I have only popped seeds twice, and I used the jiffy peat pellets on top of fridge with OLD bagseed. Now I have pricey seeds and dont want to screw it up. The dude at the hydro store gave me some Grodan rockwool cubes. Arent those best for hydro? IDK, if my house stays between 70-76 degrees do I need a heat mat?
-
Happy Birthday ICMag! Been 20 years since Gypsy Nirvana created the forum! We are celebrating with a 4/20 Giveaway and by launching a new Patreon tier called "420club". You can read more here.
-
Important notice: ICMag's T.O.U. has been updated. Please review it here. For your convenience, it is also available in the main forum menu, under 'Quick Links"!
Easiest Germination?
- Thread starter Beanzy
- Start date
brown_thumb
Active member
I've been using the damp (not soaking wet) paper towel method and haven't had a single failure in 25 seeds. But... I do kill the seedlings once they grow past 75-150mm. I can germinate... just can't grow.
I dampen one large paper towel and fold it in half then place one half of the folded towel in an aluminum tray. I place the seeds on the part of the towel in the tray and fold the towel over them. Then I loosely place another aluminum tray on top to keep moisture in and light out. I check twice per day to ensure the towel stays moist (not wet) and I have germinated seeds within 2-4 days. Every one of them have broken through soil.
I dampen one large paper towel and fold it in half then place one half of the folded towel in an aluminum tray. I place the seeds on the part of the towel in the tray and fold the towel over them. Then I loosely place another aluminum tray on top to keep moisture in and light out. I check twice per day to ensure the towel stays moist (not wet) and I have germinated seeds within 2-4 days. Every one of them have broken through soil.
T
TrueReligion
^^^
I've been there. I got my first 1000W HPS set up just a little while ago.
I'd have to agree with brown thumb for the paper towl method.
I've a 99% chance germination on my end with this method that 1% would be a bag seed from the private reserve we had at my shop.
I wrap mine in foil 4x, and throw her in a zip lock and into the drawer they go!
My grow room stays around 72. I've also heard you could put them on top of a heating pad to mimic mother nature's warm soil Temps.
I've been there. I got my first 1000W HPS set up just a little while ago.
I'd have to agree with brown thumb for the paper towl method.
I've a 99% chance germination on my end with this method that 1% would be a bag seed from the private reserve we had at my shop.
I wrap mine in foil 4x, and throw her in a zip lock and into the drawer they go!
My grow room stays around 72. I've also heard you could put them on top of a heating pad to mimic mother nature's warm soil Temps.
Last edited:
S
sourpuss
No u dont need a heat mat.
Soak your seeds for 24 hrs. Then put it into your medium. Thats it. You can do extra things to help but those r the basics. If your medium pulls the shell off then your set. Build on the basics. Keep it simple...
Soak your seeds for 24 hrs. Then put it into your medium. Thats it. You can do extra things to help but those r the basics. If your medium pulls the shell off then your set. Build on the basics. Keep it simple...
The method I use and have done this for years now with success.
Good Luck.
- Soak the seeds in a shot glass of water for 8-10 hours at room temp in a dark spot.
Don't go longer than 10 hours.
- Place the seeds in a moist folded cloth place inside a folded baggie. Don't seal the baggie closed.
Just fold it and place it in a dark and warm location. Not too hot though.
- A day or two later you should have some cracked seeds ready for planting.
- Some seeds may take more time up to a week. But fresh seeds normally show
signs of germination within a day or so.
Good Luck.
Tri_Cho_Me
Member
The method I use and have done this for years now with success.
Once the seedling is visible above ground apply lighting.
- Soak the seeds in a shot glass of water for 8-10 hours at room temp in a dark spot.
Don't go longer than 10 hours.
- Place the seeds in a moist folded cloth place inside a folded baggie. Don't seal the baggie closed.
Just fold it and place it in a dark and warm location. Not too hot though.
- A day or two later you should have some cracked seeds ready for planting.
- Some seeds may take more time up to a week. But fresh seeds normally show
signs of germination within a day or so.
Good Luck.
This perfectly sums up the way to do it. Has worked for me both times. Easy and no fuss.
Tri_Cho_Me
Paper towels are messy. A cloth is better and doesn't rip like paper towels.
I just fill my shot glass with cold water from the tap. The water warms up
slowly to room temp in the time the seeds soak. Don't use hot water you
could fry your seeds. My seeds are stores in a refrigerator so even cold
water it's no big deal to them. Don't complicate things.
I just fill my shot glass with cold water from the tap. The water warms up
slowly to room temp in the time the seeds soak. Don't use hot water you
could fry your seeds. My seeds are stores in a refrigerator so even cold
water it's no big deal to them. Don't complicate things.
I too am in the soaking camp, but instead of paper towels--I use moistened round cotton makeup pads. An old granola munching hippy buddy of mine is of the opinion that paper towels are chemically treated and not very "sterile" and always used cotton pads (First Aid type). A tube of cotton makeup pads are about a buck at the dollar store...lol.
In about 24 hours the seeds start growing little tails and go right into cups of moistened PromixBX.
In about 24 hours the seeds start growing little tails and go right into cups of moistened PromixBX.
I'm with corky but i'll leave the seed in the shot glass until it cracks and I can see the soon to emerge root then like corky said.. and soupus> no heat mat. I do use paper towels but the towel idea will be incorporated. the rest I do exactly the same but different.
the other thing no one has addressed is 'you cant get past germing'
Most times one will over water the babies and drown them and or any fan in the area could dry it out pretty easy. I put a 16oz clear solo cup with 1" hole drilled in the bottom over the media area the seed goes into, like a mini dome. I use turface, and burry it 3/4"-1" in the media so that baby will take another day to emerge but it will eject the hull easier and more reliably. that solo cup stays in place for 2-3 days, take off and don't over water.
the other thing no one has addressed is 'you cant get past germing'
Most times one will over water the babies and drown them and or any fan in the area could dry it out pretty easy. I put a 16oz clear solo cup with 1" hole drilled in the bottom over the media area the seed goes into, like a mini dome. I use turface, and burry it 3/4"-1" in the media so that baby will take another day to emerge but it will eject the hull easier and more reliably. that solo cup stays in place for 2-3 days, take off and don't over water.
Last edited:
gorilla ganja
Well-known member
I keep it even simpler. I just follow what mother nature has been doing forever.
Straight into dirt or what ever medium your using.
I used to do the paper towel method and it works no doubt. But it really is a unnecessary step and more harm can come from it, if you are not careful or wait to long.
I use solo cups filled with a pre moistened peat moss based mix. Just make sure it's not to wet.
Put seeds about 3/8 inch or 9 mm into medium.
Put all cups into tote and cover with clear plastic bag.
Put under lights.
It really doesn't get any easier and I have near 100% germination rates.
Also I find jiffy peat pellets to be terrible for starting cannabis seeds. Last year I thought I would give them a go and killed 30 seeds then tried the method above with same seeds 100% success.
Whichever method you go with... Best of luck and may all your Buds be Huge.
Peace GG
Straight into dirt or what ever medium your using.
I used to do the paper towel method and it works no doubt. But it really is a unnecessary step and more harm can come from it, if you are not careful or wait to long.
I use solo cups filled with a pre moistened peat moss based mix. Just make sure it's not to wet.
Put seeds about 3/8 inch or 9 mm into medium.
Put all cups into tote and cover with clear plastic bag.
Put under lights.
It really doesn't get any easier and I have near 100% germination rates.
Also I find jiffy peat pellets to be terrible for starting cannabis seeds. Last year I thought I would give them a go and killed 30 seeds then tried the method above with same seeds 100% success.
Whichever method you go with... Best of luck and may all your Buds be Huge.
Peace GG
Tri_Cho_Me
Member
Use white paper towels. Don't use any with ink.
Tri_Cho_Me
Tri_Cho_Me
The shot glass step might be unnecessary but I like see the seed crack. I guess this could be attributed to my early days when things didn't go as well for me. I have from shot glass gone into the media with 250ppm nova bloom & tap water with good success.
brown_thumb
Active member
I've never ripped a paper towel. I treat my sprouts extremely delicately. When my fingers get dirty the paper towel gets dirty and when the sprouts are all planted the dirty paper towel is tossed.
Refrain from Jiffy pellets...the peat substrate is too hot for germination/seedlings. Surest way to kill them.
gorilla ganja
Well-known member
I hear you mufinman I liked to see the seed crack as well. Used the soak/paper towel method for years. Then one day the light bulb came on and I thought why bother with the extra steps... I have never looked back.
The pre soak may help to even out the germination times a bit. But mine are always within a day or so of each other.
Peace GG
T
TrueReligion
I'm about to test out with bodhi seeds and rapid rooters in a humidity dome I'll let you know how it goes!
I drop em in a rw cube and let em rip!
Back in my younger days of trying to breed I used linen with 200 seeds per square. I needed to see the root, only seeds with a strong and fast response were kept.
Fast forward 15 years and jiffy cups filled with potting soil sprout name brand seeds. As soon as a root tip shows anywhere the seedling is transplanted into a larger container.
Usually the final container, but some need graduated containers to control growth (sativa) while others needs stability rather than limits (autoflower).
The jiffy cups are kept wet with an automobile maintenance adjustable spray bottle filled with distilled water. The mist does not disturb the soil or seed, although it will take up to thirty squirts to thoroughly soak the soil in the mornings. This slow rate is why the soil remains undisturbed.
The little dirt rootplug is put straight, as is, into rockwool croutons. This has not been a problem, nor was it a problem with Poppies which are quite adverse to transplanting. The transition from dirt to rockwool happens more quickly and stronger than dirt to dirt under the same circumstances.
Indoor only and limited strains, I only grow those that work well in my system. Many strains do not and I do not try to make them function, I merely use compatible seeds only.
Fast forward 15 years and jiffy cups filled with potting soil sprout name brand seeds. As soon as a root tip shows anywhere the seedling is transplanted into a larger container.
Usually the final container, but some need graduated containers to control growth (sativa) while others needs stability rather than limits (autoflower).
The jiffy cups are kept wet with an automobile maintenance adjustable spray bottle filled with distilled water. The mist does not disturb the soil or seed, although it will take up to thirty squirts to thoroughly soak the soil in the mornings. This slow rate is why the soil remains undisturbed.
The little dirt rootplug is put straight, as is, into rockwool croutons. This has not been a problem, nor was it a problem with Poppies which are quite adverse to transplanting. The transition from dirt to rockwool happens more quickly and stronger than dirt to dirt under the same circumstances.
Indoor only and limited strains, I only grow those that work well in my system. Many strains do not and I do not try to make them function, I merely use compatible seeds only.
