondering how you suggest I germinate and then plant them. Do people still use the paper towel method? Do people just pop em in dirt and let nature do its nature thing?

Never done a grow from seed and am excited. BOG Sour Bubble, GH Lemon Skunk Fem, and whatever freebie I got are sitting in my mailbox waiting to be picked up today.

Alexis
*smiles*

qwerty · Oct 5, 2010

I use the paper towel method.

Get a paper towel, soak in luke warm water.

Let excess moisture drip off.

Place seeds on towel, spread them out.

Fold towel so seeds are completely covered.

Put paper towel inside ziplock bag.

Seal bag and leave in dark, warm place for a couple days.

Voila!

opt1c · Oct 5, 2010

check the link in my sig; i get 80-100%

BigPhil · Oct 5, 2010

I soak for 12 hours + them simple lay the bean on my growing medium, This way I can watch them germinate. I opened a thread about a year ago and asked people to add there germinating methods check it out

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=134492

weedobix · Oct 5, 2010

Just sandwiched between a couple of wet paper towels on a plate for a few days. Usually all germinate fine as long as you don't let it dry out, checking 2 or 3 times a day is good. If I think the seeds might not be all that viable i might soak them overnight first in a glass of water.

I don't put them near heat anymore, i've lost too many from the heat causing the paper to dry out way too fast. Room temp seems fine anyway. Plant as soon as you see the tail.

Phedrosbenny · Oct 5, 2010

I sow them very shallow in a white cup full of my growing medium and keep moist.I have about a 98% success rate.

Iron_Lion · Oct 5, 2010

scuff with emory board > wet paper towel > plastic bag > warm spot = 100% unless they are shit seeds, I had an entire 18 pack not germ once, wasnt the method just junk ass seeds.

Dr. D · Oct 5, 2010

Paper towel method 100% cant go wrong imo. I always pot mine when they got a little tail because i find if you pot em straight away i always loose some unless they have a decent tail on em....peace

FreezerBoy · Oct 5, 2010

If you can't grow in it, don't germ in it. The only benefit to paper towels is a greatly increased chance of death, mold, root breakage etc. Pop it in your grow medium and be done.

Tr33 · Oct 5, 2010

everyone does that paper towel thing wrong imo since that shitty method was perpetuated as the correct method in the 70's.

you don't cover the seeds, never, it's not needed.
it's the same a soaking them in water overnight drowning the seeds
just place the seeds on the moist towel, place in a plastic bag, set aside, in 24hrs the first tails hatched, by 48hrs I have 98% - 100% germination. I toss what ever does not hatch in 7 days. I just have no time or space to waste as things move along now.
the seeds just sitting on the towel is more than enough for them to wick what is need to germinate.
you don't even need to scuff seeds old or new. that's up to you though, the hulls on ganja are extremely water porous.
myself I have tried every method of seed germination, from cold storage to acic baths to mimic stomachs of animals

the sure fire 100% given is the least amount on moisture in an enclosed breathable space, I found that with as little water on a tissue and the seeds just set on top of the wet tissue and sealed inside a breathable veggie plastic bag produces near 98%-100% germination within 48hrs

the moment you see white tails start to appear, drop them in your grow medium.

or as FreezerBoy said drop them in your grow medium and be done.
it's not complicated.

Cookie monster · Oct 5, 2010

FreezerBoy said:
If you can't grow in it, don't germ in it. The only benefit to paper towels is a greatly increased chance of death, mold, root breakage etc. Pop it in your grow medium and be done.

They are the exact reasons why I've never used towels to germ, I really see no advantage to using them.

My method is to simply pop seeds into pots of moist soil mix and water, soil mix and water are preheated to 13-14c before planting and pots go straight onto a heat mat.
Works just fine for me

tequila_sunrise · Oct 5, 2010

qwerty said:
I use the paper towel method.

Get a paper towel, soak in luke warm water.

Let excess moisture drip off.

Place seeds on towel, spread them out.

Fold towel so seeds are completely covered.

Put paper towel inside ziplock bag.

Seal bag and leave in dark, warm place for a couple days.

Voila!

I also use this method. I call it the elementary school method as we learned to germinate lima beans this way in 3rd grade. Has always given me 100% success rate.

tequila_sunrise · Oct 5, 2010

Cookie monster said:
They are the exact reasons why I've never used towels to germ, I really see no advantage to using them.

My method is to simply pop seeds into pots of moist soil mix and water, soil mix and water are preheated to 13-14c before planting and pots go straight onto a heat mat.
Works just fine for me

just check the towels daily or twice a day and you will be fine. Transplant when you see the taproot poking out. Never got moldy or broken roots this way.

dwarfganja · Oct 5, 2010

Root Riots set it and forget it! 90+%

Psycho Paul · Oct 5, 2010

Place seeds in cup of RO water for 18-24hrs, swirl water a few times during this time...(I try to get the seeds to sink). After 18-24hrs, tails will have poked out of them. (if you don't see tails its not a bad thing either, but tails are a good sign, some seed shells are tougher than others and they might not show tails within 18-24hr)

Ready to be planted.

100% Success rate unless the beans are bad.

DO what works for you.

bendoslendo · Oct 5, 2010

FreezerBoy said:
If you can't grow in it, don't germ in it. The only benefit to paper towels is a greatly increased chance of death, mold, root breakage etc. Pop it in your grow medium and be done.

Yes!

Rapid Rooters

VIKINGtrich · Oct 5, 2010

Rapid Rooters, for seeds and clones, quality seeds germ 100% of the time...I just took 30 cuttings, after 2 weeks, all 30 had roots.

Rapid Rooters are easy, i actually cut the rooters in half, because they are a little pricey, but well worth it, If I didn't have RR's, i would plant the seed directly into a cup of soil, IMO, thats another great way to germ seeds...

Don't over think the situation, Keep them warm, and keep them damp, not wet, but damp, they will grow.....

VIKINGtrich · Oct 5, 2010

FreezerBoy said:
If you can't grow in it, don't germ in it. The only benefit to paper towels is a greatly increased chance of death, mold, root breakage etc. Pop it in your grow medium and be done.

I have to agree with this statement.....Im not a fan of the paper towel method, but it does work, just a few more steps that are not needed, IMO.

bendoslendo · Oct 5, 2010

I think the paper towel method is good if you want to germ like 100 green bean or pepper seeds of unknown quality and don't want to waste plugs or space.

But if you just put your $200 pack of "elite gear" on some damp Bounty and left in some warm dark spot, well... I don't know.

I've seen lots of people lose their beans to paper towels. Sometimes it's because they forgot, sometimes the towel is too wet/moist, sometimes the root tip is broken or exposed to a pathogen.

Get some good plugs.

Cool Moe · Oct 5, 2010

Place seeds in between folded moist paper towel, place that into a ziplock baggie, blow the baggie full of air and seal it, place the baggie on a plate inside a kitchen cabinet directly over an under-cabinet light, close the cabinet door, turn the light on, all viable seeds will have germinated in 24-48 hrs, never fails.

How do YOU germinate your seeds? What's your success rate?

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