Seed won’t break seed case, using paper towel

Hi all - total noob to growing at home. I bought a bunch of AK48 autoflower seeds from a reputable grower and have struggled to get them to germinate.

I soaked the seed below overnight in clean tap water, and then have left it to germinate in between two damp paper towels in a dark container. Temp here is 25 degrees (centigrade) most days. Started that process about 7 days ago.

Despite starting to crack the seed case about three days ago, the tap root won’t grow any more than where it is - it has barely pushed through the seed case but now won’t go any further. Should I just wait? Or is there anything else I can do? Worried the seed will start to rot. Should I just plant it in coco now?

Imo it’s garbage if it’s been 7 days. Next time put your seed straight into moist media. It’s a completely unnecessary step to pre germ in paper towels. It works and a lot of people like the visual confirmation but you’ll only find this practice in the cannabis world…….

The problem with paper towels is you have to handle the seed after it sprouts. Also, you need to get the seeding under light asap.

I find the best way to germinate seeds is in root riot plugs. Put the seed in the plug under your light, keep it moist, then plant the plug into your medium when the roots start showing and let it grow. That takes about 6 days for me.

Also, I'm guessing 25 degrees C (77 degrees F) is the air temperature, that paper towel is probably much colder, especially if near the floor. Too cold temperature could've killed the sprout. I use a heating pad under the root riot plugs, with the probe inserted into a plug, to keep the plugs at 78 degrees F until the plugs are planted.

Ditch the paper towels, plant seeds direct to media, keep warm-80 deg is perfect (24/7), under a mild light. Here is a good guide to get you started https://www.mandalaseeds.com/Guides/Germination-Guide

Leave it in the water until you see the white of the tap root starting then drop into your medium. I'd put it back in a glass of water again to see what happens.

I just popped 15 out of 15 seeds. Root Riot plugs are the best. I've only tried the paper towel method once, and it felt too surgical for my likings. With plugs, you can tell that the seed germinated when you see white flesh in the hole. The next day they will sprout, and in a couple of days they will show roots. Just make sure to keep them moist because they dry out pretty quickly.

Hey man, it's so interesting reading about how people germ their seeds. I've always used paper towel, I've never soaked the seeds beforehand. To me, it looks like your paper towels were way too wet and the tap root has rotted. It did germ, but it was too wet for the seed. If you do try the paper towel method again, make sure you squeeze the excess water out so the paper towel isn't dripping wet, just moist.

when you do the paper towel method wet the towel then squiz it strongly. then later use a container fill the floor with water then above it put a plate and put the paper with seeds. put on a fridge or something thats allways warm. 2 days opens up.air will hydrate the paper towel perfectly