How Long Is Too Long?

[Tommygirl]

What is the absolute longest you should wait for beans to sprout before you know for sure they're dead and just not going to?

I've been waiting since Thursday and this is now Wednesday, obviously. Some of them have cracked, but there's nothing coming out and others haven't even cracked yet.

The beans in question are Early Queen, from Mr. Nice, btw. Also, I started them sprouting the same day I got them, so if there's an age issuse it isn't on my end. My germination method is in a quart-sized Ziploc, on a damp paper towel folded into quarters, just like every other time. It's never failed me before.

Tommygirl Reviewed by Tommygirl on 07-30-2008. How Long Is Too Long? What is the absolute longest you should wait for beans to sprout before you know for sure they're dead and just not going to? I've been waiting since Thursday and this is now Wednesday, obviously. Some of them have cracked, but there's nothing coming out and others haven't even cracked yet. The beans in question are Early Queen, from Mr. Nice, btw. Also, I started them sprouting the same day I got them, so if there's an age issuse it isn't on my end. My germination method is in a Rating: 5

[TheMetal1]

Too cold?
Too dry?
Too wet?
Too light?

That's all I can think of now...

Could be a bunch of dormant seeds. Try roughing up/scratching the outer shell a little bit. Or try peat pucks (?) I think that's what they are. Small discs of peat with netting on them. I recommend taking the net off. Had them under a dome, which I kept humid and dark, and it worked 100%.

Good luck :jointsmile:

[stinkyattic]

2 weeks is the longest I've seen.
Too warm, too wet, plus too little oxygen combines into a perfect set of conditions for the seeds to rot. That's why I prefer germing them in a tube with just a COUPLE DROPS of water and getting them in soil as soon as the tip shows.

[Rusty Trichome]

Scuffing with fine sandpaper helps the stubborn ones crack. (Prior to using any of the germination techniques) Allows better penetration of the water and oxygen, which is needed needed for sprouting.

[Tommygirl]

I definitely get them into some rock wool as soon as I see those tap roots peeking. :thumbsup: I learned first hand what happens if you leave them too long. They get all fuzzy and start smelling of fish. *shudders* So far, all I've gotten from these is cracked shells.

It's possible they have too much light or are too cool, but the spot I put them in is the same as every other time I've popped beans and I've never waited more than 72 hours. Still, for all I know Early Queen is very sensitive when germing. I've just moved them to a darker spot and set them on my external modem to use it as a sourse of heat. It should warm them gently as it's only barely warm to the touch itself.

I'll check back after a couple days if they don't respond to see if anyone has any other advice.

Thanks so far, guys.

[lunarose]

Hi,

I have had to wait 10-14 days, one time I had a seed that I pretty much written off all the other seeds had started days before well I had forgotten it for several days and then when I remembered and went to throw it out I discovered that not only had it popped but had the first two rounded leaves! I was lucky in that it survived anyway I won't write them off until they are 2 weeks old.

[Tommygirl]

Well, it's Monday now and that's 11 days without any sign that they're going to do more than sit there like tiny bumps on a log.

I'm having to give up on them and start something else because I should have had seedlings vegging last week and I can't wait any longer. At this rate it'll be Christmas before I get any damned bud from these Early Queens.

I'd like to know what good a quick growth period is when the damned seeds take weeks to germinte. They sort of cancel each other out so that they're no better than any other strain. They should make it known before hand if they're going to take an extra long time to sprout. That would have influienced my purchase, for sure, which is probably why they don't tell you. LOL

All I can say is that I'm really disapointed. I had high hopes for this strain and they've been pretty well dashed by this.

I'll probably leave them just to see if they'll ever get off their asses and do what nature intended. Maybe I'll try them in soil, if they ever sprout. It would be my first soil grow and I've got some grow bags I've been wanting to try out.

Cheers all. Here's hoping your grows go better than mine have these past few months.

[stinkyattic]

Once the beans crack open, that means they were viable.
Look at (and change) your germination technique. There's one described in my siggy that works very well.
Seeds need oxygen... don't forget that part...

[Tommygirl]

Once the beans crack open, that means they were viable.
Look at (and change) your germination technique. There's one described in my siggy that works very well.
Seeds need oxygen... don't forget that part...

Ok, so I moved both the Early Queen and the Shiva Shanti. I don't have those tubes you advocated, but I do have little cups and am using two of them. Labeled, of course. Hope it makes something happen.

[Firemansam606]

2 weeks!? Wow, I certainly wouldn't have thought it could take that long.

I guess I've been lucky getting 100% of my 7 grows to germinate within a couple of days. I've always put mine straight into the soil, I don't trust myself handling them without causing some damage.

I just placed 2 Lowryder 2s into soil in degradable fibre pots about 15 mins ago. I hope to see some green popping through by the weekend. :thumbsup:

Oscar Mike