Germ'n and getting your seeds above ground technique

[JOE CHRONIC]

I have been seeing a lot of people having a hard time germ'n their seeds and getting them to pop above ground so I posted this:

Germ'n your seeds: JOE CHRONIC's method

1) Use a ceramic plate and place a paper towel folded in half, wet with tap water until complete paper towel is nice and damp, not under water, but completely wet.
2) Place your seeds on wet paper towel, spread them apart at least 1/2 inch away from each other.
3) Fold a second paper towel in half and wet with tap water as you did the bottom paper towel and place this over the seeds making a seed sandwich between the two paper towels.
4) Place your plate in a "dark" place like a closet shelf, top is best for keeping your seeds at desired temperature.
5) Your closet should be kept at around 80 degrees to maximize your germ rate success (I use a ceramic heater with a built in thermostat)
6) Check your seeds at least a couple times a day, making sure the paper towels are kept wet "not under water" (DO NOT allow paper towels to dry out)
7) After 24-48 hours you should see tails popping out of the seeds, I let the seeds sprout a tail about 2 inches long (if seed hull falls off great, if not don't worry it will fall off soon)

Placing your germ'd seeds in soil:

1) Fill medium with soil and water so soil is wet, push your finger in the soil just shy of the length of the tail on the tap root making a new home for your germ'd seed.
2) Take your seed that has germ'd with a tail about 2 inches long and carefully place tail in the hole you made with your finger leaving the top 1/8 inch above ground.
3) Carefully pack the soil around the sprout leaving the top of seed above ground.
4) Place germ'd seed(s) in soil under a florescent light and let them grow.

*This method will eliminate a lot of problems and as long as the seed is viable you should get a 100% above ground.

(Pictured below are some Power Kush and ChemdogxMAT beans I just germ'd and placed in soil)

Good luck and enjoy...

 

[Warped1]

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=36731

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=227414&highlight=germinating

 

[Warped1]

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=226081&highlight=germinating

 

[supermanlives]

if it cant break the soil on its own i dont want it.i plant seed directly in soil

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

if it cant break the soil on its own i dont want it.i plant seed directly in soil

That's great and to each is own, but their are some people who spend their hard earned dollars on seeds and want a sure fire way of getting their genetics up and green as they cannot afford taking the risk for a seed not popping up on it's own.

There are many methods of germ'n seeds and getting them above ground, this is my sure fire method...

 

[pinecone]

I've honestly had more success just soaking them for a bit and planting them directly in my growing medium so that's what I do.

Pine

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

These are my Power Kush and Chemdog x MAT seeds just 18 hours after planting germ'd seeds in soil.

10/10 germ'd and 10/10 above soil alive and kicking...

 

[White Devil]

I've honestly had more success just soaking them for a bit and planting them directly in my growing medium so that's what I do.

Pine

have you tried this method?
and how do you top 100% success rate?

 

[pinecone]

have you tried this method?

I have tried this method, but I didn't have a 100% sample success rate with it over a lot more than 10 seeds. Moreover, I don't like handling the spouts and found that I would occasionally lose seeds that sprouted once they were planted in the my mix. To be fair, I haven't had a 100% sample success rate with my preferred method either.

and how do you top 100% success rate?

Let's define success rate.

What JC is reporting is not what I would refer success rate, but rather a sample success rate computed over a fairly small sample. A success rate is what happens over many trials (think millions).

To be honest 10/10 doesn't tell us all that much. If a method has a 90% success rate 10/10 will happen more than more than 33% of the time and with a 95% success rate 10/10 will happen almost 60% of the time.

If your asking me if I can plant 10 good seeds in dirt and reasonably expect them all to sprout - the answer is a definitive yes.

Pine

 

[exploziv]

I'm with pinecone on this one.
And I could also add that it's way easier to plant straight into dirt when you have lots of seeds, no need to take time again to plant each one after their taproots are big enaugh.
My would say that it will be better for an begginer to plant straight into medium because there is no risk to kill it at transplant.

but as others said before, to each his own, and it's great to have more methods posted here by users, for the new growers to choose from.

 

[pinecone]

but as others said before, to each his own, and it's great to have more methods posted here by users, for the new growers to choose from.

Just to be clear I'm not suggesting that people germinate seeds the way that I do it. I believe that all the methods done well will lead to high germination rates. Growers should use the methods that they are most comfortable with.

Pine

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

Just to be clear I'm not suggesting that people germinate seeds the way that I do it. I believe that all the methods done well will lead to high germination rates. Growers should use the methods that they are most comfortable with.

Pine

That sounds a little more positive !

I have been germ'n seeds this way for years, hundreds of seeds not just 10.

As long as seeds are fresh, viable and are able to germ I can make sure that the seed doesn't die trying to reach through the dirt with my method was all I stated, not just a simple 10 seed trial.

Like I stated above, to each is own and this is my method I wanted to share.

If you have a different method we are all ears just don't flame someone else's ideas especially when they work 100% of the time.

When I get 10/10 above soil that is a "success rate" and not just tested on 10 seeds but on many times over.

Enjoy...

 

[Hydro-Soil]

if it cant break the soil on its own i dont want it.i plant seed directly in soil

This is good advice!

I don't care what your success rate is... it will always be better for the seed to NOT handle it, after the shell has split. In the long run you'll have fewer seeds that don't make it by planting directly in your soil or medium.

Soak for 12-18hrs and plant them. Give them 75-80F and plenty of humidity. Once the shell drops off you can slowly cut back on the humidity and drastically increase the light.

All my seedlings are eating full strength Lucas by about day 10... with my method. *shrug* Full light levels are important at birth.


There are literally thousands of variations on successful sprouting techniques and in the end... the ones that don't have roots getting touched in the process are the ones that have the fewest issues over time. Just stating the realities of life.

Face it... if you eat over your lap instead of your plate, at SOME point you're going to drop food in your lap. Period.

Stay Safe!

 

[stihgnobevoli]

this method while covered dozens of times in the past, i believe someone posted links, is good for those old seeds that are difficult to germ. but for the most part just planting your seeds in the medium unless its hydro should be enough, and if that doesn't work and your seeds aren't old you prolly don't wanna grow those plants anyway.

 

[lc.genetics]

i have tried many different methods and noticed that soaking in water for like 6 hours then planting straight in the medium is best i germ in rockwool n last week i popped 40 seeds of my test cross i made and 39 sprouted and are growing usually i get about a 100% with this method

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

I have been seeing a lot of people having a hard time germ'n their seeds and getting them to pop above ground so I posted this:

Germ'n your seeds: JOE CHRONIC's method

1) Use a ceramic plate and place a paper towel folded in half, wet with tap water until complete paper towel is nice and damp, not under water, but completely wet.
2) Place your seeds on wet paper towel, spread them apart at least 1/2 inch away from each other.
3) Fold a second paper towel in half and wet with tap water as you did the bottom paper towel and place this over the seeds making a seed sandwich between the two paper towels.
4) Place your plate in a "dark" place like a closet shelf, top is best for keeping your seeds at desired temperature.
5) Your closet should be kept at around 80 degrees to maximize your germ rate success (I use a ceramic heater with a built in thermostat)
6) Check your seeds at least a couple times a day, making sure the paper towels are kept wet "not under water" (DO NOT allow paper towels to dry out)
7) After 24-48 hours you should see tails popping out of the seeds, I let the seeds sprout a tail about 2 inches long (if seed hull falls off great, if not don't worry it will fall off soon)

Placing your germ'd seeds in soil:

1) Fill medium with soil and water so soil is wet, push your finger in the soil just shy of the length of the tail on the tap root making a new home for your germ'd seed.
2) Take your seed that has germ'd with a tail about 2 inches long and carefully place tail in the hole you made with your finger leaving the top 1/8 inch above ground.
3) Carefully pack the soil around the sprout leaving the top of seed above ground.
4) Place germ'd seed(s) in soil under a florescent light and let them grow.

*This method will eliminate a lot of problems and as long as the seed is viable you should get a 100% above ground.

(Pictured below are some Power Kush and ChemdogxMAT beans I just germ'd and placed in soil)

Good luck and enjoy...

I'm sticking to my method...

 

[lc.genetics]

whatever works best for anyone happy growing

 

[DevilWeedSeeds]

I like to just put mine in the soil and let them grow. But I can understand that when you put your investment into seeds you want to do what works for you. If the seeds are good and fresh they should germinate in just about any method.

 

[JOE CHRONIC]

I like to just put mine in the soil and let them grow. But I can understand that when you put your investment into seeds you want to do what works for you. If the seeds are good and fresh they should germinate in just about any method.

Exactly !
To each is own, I am just sharing my sure fire method with others...

 

[White Devil]

update
i germinated 10 seeds in paper towels and got nine out of ten to pop then let the tails grow out one and half inches long and just planted them green side up in my soil last nite and today all nine have green tops and alive
thanks joe chronic seems to work pretty good