Submersrse Seeds or Straight to Wet Paper Towels? Best Method?

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mattyjones

Member
Having just rec ieved my first seeds im eager to get planting straight away, however sfter reading through threads (for hours n hours:wall:) im still quite confusd as to which method is best to go with?

somne people recommend submersing the seeds in water efore placing them in the wet paper towels and others advise to go straigh to the pasper towels?

any advice would be greatly appreciated coz am eager to get moving :lol: as you can expect!!!

thanks for your time and happy smokingbongsmilie
 
MidnightJoker

MidnightJoker

Well-Known Member
I just use the paper towel method, and have good success with that. But to add to your confusion, I have friends that swear by placing the seeds in water and then into a paper towel. IMO, just try the paper towel method.
 
HighLowGrow

HighLowGrow

Well-Known Member
Get a plate...set it down....get a paper towel and fold it in half...set it on the plate...wet the paper towel....put your seeds on the paper towel....fold the paper towel in half again over the seeds.....get another plate...place it upside down on the first plate...your done. Go place it on your computer, stereo, or something with a little warmth. Just don't let it dry out. Wait 2-3-4 days.

I have been doing this for years whether it be tomato seeds, beans, peppers, or pot.

-HLG
 
Serapis

Serapis

Well-Known Member
While it does work, most of the time, it can take 7-14 days to get a seedling....

I soak my seeds in a shot glass. As soon as the all stay on the bottom of the glass, I pour them out into paper towels in a small tupperware container with a top. I place the container on top of my t5 HO hood and within 12 hours, I have radicles showing, as which point I place them in Rapid Rooters inside a 6 cell tray. I have seedlings in a total of 2-3 days, where a soil germination can take a week or longer.

Chomps said:
This is exactly what I was talking about in the other thread.

Not exactly misinformation but... I don't know what..

Why hasn't simply placing the seed in some moist soil not even crossed your mind? That's the way Mother Nature has been doing it for many many many many many years. That's all you need man. It works


The thread I was talking about -> https://www.rollitup.org/newbie-central/428001-germination-101-a-post5654410.html
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redeye75

redeye75

Active Member
D

d burg

Member
I've only germinated two seeds, so take my opinion for what it's worth.

The first one I planted in soil before it popped. I kept the soil moist and warm for about two weeks and it never sprouted or showed any root. For some reason, it just died in the soil. Just recently, I germinated my second seed using the paper towel method, and it sprouted it's tap root within 24 hours. I then put it in soil, and within a day and a half it looks like it's breaking the surface already.

So here's my take on it. There is nothing wrong with just planting your seed in soil from the start the way nature intended. However, nature can afford to risk seeds not sprouting or germinating. I think the good thing about using a paper towel method is that you can control it's environment and make it easily accessible to check on and make sure it's healthy. With the seed buried in the ground, it's hard to tell whether it's too dry, or too wet or the seed sank too low or things like that. Like I said, nature has the abundance of seeds to risk some not growing. If you are buying seeds or you don't have that many of them, you should take more care in making sure it's environment is absolutely correct for as long as possible.
 
redeye75

redeye75

Active Member
d burg said:
I've only germinated two seeds, so take my opinion for what it's worth.

The first one I planted in soil before it popped. I kept the soil moist and warm for about two weeks and it never sprouted or showed any root. For some reason, it just died in the soil. Just recently, I germinated my second seed using the paper towel method, and it sprouted it's tap root within 24 hours. I then put it in soil, and within a day and a half it looks like it's breaking the surface already.

So here's my take on it. There is nothing wrong with just planting your seed in soil from the start the way nature intended. However, nature can afford to risk seeds not sprouting or germinating. I think the good thing about using a paper towel method is that you can control it's environment and make it easily accessible to check on and make sure it's healthy. With the seed buried in the ground, it's hard to tell whether it's too dry, or too wet or the seed sank too low or things like that. Like I said, nature has the abundance of seeds to risk some not growing. If you are buying seeds or you don't have that many of them, you should take more care in making sure it's environment is absolutely correct for as long as possible.
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You may have planted the seed too deep, they should only be covered with a very light layer of soil not compacted..
 
D

d burg

Member
Maybe, but I'm pretty sure I planted it only about 1/4 inch deep. The only thing that I can think I may have done is watered it too much with cold, tap water straight out of the faucet.

With this second seed, I used room temp natural spring water and things have gone really smooth so far.
 
Chomps

Chomps

Active Member
Word. I don't know why this was such a button for me. Maybe its the insight, maybe it was that bomb ass keif J...
Why should I even care so much about how people start their plants?

I was under the mindset of growing out the mothers in soil and taking cuttings off her.

It just bugged me when a new guy is asking how to start life and all is noted is paper towels and shit. Like not even considering whats been going on the earth for how ever many years. In my indoor all I'm trying to do is mimic mother nature as much as I possibly can. I wish I could grow under the sun.
 
jcdws602

jcdws602

Well-Known Member
Germinating a seed is probably the easiest part to growing...people tend to complicate such a simple task.....myself I prefer the cup method over the towel method because the towel can actually dry out if you forget thus killing your seedling in most cases......but that's my preference, choose yours and keep it simple......
 
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thedude27

Well-Known Member
I like paper towel, takes the guesswork out and is less work if you have one or 2 that dont pop. As opposed to staring at a cup with nothing going on for 6 days then wondering if you should give it 6 more or if its growing or you put it too deep or it sank when you watered or what. I fold the sheet twice and put in a baggie with the top open, keeps enough moisture in there you dont have to re-wet it but lets enough air that no mold grows. I do my garden seeds this way too (tomatos/peppers/etc) I just dont like "blanks" where I have a wet cup of soil and nothing in it. lol
 
stickyfingerz

stickyfingerz

Active Member
had 3 seeds germinate over night by just placing them in a cup of water, thats the fastest i have ever had seeds germinate and i have used all methods
 
jcdws602

jcdws602

Well-Known Member
thedude27 said:
I like paper towel, takes the guesswork out and is less work if you have one or 2 that dont pop. As opposed to staring at a cup with nothing going on for 6 days then wondering if you should give it 6 more or if its growing or you put it too deep or it sank when you watered or what. I fold the sheet twice and put in a baggie with the top open, keeps enough moisture in there you dont have to re-wet it but lets enough air that no mold grows. I do my garden seeds this way too (tomatos/peppers/etc) I just dont like "blanks" where I have a wet cup of soil and nothing in it. lol
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Cup method = cup with water only......:eyesmoke:
 
MidnightJoker

MidnightJoker

Well-Known Member
d burg said:
I've only germinated two seeds, so take my opinion for what it's worth.

The first one I planted in soil before it popped. I kept the soil moist and warm for about two weeks and it never sprouted or showed any root. For some reason, it just died in the soil. Just recently, I germinated my second seed using the paper towel method, and it sprouted it's tap root within 24 hours. I then put it in soil, and within a day and a half it looks like it's breaking the surface already.

So here's my take on it. There is nothing wrong with just planting your seed in soil from the start the way nature intended. However, nature can afford to risk seeds not sprouting or germinating. I think the good thing about using a paper towel method is that you can control it's environment and make it easily accessible to check on and make sure it's healthy. With the seed buried in the ground, it's hard to tell whether it's too dry, or too wet or the seed sank too low or things like that. Like I said, nature has the abundance of seeds to risk some not growing. If you are buying seeds or you don't have that many of them, you should take more care in making sure it's environment is absolutely correct for as long as possible.
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I agree with this. Using the paper towel method allows you to check on your seeds daily for growth, and it is easier to keep the paper towels moist and to know when they need more water.
 
MidnightJoker

MidnightJoker

Well-Known Member
If you do decide to use the shot glass method, make sure you do not leave the seeds soaking in water for more than 24 hours. It will kill the seeds. Once the seed sinks, then move it to the paper towels for further germination.
 
jcdws602

jcdws602

Well-Known Member
MidnightJoker said:
If you do decide to use the shot glass method, make sure you do not leave the seeds soaking in water for more than 24 hours. It will kill the seeds. Once the seed sinks, then move it to the paper towels for further germination.
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Wrong...........once the seeds sink they usually will crack not too long after......they won't die........midnightjoker have you ever even grown?? or maybe you just started??........it's not helping when you don't now what your talking about,don't misinform folks.... this forum has enough people spewing wrong information
 
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