Germination and darkness

Good morning,

I have auto seeds, and once I try to germinate with complete darkness, it always works, but all of them grew upside down xD, maybe becaue of the heat mat? Once I try to germinate with light, it works, but only with minimal light times like, 6 or 8 hours light time per day, it didn't work with 16/24 hours of light rather it was "stunted".
I am using jiffy peat pellets as a germination medium had a 100% germination rate with it.

I am curious, like do most of you use paper towels method? Why did my seeds grow upside down in complete darkness? Thinking the heat is the "sun"?

Cheers

i plant directly in to 9" pots and use a good potting soil, it works just fine. are you planting the seeds deep enough, you want them about a 1/2 cm down into the pelet

also i germ with the light on 24/7 so they have light from germination

@go go kid
And your lights are on full intensity? Close to the seeds?

as close as i can get them without burning them, i use a cool tube with a 250watt metal halide or 400watt mh bulblight on them

This guide will help you out: https://www.mandalaseeds.com/Guides/Germination-Guide.

I just pop em in a seeding tray with 50/50 peat/compost, leave the lights on 24hr and they usually pop within a day or two.

Never needed any fancy techniques. 120w QB this time round, full pelt 15" from plants.

All five (two chilli's, 3x weed) popped within three days, and the four little seed pellets were put in yesterday, of which one has already popped overnight.

I think KISS is the way to go. Keep them warm, give them light. It's like 95f in the tent all day and 75 at night ATM, so the heat might be a helper and hindrance at the same time.

@Rurumo This is actually a very helpful guide wtf, thanks!


@VincenzioVonHook Yea, I will try it just as simple as you guys are doing it. I just don't know why it didn't pop while having the light 24h. Maybe because of the pellets. I will try directly in the grow medium using a seedling tray. Your seedlings are looking super healthy and I love chilli.

Cheers

Really interesting that they grew downwards though.

My nextdoor neighbour used an organic medium that obviously had hemp seeds in it lol. A large amount of seedlings traveled down 6" and out the drainage holes of his pots. It was a sight to see.

I plant in rapid rooters.........place them in a drawer..........and place them under light after they have sprouted.

I do it on moist paper towels, in plastic food containers. Once they are sprouted I pop them in their final 4 Imperial Gallon pot, if they are Autos. If they are photos they go in a 1 Litre pot.

T5's on but not directly under them until they break the surface. In plastic cups directly in medium, plastic baggie over each one only to keep the medium from drying out until they break the surface. Then baggie comes off.

Autos and photos alike. I transplant autos no problems.