Seed Germination NEWBIES

I had one of the toughest times trying to germ. Using the paper towel method I destroyed many good seeds...

Here is what I did and newbies this is the route you should prolly go...

STICK THEM IN SOIL! What I do. I take a party cup 16 oz I believe, I cut out holes in the bottom/side not just very bottom. I actually pull 4 small square tabs from the bottom/side of the cup (these tabs come half from bottom half from side of cup). This lets water get out freely and helps me tell when they are out growing cup when roots show out of the tabs... I fill with 20% perlite and 80% seed starter I fill to the top line in the cup with this mixture (4/5ths full). I stick my index finger into the middle of the soil about as deep as your first "knuckle"/line in your finger. Drop seed in, cover with soil. Water Just enough on first day to saturate soil (water that drips out of the bottom is fine on first water). Then every 2 days or so water just enough to make the cup feel slightly heavier. Dont drench on subsequent seedling waterings just enough so you know the seedling (at the top quarter of the cup) gets water and does not dry out. Environment should be warm but not overly so 80 degrees or so is good but not essential. Below 60 degrees environ is not good. Seedling should sprout on average 5 days later...

*Use seed starter or organic soil NO NUTED SOIL THIS EARLY.
*Blue 5600k lights is good for germ but 2600 can be used also 18/6 is my on/off (2 inches away)!
*Once roots show thru tabs on bottom/sides of cup you can xplant to permanent home (2 weeks or so).
*Dont plant too deep and use perlite to give aeration and decompress soil for sprout.
*Miracle Gro seed starter has been flawless for me!
*Use dark colored cups (blue is my choice) and double your cup using regular cup outside of seedling cup to stop light from getting at roots (also serves as catch tray and protects roots from light/air once they venture thru tabs at bottom)!
*100% germ this way (so far).

I am decent at this so far so Newbs ask questions if you need help!

Pic for fun and clarity...

I personally do not like the paper towel method, soil or peat pellets is a good way to go.
If people follow your advice, they should have no problem with germination. I give thumbs up.

I just float mine. Then move to growing medium once they sprout.

ive never had a problem with just dropping beans in rapid rooter cubes, keep them wet and 9/10 pop

to be honest, i found it the best to just put your seeds into a cup of distilled water. even tap water works. leave it somewhere out of reach, but not always too dark. A room where the light's aren't always off. Wait 1-2 patient days, and you'll find out which seeds germinate and which dont. I've had a much higher chance of success with this method compared to the paper towel one. I find this method tells you straight up which seeds will and which wont germinate.

when i grew i put seeds soak in water over night then the next day put in cube or soil and keep moist and warm. i used the paper method once and they all sprouted but then when i transfer them to soil they wouldnt take for some reason. i think the tap root dried out

If you are growing a farm and space is an issue I can see the need to prove the viability of the seed but for newbs or those with a 5 plant small type grow this soil method will likely be flawless... I also know that I have had some hard lessons on keeping the soil PHed correctly etc. so when you go soil all the way you are forgiven for mistakes that you will likely pay for in coco and hydro etc...

The beauty of this method is stages. Going from no nutes to half seed starter half moisture control to adding MG bloom Booster and experiment with lifting the PH to combat Miracle Gro's acidity as you grow and learn as a newb... Finding the right combo and curing for a good month got me some AK 48 I swore would win some awards.


PS all Nirvana's shit got to me and popped for me...

I have near 100% germ rate dropping em into RW

I recently did some germ testing on some seeds I created and I did those in the paper towels to test them other ways, what I found is 2 days in a cup of distilled water speeds up the germ process buy about a day on average. I did 5 straight into paper towel and 5 for 2 days in water and 4 of the first 5 to show tap root were the ones soaked for 2 days. Oh and when I soak in water I DO keep them in a dark cabinet around 66 degrees in the room uncontrolled temp.


Yo OP you don't need to get so gnarly on your cups, 4 small slits around the bottom suffice. Also you do not want to transplant after 2 weeks, when you see a root at the bottom you probably still got 2 weeks to go and could even go 4 week before any real root binding issues... I would recommend 4 weeks, let her get a little established before transplant.

I used some gnarly ass scissors thats why. Not needing to be pretty (cept the bud) is what I love about home soil grows. Two weeks is enough for my purposes and once roots show thru I xplant to 5L perm home and just easy from there. Just my way and If a guide helps one newb then I am happy... (remember how as a newb 5 seeds later I wished I had some sort of easy newb guide)

I soaked my seeds for 24hr then put them in rootit spounges witch are alreay soaked how long Wil it take for them to germanate and how do i keep them from drying out can anyone help me please

I soaked my seeds for 24hr then put them in rootit spounges witch are alreay soaked how long Wil it take for them to germanate and how do i keep them from drying out can anyone help me please

@ Vanessa germination is a factor that involves the conditions you create, I have never used a rootit sponge, but I would assume the same principles apply, if it's dry wet it i.e. spray bottle cup. Just don't drown the little fuckers. Me I soak seeds in a cup of 2/3 water and 1/3 hydrogen peroxide until they sink. Sometimes they don't just drop to the bottom so I give em a poke and if they stay down for a little while,good to go. I then soak a coffee filter in the same solution and fold my seed into it, and place it in a sandwich bag for evaporation reasons. I don't use paper towels beacause I have seen roots grow into them. With this method as soon as they crack and a little tail is poking(24-48hrs.) I drop em in moistened starting mix under T8s till they come up to say hello.