[plantingplants]

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.

[MicroRoy]

Any updates.

[polzek]

From my experience, soaking them in water or wet paper work faster than puttin them straight to soil, for me it was 2days for pregermed seeds and a week when planted straight to soil, also did tests with same strains and the ones presoaked were faster. On the other hand planting straight to soil brings other benefits according to TLO style of growing.

[neverforget4/20]

Theres an old post by coot where he mentions that the interactions between the radicle and soil microbiology are complex. Im not sure how significant it is but i germ in inoculated soil.

[stoned-trout]

planting direct in soil is soooooooooo much easier...hey just like mother nature ......yeehaw...save the paper towels for that rib dinner

[sourpuss]

I do a combo method. Screw paper towel. Soak for 24 hrs. Sink or swim dont matter. Then plant em in soil. The soil removes the casing for you. The soak gives you a more even pop time.

[Dr. Fred]

I like to do it with paper just because that's how I've always done it

[Tri_Cho_Me]

New grower here. Haven't germinated anything yet. I think I'm going to paper towel then bury in my Happy Frog. I like the idea of seeing the tap root come out first before I bury. That way I at least know it was started before I buried it.

[MrBungle]

I have to say, I have always been a direct sow kind of guy... I usually go with the mandala method, but I recently tried some older seeds direct sow with no luck, all 5 seeds from a 10 pack and nothing germed.. so I decided to put the other 5 in a paper towel...
I learned a trick from my old buddy to do with older seeds.. you basically paper towel germ the seeds but let the paper towel dry a couple times, before putting the wet paper towel in a plastic bag, and in a warm dark spot for germination... I figured nothing from nothing means nothin.. so I did it.. check my seeds today (3 days later) 3 out of 5 had nice inch long white tails... We will see if they break ground to become plants... Anyways I have had great success with direct sow, and now am seeing the benefits of paper towel method as well.. Both are great...

[Bongstar420]

It doesn't matter.

The paper towel is so you can see that your stuff did actually germinate whereas, in soil, thats hard to verify (pythium is common destroyer of seed that just germed).

I just put them in water at room temperature to reduce the amount of blank cells when doing seed tests as some seed lines have poor germination due to genetic compatibility or sometimes adverse environmental conditions during seed set.

Originally Posted by plantingplants

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.