germination question

jeffrotull said:

so, i've started the germ process with a couple of seeds and thought i had my plan together but after a few days with no sprout i decided to double-check myself and have found some contradicting views on best-practices during germination.

below are the contradictions i've encountered and would like clarification on why one way is correct/better so i know the best method for my next batch.

1) lights on vs lights off during germ
several places i've read say the seeds need darkness and no direct exposure during germ. however, the guide i was originally following said to place the seeds in wet paper towels directly under my grow lights.

this led to my paper towles drying out very quickly and needing constant re-wetting. after a few days doing this with no result i became worried how often i was having to re-wet and that the paper towles would actually become completely dry. i found another guide that said put them in darkness and keep the moisture trapped in either with a bowl or ziploc. i did this and since have got one seed sprout (still waiting on her sister to pop through). anyways, not sure coincidence or if there is even a good reason why one guide would recommend keeping them under direct light during germ?

leading me to my next question...

2) when moving into growing medium (in my case soil in jiffy pots) some guides say put sprout up, however, the original guide i was following said put sprout down to help grow strength for the plant. again, i'm confused what's the best approach here since i've read both with convincing arguments.

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thanks much for anymore insight on these questions early in my grow, hopefully can get these babies veggin' soon =D

peace.

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Originally Posted by Uncle Ben
Germinating Cannabis Seeds (for Bio Growers)

Your seedlings will be alot better off if you germinate directly in soil - less handling and mechanical disturbance means less chance of physical damage to the plant's taproot (and roothairs) and less food reserves used to position itself due to the natural hormonal influence called Gravitropism - that spells seedling VIGOR.

This is my foolproof method for Cannabis Seed Germination in soil:

First, if harvesting seeds from my own crosses, I air-dry newly harvested seeds for a couple of weeks, and then store them in the refrigerator with a little rice. Cold-treatment seems to increase viability and germination rates, especially with indica-dom strains. I almost always get a 100% germination rate with quality seedstock.

Soak the seeds in plain water for at least 12 hours prior to planting to hydrate them, which will speed up germination. In general, good seeds will sink, bad seeds will remain floating (they contain air, not an embryo). I first sterilize seeds in a bleach solution (1 Tbsp. bleach/1 gallon of water) for 1/2 hour to kill any fungus residing on the seedcoat. Dump the sanitizing solution and top off your glass with clean water, you do not need to rinse those seeds.

Sterilize enough *damp* fine soil with heat to germinate all of your seeds. You can do this by treating the damp soil to temps of (no more than) 200F for 20 mins in a conventional oven, or in a microwave oven on high for 2 minutes, while stirring a couple of times, or pouring boiling water thru the mix. Your goal is to get and hold the entire soil mix's temperature at 170F to 180F for about 20 minutes which can be monitored with a probe type thermometer. Let the mix cool thoroughly. This will insure that damp-off fungus spores have been killed in the soil mix. Make sure the soil mix is light and humusy (not real coarse). You can add a little sand or vermiculite to aid in drainage and weight. Stay away from perlite, it has a nasty habit of floating out of the mix (if you do indeed need to water later).

Buy some white 20oz styrofoam "drinking glasses", commonly called "Styro-Cups", and punch holes in the bottom (and side bottom) for drainage. I use a red-hot ice pick for this. These containers are 6 1/2" tall and will allow ample room for the taproot to grow before cotyledon emergence which will increase your seedling's vigor. The taproot (radicle) is already at least 4" long at the point of emergence - don't restrict it in order to maximize seedling growth rate. Styro-Cups can be found on the shelf displaying picnic items at your local grocery store.

Fill the pots almost to the top with your soil mix, water well to settle the mix, take a pencil and make a small hole about 1/4" to 1/2" deep, NO deeper, and drop *one* seed in. Cover the seed with *fine* soil, only enough to top up the hole, firm lightly with your finger, and lightly water until water runs freely thru the drain holes. Place in a warm spot around 80F/26C. Do NOT cover the cup with saran wrap or anything else. The seed has been hydrated from the soaking and will germinate soon. This container should not require further watering until the seedling is up and running.

During the first couple of days, mist the top soil surface lightly if need be, never allowing the top to crust over, but not to the point that the medium stays waterlogged which will invite pythium rot. "Less is more" at this point. Do NOT water this pot any more until the seedling is up, and only if it needs it at the point of emergence and do NOT mist the seedling once it is up as you're inviting damp-off disease if you do. Again, no need to cover with plastic wrap as the radicle (taproot) will grow at least 4" before the cotyledons emerge from the soil. IOW, even though you can't see it, the plant's root is seeking and finding moisture at the container's lower soil levels. I cannot emphasize this enough. The seedling will emerge anywhere from 2 to 10 days from the time you sow it.

That's all to it! With good care, your faves will be ready to transplant within 1 to 2 weeks, and will easily slip out of the "cup" with a solid rootball that will never know it's been disturbed if potted up gently and quickly. Move up to a final pot of 3 to 5 gallons to sex and finish.

An effective transplant solution can be made using (no more than) 1 level teaspoon of a 15-30-15 fert and 10 drops of Superthrive per gallon of water. Take note regarding the immediate growth spurt after this upcan!

Good luck,
Uncle Ben

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Ledhed said:

The easiest, and by far most successful method for me has always been to just poke my finger in the soil, drop seed in, cover with soil, and water. Mother nature takes care of her own. I've done the paper towel thing in the past with no problems, but it's just another unneeded, unnecessary step in my thinking. I have never soaked seeds in water, never understood that. The shell will break just fine as the plant begins to emerge, so no soaking to soften the shell for me.

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Ledhed said:

The easiest, and by far most successful method for me has always been to just poke my finger in the soil, drop seed in, cover with soil, and water. Mother nature takes care of her own. I've done the paper towel thing in the past with no problems, but it's just another unneeded, unnecessary step in my thinking. I have never soaked seeds in water, never understood that. The shell will break just fine as the plant begins to emerge, so no soaking to soften the shell for me.

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johnny12r said:

1) no lights..i put the damp paper towel in a ziplock bag in a warm dark place..

2) the sprout is the root it goes down, put the top of the seed about a quarter inch under the dirt and it will pop out the top in 2 days or so.

you have light and a grow method ready?

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riddleme said:

seeds do not need light untill the cotyledons show, they were probably usingthe light for heat and as you saw it's often times to much heat

I disagree with the paper towel method but if you insist on doing things that way??? then you need to plant the sprout down

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