What's new
  • 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"!

Sure fire seed sprouting

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
Using the peat disc, don’t plant in the solo cup until roots show out the bottom. Place disc on a plate or ina bowl. Add water to the bowl, so it wicks up the disc instead of down. I use the disc method and wait until I see roots out the bottom, usually several days at least. Roots always poke out bottom this way. Also I remove the mesh cover before Up potting.
Thanks Blondie 😎
 
Last edited:

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
I'm surprised that every cup has a plant growing from those old seeds. My water weight got down to 30 grams left in the cup, in a few of the cups. So I will give them their first watering and bring the water weight back up. Some of the cups are still holding too much water for a watering now, so I will check the weight in the morning. It's so easy to monitor the water gain and water loss using scales. 😎
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
One of the mistakes I use to make with sprouting seeds was to think they are not growing because of slow growth in the first 2 weeks. They are supposed to grow slowly because the roots are growing and not the leaves. So don't water the cups because you think they are not growing because they are. Always weigh the cups and allow the water to get down to 30 grams in the cup before adding water. . 😎
 

Three Berries

Active member
Next seeds I sprout with a wet napkin I'm going to do so with the napkin and seed on a vertical surface so the roots know where down is.
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
Air movement is very important starting plants.. Check out this photo. The plants grow faster on the side of the fan. The reason is the plants on the right are transpiring more and moving more nutrient water out of the stomata than the ones on the left. 😎
IMG_1880.JPG
IMG_1888.JPG
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
About 20 days after germination I have to move the plants for more growing space. The cups are starting to dry to the point of needing water every 24 hrs. When the cups need water daily "instead of every other day", it is time to up-pott into a gallon pot from the dixie cup. It's so important to up pott to the same soil as the plant was germinated and grown in. IN this grow Happy Frog potting mix. Still no need for fertilizer. 😎

IMG_1932.JPG
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
The dixie cups with Happy Frog are needing watering every day now. The more the leaves grow the more the plant can transpire water from the roots up the stem and out the leaves. The stomata open wide when the Humidity gets low and so the plants move a lot of water fast. Time to up pot now to allow the plants to have longer wet to dry cycles. Up-potting to one-gallon or #5 containers. I can put the scales up now the plants are on their own. 😎
IMG_1939.JPG
 

exoticrobotic

Well-known member
Very homogenous plants.

One of the mistakes I use to make with sprouting seeds was to think they are not growing because of slow growth in the first 2 weeks. They are supposed to grow slowly because the roots are growing and not the leaves. So don't water the cups because you think they are not growing because they are


I find at that stage one of these can help with watering.

Screenshot 2022-06-26 at 07.44.02.png


Watering an inch or so away from the stem prevents stem rot at this delicate stage and encourages root growth.
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
I have only watered these plants 2 times after the up-potting into one-gallon pots. The plants are only getting 350 ml of rainwater every 2 or 3 days. I don't allow any discharge or runoff to save nutrients. These plants were germinated and grown using Happy Frog and rainwater only. 😎

View attachment 18728562
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
That's it, using the Surefire seed germination method. These plants are ready for transport into their final flowering spot. I have one plant with a yellow squiggly birthmark or variegation. That tells me this plant will turn deep purple in cold temperatures. Rainwater and Happy Frog plants. Good luck😎

IMG_1986.JPG

IMG_1988.JPG
 

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
Very homogenous plants.




I find at that stage one of these can help with watering.

View attachment 18726619

Watering an inch or so away from the stem prevents stem rot at this delicate stage and encourages root growth.
I use a squeeze bottle when they are in their 4" pots. It's all about control. The highlighted text applies throughout the grow not just for the prevention of stem rot. Doing so mimics the "dripedge" found in nature which forces the roots out laterally (in search of water) and to support the plant/tree larger canopy. The tap root is a no brainer, it serves to anchor the plant/tree as we know.
 

Switcher56

Comfortably numb!
I have only watered these plants 2 times after the up-potting into one-gallon pots. The plants are only getting 350 ml of rainwater every 2 or 3 days. I don't allow any discharge or runoff to save nutrients. These plants were germinated and grown using Happy Frog and rainwater only. 😎

View attachment 18728562
Agreed :) I am on a similar schedule W D D F D D W along with measured amounts to truly nail it. I don't do run off neither, which is more a function required for coco and what I have been told from the local hydro shop. Besides, when I flush, my plants are sodden for 5-7 days. = not a good thing.

Every now and again a plant (not all runs) but most, will fall out of sync. I simply lower the amount by 250ml and that normally brings her back on track. Sometimes it is just an isolated occasion, sometimes the plant persist and I will leave her at the current rate until she tells me, she needs more. One of the reasons I shy away from "auto" systems.
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
Eight Days later the plants are transferred into their flowering pots. Rain water only with FoxFarms potting soil. 😎

IMG_2104.JPG
 

Creeperpark

Well-known member
Mentor
Veteran
I guess not. Here is something important to remember when your seed sprout.. Seed sprouts succuss is greatly determined by the amount of air that flows over it. Without air movement, the sprout can’t move water from the roots back to the environment. The nutrient cycle can only happen from airflow that moves moisture from the leaves. The accumulation of nutrients is governed by this process because the water carries the nutrients. A gentle light breeze over the seed sprouts is Critical😎
 

Latest posts

Latest posts

Top