some observations recently with germination.

[Guest]

the moon phases two weeks out of every four weeks. One phase;waxing; for root development and the other phase;waning; for plant development. I hope I got them correct. I germinate the begininning phase of the moons cycle for improved germination rates.

Avid

 

[Harry Gypsna]

it is entirely believeable about the moon, it does after all affect the oceans, and not least our own brains....Lunacy was a common name for mental illnesses

 

[Guest]

1-2 days before full moon enhances above ground growth
1-2 days before new moon enhances below ground growth
the old ones say to avoid collecting water at the time of the new moon and full moon +/- 8 hours

 

[mean mr.mustard]

Ummmm.... you do realize that plant sex is determined genetically?? Right??? These aren't alligator eggs, they are seeds formed not forming. Alligator eggs are still forming the animal and thusly temperature affects the gender selection. Seeds are already formed so they fall out of the seed pod with their pink or blue on. Ask any breeder who makes female seeds. No amount of dancing, chanting, shaking of medicine rattles, or mooning will change the fact. Now perhaps you could research the quality of their formation on the vine, that may contribute to gender selection.....

 

[valk]

I usually will mine to be female, but that only works so often...

After reading a bunch of different methods used by other members I tried my last batch or two differently and saw poor results. I went back to my standard. Soak for 24 hrs in tap, moist paper towels in tupperware on the cable box for 2-5 days depending.

 

[guineapig]

moon patrol

moon patrol

"Although the study of sex determination is advanced in animals, much less is known in plants, with only two sex determination genes known so far in corn, involved in differential abortion of carpels or anthers. To date no sex determination gene has been characterized in a dicotyledoneous plant."

Veronica Di Stillo- prof. of biology at univ. of washington

nothing is really known about the mechanisms of sex determination in plants. evidence suggests that the earliest plants were all hermaphroditic and subsequently evolved different mechanisms to discourage inbreeding such as pollen sterility and Y-chromosome disintegration. eventually plants evolved into separate male and female genders and thus became "dioecious," but almost nothing is known about how the sexes are determined.

if you do believe that "Seeds are already formed so they fall out of the seed pod with their pink or blue on" you are certainly entitled to this opinion but you must be honest and admit that there is absolutely no firm scientific evidence for this opinion.....

Robert Connell Clark writes the following:

"The most logical accommodation is to consider the initial sexual characteristics of Cannabis, such as sexual dimorphism of pre-floral plants and primordial differentiation, to be determined by an XY form of genetic inheritance. Although the initial sexual form is determined, the final production of floral organs is influenced by other genes and by environmental conditions which may override the expression of the inherited sexual type. The effect of the environment could change the chemical composition of the plant. For example, carbohydrate-to-nitrogen ratios and fluctuations in metabolic levels in the cytoplasm might alter or mask the chemical interpretations of inherited sexual traits by messengers within the cytoplasm. Many tropical drug strains from Africa and Southeast Asia turn hermaphrodite in temperate climates. This is probably a reaction to an introduced environment. (p. 166-167)"

Clarke admits that he is just theorizing about plant sex determination in Cannabis....so who knows what is really going on.....but i would look into soil temperature and water pH before i start conjecturing about moon phases or using the power of prayer that is true......but farmers have compiled anecdotal evidence about the moon's effects on all sorts of aspects of plant development so i think their stories as compiled by the Farmer's Almanac are still worth mentioning, eh?

forever mooning
the herbal gerbil,
guineapig

 

[B.C.]

germing seeds...

germing seeds...

Try useing a propagator mat with a dome, keeping the temps. perfect is the key. Soon as they pop the soil take the dome off but still keep 'em on the mat. With the warm air riseing around the plant they will not dampen off and they will grow fast... I have a lot better results this way.... As far as females go, I was always at the understanding that the better the conditions are the more fems. you'll have... I seem to have pretty good luck with em when they don't get stressed.
My 2~cents... take care BC

 

[Guest]

it is entirely believeable about the moon, it does after all affect the oceans, and not least our own brains....Lunacy was a common name for mental illnesses

well I know I can drink quite a bit more durin a full moon

CBF

 

[Guest]

"No amount of dancing, chanting, shaking of medicine rattles, or mooning will change the fact."

damn it! you mean i bought special moondance mochisons for nothin'

lol chimera also stated on og that plants sex is determined at the time of pollination
peace

 

[Guest]

lol chimera also stated on og that plants sex is determined at the time of pollination

I agree 100%

 

[Dr. D]

Have any of u seed producers noticed any difference in the ratio of fems to males..wen the buds were pollinated at different times...say more fems from seeds that are from buds at fertillised at two weeks flower..then say more males from a seed batch fertilised at four weeks flower???...btw im sure the moon phase thing has been scientifically proven to be right...tho iv never tried it myself..i always germ as and wen needed so thats anytime

 

[Guest]

we routinely grow large batches of single strains 50-300 seedlings and in most refined stock you will see well balanced female-male ratios, it is more common for raw landrace stock to have unbalanced ratios

 

[The HighLander]

I soak in spring water for 12 hrs or till seeds fall to the bottom, then in the dirt they go! Have around 95% germ rate, no domes or plastic.

 

[Guest]

I soak in spring water for 12 hrs or till seeds fall to the bottom, then in the dirt they go! Have around 95% germ rate, no domes or plastic.

same here just use distilled water. I have 100% with some seed and rat shit luck with others. I dont control temps were there germin either. I dont see why you should have to. maybe serious inbred lines or somethin has to do with it. its a feckin weed and should pop everytime.

much better luck with fresh seed as well. poorly stored seed(shit that has been in the bank for year or more)pizzy germ rates.

i figure that what ever germinates under those conditions are the most vigourous plants in the line. just my azzinine thinkin, no studies to back it up,LOL

CBF

 

[Guest]

just like freshly harvested weed needs a cure before smoking freshly harvested seeds need a cure before germinating, 2-4 weeks in an envelope in a dry place is good, 2 months is better

cbf you are selecting for vigorous plants but if you are working with ibls the non-vigorous ones can sometimes be desirable in hybridization projects

 

[BullsNBowls]

Germination rates are affected by temps (as are the male to female ratio), atmospheric conditions, and amount of beneficial and/or negative microbes. There are some good methods for germinating on here. I think I have tried every one and had hits and misses. So far, the most solid germination method I have had is soaking the seeds in a shot glass with a Liquid Karma mix until they split and crack to expose the flesh of the tap root. From there they go to Rapid Rooter plugs keeping with the Liquid Karma solution (1 tsp per gal) with a humidity dome over them ONLY till they sprout up. As soon as the sprout remove the dome to prevent damp off. Keep the Rapid Rooter tray under a 10" 20-40 watt flourescent. Jiffy pellets have worked good. They say straight to soil with the beans, but companies use different soil amendments according to the state it is sold. While you buy a bag of soil with peat moss in one state you go to the bordering state and buy the same bag but made with peat sledge. That is why I make my own soils and if I use Corporate America I use only Fox Farm Ocean Forest.

 

[Guest]

cbf you are selecting for vigorous plants but if you are working with ibls the non-vigorous ones can sometimes be desirable in hybridization projects

thanks luci, was my thinkin. lookin for plants that just pop outta the husks, right now. i look for that in cuttins as well, moms that root right now. and ill tell ya your guys manga rosa thats goin around gets with the program, seven days in a peat pot, under a dome with root tone and the roots were showin, pokin out the sides. very vigourous cut.

CBF

 

[Guest]

Germination rates are affected by temps (as are the male to female ratio), .

sex is determined at pollination, from the best I can remember, age of plant, conditions of the grow have nothin to do with it. at least thats what ive come to understand.

CBF

 

[KingRalph]

it's a tossup with that info.

interesting thing happened last time i was making butter...

while simmering the scraps, there were some viable seeds left in there by accident, and after just a couple hours i noticed that they hadn't boiled or burst, but actually had cacked and started shooting taproots! very crazy i thought. i would like to experiment and heat seeds in water almost to the point of boiling but not quite, and see if this heat accelerates the germination process for them to be able to replicate and indeed shoot a viable taproot in just a few hours.

anyone else run into anything similar?

 

[BullsNBowls]

When seeds are germinating the sex is determined than, in most strain cases. From the get go most seeds are sexless when in seed form. That is why piss poor conditions will sprout more males. To create feminized beans you have to shock the plant. The plants will not show their sex until the 4-7 internode (strain pending). It is the piss poor conditions that also affect the amount of hermies you can get. Some older Landrace strains (ok, a lot of older strains) will produce hermies because they are not in their original natural habitat which provides large amounts of stress. As for pollinating, I have found the best time is through the 4-6 week of flower, strain pending.