Germination Question

[Rusty Trichome]

Use clean hands and tools when handling (planting) the sprout, and don't break anything.

I let the taproot grow to about 3/8ths of an inch in the paper towel. When removing 'em from the paper towel, poke a shallow impression in the soil where you want the seed, and keep the top of the seed at soil level. Bury the taproot, but don't bury the whole seed. (but don't leave it sticking above the soil, either) Don't crush, push on, fold, spindle or mutilate the root. You'll want the soil moisture to keep the seed cover moist while the plant is trying to shed it. Otherwise, you'll end-up having to give it assistance with prying-off the cover on some of 'em. (risking fatal damage)

Once in the soil, do not overwater. Tiny ammounts daily , but only if necessary. Also, use care when you do water. If you add water too fast, the seed can get disloged and 'migrate' deeper into the soil or wash down the sides of the cup. I spray-mist the soil to prevent seed 'migration' and overwatering. No nutrients for a couple/few of weeks, minimum. (4th or 5th set of true leaves)

The 'lighter' and smaller-grained the soil is, the easier it is for the seed to maneuver in the soil. Large chunks can and will stop all progress, and most seeds don't have the 'oomph' to push chunky debris out of the way. (no large chunks above the seed)

In the winter, I keep the lights on for an overnight heat source, but you have to watch the soil moisture closely. Don't let the seeds get too hot or too cold. Especially cold.

Be patient. Depending on strain, soil, temperatures...it can sometimes take 10 days or more to get the sprout to break-ground.
About 7 or 8 years ago I was gifted some White Widow testers. I put 'em in soil (twas before the paper towel method existed) and patiently waited two weeks before deciding I had screwed-up somewhere down the line. So I tossed 'em in the trash, soil and all. A few days later I was tossing out the trash, and found all but one had sprouted, stretched, and died in the darkness of the trash can.

Good luck. :thumbsup:

[LUDACRIS]

Just plant the seeds. There is NO need for presoaking or using towels.
Dont waste seeds or leave anything to chance.
:thumbsup:

[Rusty Trichome]

Just plant the seeds. There is NO need for presoaking or using towels.
Dont waste seeds or leave anything to chance.
:thumbsup:

Spoken like a true freshman. Just because YOU don't do the technique, does not make it invalid. But since you have such a strong opinion against the paper towel method, go ahead and finish your statement, and give us your reasoning. Tell us why yout think that just putting a seed in the ground and crossing your fingers is a better technique than transplanting a (proven viable) sprout...?

But no...there is absolutely no reason to do a pre soak. Unless, of course...you like going through fewer seeds (and fewer seed-runs) and planting only viable sprouts creeps you out. Slamming the use of a solid technique that works better than an au-natural, shows me that you might just be unteachable. :stoned:

Let me guess...you throw 10 seeds in each cup to get the one sprout, or do you plan on claiming 100% success rate with one seed per cup? (in which case I'll call a pre-emptive "bullshit" right here and now) Keep in mind, you aren't talking to a rookie here. Using the paper towel technique, I transplant one pre-sprouted seed in each cup, and have a nearly 99.9% success rate regardless if I'm using SuperSoil, Miracle Grow, Sunshine mix or Happy Frog... Easier, more reliable, and a time-saver. (you don't waste your time coddling cups of soil in the hopes that some day it'll sprout and you can fill those empty spaces you have under your lights)

[LUDACRIS]

Spoken like a true freshman. Just because YOU don't do the technique, does not make it invalid. But since you have such a strong opinion against the paper towel method, go ahead and finish your statement, and give us your reasoning. Tell us why yout think that just putting a seed in the ground and crossing your fingers is a better technique than transplanting a (proven viable) sprout...?

But no...there is absolutely no reason to do a pre soak. Unless, of course...you like going through fewer seeds (and fewer seed-runs) and planting only viable sprouts creeps you out. Slamming the use of a solid technique that works better than an au-natural, shows me that you might just be unteachable. :stoned:

Let me guess...you throw 10 seeds in each cup to get the one sprout, or do you plan on claiming 100% success rate with one seed per cup? (in which case I'll call a pre-emptive "bullshit" right here and now) Keep in mind, you aren't talking to a rookie here. Using the paper towel technique, I transplant one pre-sprouted seed in each cup, and have a nearly 99.9% success rate regardless if I'm using SuperSoil, Miracle Grow, Sunshine mix or Happy Frog... Easier, more reliable, and a time-saver. (you don't waste your time coddling cups of soil in the hopes that some day it'll sprout and you can fill those empty spaces you have under your lights)

Professional horticulturists DO NOT use paper towels and why people do it with delicate cannabis seeds is beyond me. There is no need for towels or soaking seeds (its a bad culture to adopt).
(no paper towel faries live in my woods).
It really is bad advice to be advocating using towels and soaking seeds but everyone to their own i suppose. I am to lazy for messing around with seeds when i can just plant them straight from packet in to the soil and avoiding an unessesary damage or stress. Its much quicker/easier and cleaner and no fiddling aroung with planting pre germed seeds before planting them. I see no point to wasting time and (newbies) possibly losing seeds carrying out a process thats not nesessary. Absouloutly mad.

[LUDACRIS]

Any other questions ?????????????

:thumbsup:

[LUDACRIS]

Planting Cannabis Seeds. Soil

[SoHigh420]

not to choose sides or anything hehehehe
but just ran through a whole bag of Fafards starter mix and every seed i planted sprouted an is doing great. im not knocking the PT method. ive done that before as well when i was a teenager at my moms house lol just never actually followed through with the grow. but ive had far better success just planting them. only have 7 growing now though because of my own stupidity lol
just thought id add my 2 cents :bonghit:

[Rusty Trichome]

Professional horticulturists DO NOT use paper towels and why people do it with delicate cannabis seeds is beyond me.

Actually, advising someone not use a technique because "professional" horticulturists" don't use the technique, is moronic itself. Do you think a professional horticulturist would say "don't use that technique...it's moronic" or do you think they'd say...interesting concept, but if it works...more power to ya"? If interested in contacting a PhD in horticulture to ask, or if you would really like to see valid opinions of the scientific community on horticulture issues, check the Myths link in my signature. (Linda answers e-mails in like...a day)

It's a technique that works. Prove to me how it is more stressful to put an already germinated seed into soil. (unless it's only stressful to you, in which case...I really couldn't care less) Prove to me my results have been bullshit. Prove to me I'm lying. Prove something other than your prejudiced against that which you don't understand. :jointsmile:

There is no need for towels or soaking seeds (its a bad culture to adopt).
(no paper towel faries live in my woods).
It really is bad advice to be advocating using towels and soaking seeds but everyone to their own i suppose.

If your seeds are too sensitive for this process, perhaps you should get some quality genetics, and play with the big boys.
Your woodland faries have a lower incidence of success, than those paper towel faries, I gurantee. And what do your lazy faries do with tough to crack seeds...? Do they give-up after two weeks of...nothing? Paper towel faries know if something's up by the third day.

I am to lazy for messing around with seeds

So I gathered. If you don't like the technique, too bad. It's a fine technique for every level of experience. (including the inexperienced/lazy woodland faries)

Its much quicker/easier and cleaner and no fiddling aroung with planting pre germed seeds before planting them. I see no point to wasting time and (newbies) possibly losing seeds carrying out a process thats not nesessary. Absouloutly mad.

No...getting all anal over a technique you personally don't like is folly, and is absolutely mad. The technique is one I've used for a couple of years, off-n-on, but I have landed on this as a permenant part of my routine. Why...? because it fucking works, and is worth the 2 extra minutes to prep the paper towel. But cleaner...? Tell me the mess you'd make putting seeds in a damp paper towel. Or, tell me the mess you'd make picking-up the seelding and placing it in the soil. I gotta hear this one. :jointsmile:

Prove to me the paper towel technique doesn't work, or is bad for the seeds and I'll gladly read your issues. But just to blindly say it sucks, shows you don't really know as much as you think you know. Sounds like optical rectitis is setting in.
Your little soap-box speech was spoken like someone that has no clue of the advantages to assuring viability before placing 'em in the ground. Granted...It only saves up to two weeks of daily checking the soil for the possibility that one has popped. It saves the empty spaces in your growroom waiting for seeds to pop that never show. It shows newbies part of the process they'd never get to witness, and again...most importantly...it works.

[LUDACRIS]

Actually, advising someone not use a technique because "professional" horticulturists" don't use the technique, is moronic itself. Do you think a professional horticulturist would say "don't use that technique...it's moronic" or do you think they'd say...interesting concept, but if it works...more power to ya"? If interested in contacting a PhD in horticulture to ask, or if you would really like to see valid opinions of the scientific community on horticulture issues, check the Myths link in my signature. (Linda answers e-mails in like...a day)

It's a technique that works. Prove to me how it is more stressful to put an already germinated seed into soil. (unless it's only stressful to you, in which case...I really couldn't care less) Prove to me my results have been bullshit. Prove to me I'm lying. Prove something other than your prejudiced against that which you don't understand. :jointsmile:


If your seeds are too sensitive for this process, perhaps you should get some quality genetics, and play with the big boys.
Your woodland faries have a lower incidence of success, than those paper towel faries, I gurantee. And what do your lazy faries do with tough to crack seeds...? Do they give-up after two weeks of...nothing? Paper towel faries know if something's up by the third day.


So I gathered. If you don't like the technique, too bad. It's a fine technique for every level of experience. (including the inexperienced/lazy woodland faries)


No...getting all anal over a technique you personally don't like is folly, and is absolutely mad. The technique is one I've used for a couple of years, off-n-on, but I have landed on this as a permenant part of my routine. Why...? because it fucking works, and is worth the 2 extra minutes to prep the paper towel. But cleaner...? Tell me the mess you'd make putting seeds in a damp paper towel. Or, tell me the mess you'd make picking-up the seelding and placing it in the soil. I gotta hear this one. :jointsmile:

Prove to me the paper towel technique doesn't work, or is bad for the seeds and I'll gladly read your issues. But just to blindly say it sucks, shows you don't really know as much as you think you know. Sounds like optical rectitis is setting in.
Your little soap-box speech was spoken like someone that has no clue of the advantages to assuring viability before placing 'em in the ground. Granted...It only saves up to two weeks of daily checking the soil for the possibility that one has popped. It saves the empty spaces in your growroom waiting for seeds to pop that never show. It shows newbies part of the process they'd never get to witness, and again...most importantly...it works.

I did NOT say towels dont work. Its just NOT the correct way to germinate seeds. I have said all i am going to say on the subject and thats that. If people use paper towels thats their choice and they are entitled to their opinions and methods and i dont have a problem with that.

LUDACRIS.
:thumbsup:

[LUDACRIS]

not to choose sides or anything hehehehe
but just ran through a whole bag of Fafards starter mix and every seed i planted sprouted an is doing great. im not knocking the PT method. ive done that before as well when i was a teenager at my moms house lol just never actually followed through with the grow. but ive had far better success just planting them. only have 7 growing now though because of my own stupidity lol
just thought id add my 2 cents :bonghit:

Thanks for sharing your opinion.
(good luck).

LUDA.
:thumbsup: