Seeds don't pop open

I go on several forums and this problem is the subject of many, many threads. I never see threads about seeds that didn't pop when put directly in soil or rapid rooters. The only time that happens is when people either soak the seeds first or pre-germinate in a paper towel, then put them in the soil. I have been using rapid rooters for over 20 years and have nearly 100% success.
10 for 10 within 4 days last time out.
4 days from planting.JPG
 
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Kingrow1 said:
Them flexi mixes are a pain in the ass, rockwools easier and better.

I wished i gelled with them but no i will have to try again one other year when im that bored.

:-)
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The only time I ever used rockwool I had a damping off issue - never had that problem in rr's. Probably kept them too moist. Plus I don't like having to soak them to adjust the pH first. In rr's I just soak in tap water and put the seed in. Different strokes.
 
MickFoster said:
I go on several forums and this subject is one of the most common threads. I never see threads about seeds that didn't pop when put directly in soil or rapid rooters. The only time that happens is when people either soak the seeds first or per-germinate in a paper towel, then put them in the soil. I have been using rapid rooters for over 20 years and have nearly 100% success.
10 for 10 within 4 days last time out.
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Sad but true, why i call soaking and paper towel method a pro way as so few are getting it right.

:-)
 
MickFoster said:
I go on several forums and this subject is one of the most common threads. I never see threads about seeds that didn't pop when put directly in soil or rapid rooters. The only time that happens is when people either soak the seeds first or per-germinate in a paper towel, then put them in the soil. I have been using rapid rooters for over 20 years and have nearly 100% success.
10 for 10 within 4 days last time out.
View attachment 4276520
Click to expand...


I used to use rapid rooters for cloning. They worked good. I also popped quite a few seeds in them. I just use small nursery pots of soil for seeds and coco for clones. One less thing to buy. But I never had any problems with using them and they are pretty inexpensive.
 
MickFoster said:
The only time I ever used rockwool I had a damping off issue - never had that problem in rr's. Probably kept them too moist. Plus I don't like having to soak them to adjust the pH first. In rr's I just soak in tap water and put the seed in. Different strokes.
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Ill try them flexis again just a touch slow and the odd root termination at a hard place internally. I feel slightly better for clones than seeds over straight soil.

Dont hate em just the one i was worst at :-)
 
xtsho said:
I used to use rapid rooters for cloning. They worked good. I also popped quite a few seeds in them. I just use small nursery pots of soil for seeds and coco for clones. One less thing to buy. But I never had any problems with using them and they are pretty inexpensive.
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Love coco germination, root growth is sick. I plant a touch deeper in coco its so lovely and soft :-)
 
Gquebed said:
10 hours?
Not enough time.
Some seeds take 3 or 4 days.
Some never pop.

Rule of thumb for me... if i want 4 female plants i will germinate 12 seeds (regs, not fems), knowing some wont pop and some will be males that will have to be culled and some will pop but never really grow right (runts and such).

If i want 4 females from fem seeds i will germinate at least 6...

How is this not obvious common sense?
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Always better to have too much, than not enough, also gives you the chance to identify and 'let go' weaker or fussy plants..........I always keeps some clones on hand too, if things go really tits up
 
DonBrennon said:
Always better to have too much, than not enough, also gives you the chance to identify and 'let go' weaker or fussy plants..........I always keeps some clones on hand too, if things go really tits up
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Exactly. The strong survive and the strongest thrive.

Popping seeds is easy. Caring for a seedling is a bit trickier. Its a vulnerable time for them, but thats natural... this is where the strong and weak are separated... so that the best genes carry on...
 
Kingrow1 said:
You could make a tidy profit selling unbleached sterile paper towel to new bees here.

Anyone fancy some auto germinating paper only five bucks a sheet and that will do a whole five seeds?

C'mon bees get it whilst its hype :-)
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Does the paper come pre-soaked with magic germination solution? Sold!

I've often wondered why the whole paper towel thing evolved. I've come up with two theories. First...dudes that pop several hundred seeds at a time. A space saving thing. Then only seeds that germ get their own soil container. I can see that working out...

And the other idea is growers who are so impatient and newb-impaired that that have to be able to see everything. See the seed sink, see the seed swell, see the taproot emerge...etc.

Cheers guys,
JD
 
Gquebed said:
Exactly. The strong survive and the strongest thrive.

Popping seeds is easy. Caring for a seedling is a bit trickier. Its a vulnerable time for them, but thats natural... this is where the strong and weak are separated... so that the best genes carry on...
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But that goes back too how the breeder treated the plants during seed production also. How much insect, pesticides or fungicides pressure. How much hand sorting over machine sorting or both occur before delivery.
The seed is only going to be as good as the health of the mother that produced them.
Sorry for the rant , but I've been doing this for well over 30 years and I see the quality of the seeds really diminishing over the last few years.
 
jarvild said:
But that goes back too how the breeder treated the plants during seed production also. How much insect, pesticides or fungicides pressure. How much hand sorting over machine sorting or both occur before delivery.
The seed is only going to be as good as the health of the mother that produced them.
Sorry for the rant , but I've been doing this for well over 30 years and I see the quality of the seeds really diminishing over the last few years.
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Yes... because nobody is breeding. Lots of pollen chuckers though... homegenizing the plant. Its so sad...

But again... nature has a way of sorting that out. Bad chuckers making shit seed... the seeds dont become plants and theyre taken out of the equation...

The strong survive... the strongest thrive.
 
Gquebed said:
10 hours?
Not enough time.
Some seeds take 3 or 4 days.
Some never pop.

Rule of thumb for me... if i want 4 female plants i will germinate 12 seeds (regs, not fems), knowing some wont pop and some will be males that will have to be culled and some will pop but never really grow right (runts and such).

If i want 4 females from fem seeds i will germinate at least 6...

How is this not obvious common sense?
Click to expand...
 

10 hours was soaking, and all the other days were in a damp paper towel. I took my finger nail and cracked the seed open, but it still want pop open.
 
MickFoster said:
The only time I ever used rockwool I had a damping off issue - never had that problem in rr's. Probably kept them too moist. Plus I don't like having to soak them to adjust the pH first. In rr's I just soak in tap water and put the seed in. Different strokes.
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If your rockwool is too wet just pit it on a small towel it will wick away the excess water in no time flat
 
Gquebed said:
Yes... because nobody is breeding. Lots of pollen chuckers though... homegenizing the plant. Its so sad...

But again... nature has a way of sorting that out. Bad chuckers making shit seed... the seeds dont become plants and theyre taken out of the equation...

The strong survive... the strongest thrive.
Click to expand...
Nature chucks pollen lol
 
I'm not that experienced so maybe is issues with this, but is good to know way's if people can't or don't wan't to buy rapid rooters/rockwool etc. First I want to point out, place the seeds in the soil pointed side UP, most think down. If you pre-germinate same thing basically applies although they twist sometimes, pointed side of seed up, tap root comes out and always turns down first. I personally place my seed shells (regardless of tap root length), about half inch from top of soil without pressing the soil on top of it. Mine so far have sprouted always within 1 day usually with a pre-germinate. My seeds are years old btw. Left in a glass of distilled water for up to a week until I saw a tap root. Usually saw a root within 24-48 hours, then left in water for an extra like 12 hours. Put on a damp paper towel after in between 2 non-paper plates/bowls for an extra few days to a week until I saw like 1-2 cm of root. I read old seeds start to make a coating on their outer shell, which is probably why some took awhile and like 2 out of 12 didn't come out ever after 4 weeks lol. As said here, scuffing seeds is good for old ones. Apparently you can also help it crack open with a razor blade (along with other methods I forget).
 
redeyedfrog said:
Nature chucks pollen lol
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True.
Or rather nature blows pollen around. But in nature youre not likely to find more than one strain in a given region. And pollen doesnt get carried far enough to make it to other "regions."

Which is how landrace strains are created.
 
Gquebed said:
True.
Or rather nature blows pollen around. But in nature youre not likely to find more than one strain in a given region. And pollen doesnt get carried far enough to make it to other "regions."

Which is how landrace strains are created.
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Which are rarer and rarer as you said nature will Equilibriate
 
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