How to germinate seeds

[Joker209]

There are many many ways to germinate seeds and some work better than others. This method I have used for years with 100% success and now I am posting a thread to help those who need it.

The materials:
1 Dozen styrofoam egg crate
15 Sheets of 2 ply toilet paper or tissue
1 Dropper
1 Cup half full of water
1 Packet of seeds
1 Permanent marker

1) Place 1 piece of tissue (folded in half and in half again) into each hole.
2) Drip about 3-5 drops of water into each hole to moisten each tissue and mould it into place.
3) Place 1-5 seeds into each hole and write on the underside of the lid what seeds you placed where
4) Cover the top of the holes with tissue after placing your seeds.
5) Close the lid.
6) Place the crate in a dark warm place and allow 24 hours before checking. I chose my closet (it's down the hall from the fireplace)
(Try not to get over anxious and check them every few hours as this will dry out the tissue too fast)

Here are some pictures for those of you who do better with pictures.

Materials

Part 1)

Part 2+3)

Part 4)

Part 5)

Part 6)

 

[Joker209]

All to germinate seeds.....you go man.....lol.............stay sterile

Everything I do with my plants (outside dirt lol) is sterilized. I boil my water for a good 20 minutes before watering lol. I clean my tools with alcohol all the time. I clean the floors in my grow room 1s every 3 days. I wash the cabinets and counter tops with rubbing alcohol. Keeps mold away and the bugs hate the smell of alcohol.

 

[researchkitty]

+rep for the egg carton trick. That'll save me some ziplock baggies next time.

 

[Joker209]

They are reusable lol Just tear out the tissue, clean with hot water and soap, and redo the steps

 

[luckymeh]

Great thread, + rep I had some trouble germinating my seeds so hopefully this method will work with success. I placed mine onto moist paper towels (using warm distilled water) in plastic trays with a small amount of water in the bottom in case they dried up, covered with cling film with breathing holes and left in the airing cupboard. Some didn't even sprout, was this my method or just an awkward seed? Most of them cracked open and sprouted a root so I carefully placed them in prepared pots (filled with soil, soaked it until overrun, poked my finger in 1 inch and placed the seed in root first then lightly placed soil over the top, covered the pot with cling film with air holes and waited, waited and waited - the majority of them never sprouted?! Any ideas why?

 

[s7even]

awesome! love the germination process bud, I'm not a fan of germination from soil like my current grow now.

 

[Joker209]

They may have dried out before being able to sprout. I have half inch - 1 inch roots in 4 days or less. I love this method and will never change my germination process lol I will keep this thread alive until I get the plants out of the ground and then will go to the journal with them. I will take a picture in 24 hours

 

[CyberSecks]

this whole thing is retarded.
soak a cube in PHd water plop the seed in and in 3-4 days you have a sprout.
similar to the way nature does it!
make sure your using a weaker light for seedlings
i get 100%

 

[NuBud335]

Why don't you explain what a cube is. So far jokers idea is better for a few reasons. He said wait 1 day and they should be sprouted. You said 3-4 days. That said, your idea is retarded and jokers is better

 

[riddleme]

Why don't you explain what a cube is. So far jokers idea is better for a few reasons. He said wait 1 day and they should be sprouted. You said 3-4 days. That said, your idea is retarded and jokers is better

not about being retarted or better, more about being safer, simply planting your seeds is safer as was said mother natures way, the little hairs on the tap root that comes out are very delicate and easily damaged which can cause many different problems later in your grow, not the case if you never handled or touched em

folks do this in many different ways none are better some are simply safer than others, it's all about what works for ya

 

[Joker209]

I meant no disrespect towards anyone and homeboy comes at me sideways talkin bout retarded... If you have eyes read the first bit I said and it was "There are many many ways" "This is the method I use" at which point I said in fine print if you don't want to use it then don't

 

[riddleme]

I meant no disrespect towards anyone and homeboy comes at me sideways talkin bout retarded... If you have eyes read the first bit I said and it was "There are many many ways" "This is the method I use" at which point I said in fine print if you don't want to use it then don't

Yeah that happens here, not everyone agrees on everything, I get it all the time, best to ignore em and move on or your thread gets filled with crap that no one wants to read. Also pretty common for your readers/followers to defend you (actually I think it's cool) but leads to arguements.

I would not use your method but will say it looks better than some I've seen and as I said earlier it's all about what works in the end

 

[NuBud335]

SO Joker, After the stem sprouts out of the seed, What is the safest way of planting it? Do you want the white....sperm tail ill call it, To point down as in lay that part down first? Im guessing thats the start of a root so im guessing when you put the seed into the dirt you want that white tail facing down?

 

[Joker209]

SO Joker, After the stem sprouts out of the seed, What is the safest way of planting it? Do you want the white....sperm tail ill call it, To point down as in lay that part down first? Im guessing thats the start of a root so im guessing when you put the seed into the dirt you want that white tail facing down?

This is typical after day 2-3

Take tweezers and point the white tails down into the soil or rockwool cube. I just wanted to give this idea to people having difficulties with every way they have tried. This method is extremely easy and can be recycled. Good luck everyone

 

[upthearsenal]

Yeah, as NuBud asked about the safest way of placing it... I've read and heard a few things that contradict each other, I've read that if you place it tail down the seedling looses a lot of vigor.
Yet I certainly have placed them with the tap root facing down and have had decent results. This past week I tried this method with my last great white shark seed and it basically never emerged from the soil, and when I checked the soil to see what was up after about four days I noticed that the seedling had indeed sprouted yet was positioned in an upside down U, if that makes sense.

I've searched everywhere for conclusive results yet I seem to just be confusing myself the more I research it, I know for a fact that in my previous grows placing the tap root first has worked, anyone had good results otherwise? Help out a homie with his first time post!

 

[Joker209]

I have never tried that before on purpose but I think I may have accidentally done it on 1 of my last seedlings and it never came up. I dug for it and placed it the right way (root down) it grew just fine. I named her midget and she is still the smallest plant but I am keeping her lol.

 

[Joker209]

right on, I'll stick to and recommend the tap root down method

I will post a picture of Midget tomorrow so you guys can see lol

 

[Joker209]

No new news to report yet. I think the seeds are duds lol I will have to throw another batch in here in a couple days and see if they take. These seeds are from my latest harvest and I am not sure if they are going to even be worth anything growing. I will keep you guys updated.

 

[Blazed Hippie]

This is sorta on subject, if i plant some germinated seeds in rockwool cubes can I transplant those into soil without problems? or should i stick with coco peat?

 

[Joker209]

You can certainly plant rockwool cubes into soil. I have see it done and have done it myself and it works just fine. I personally enjoy using rockwool cubes in my DWC tote but it is all a matter of opinion and preference.