California Special from seed

Just starting a thread to track my first indoor from seed attempt. I am using some inexpensive seeds from KC Brains called California Special, figured these would be good to try out.

I dropped a seed in some water to soak, but it dropped straight to the bottom which I was not expecting. If anyone knows if this is a bad sign please let me know.

Not much to show yet, they will be in a small cab I have with a couple CFLs while my main cabinet is flowering a Strawberry Dream. I also have a couple cuttings in there, if everything goes well I am not going to have enough room but since this is my first attempt and these are regular seeds i figure there is only a slight chance at that.

Nothing really to see

Sunken Seed


A blend of Roots organic potting soil, perlite and a dash of dolomite lime, seed is just over 1/4" below the surface:

Is this the one you were thinking of doing a mainline with?

Thinking of trying, it depends on how the strawberry dream clones do. I do not have a lot of space.

Anything poking out yet?

It is a shy one so far. I misted with some PH 6.5 with a touch of Superthrive this morning and have it in my flowering cabinet, lights out right now for the StrawberryDream clones that are chilling in there.

It can take all the time it needs, since my main cabinet still has at least 3-5 weeks to go.

Well that's not bad if it doesn't show up right away considering your space. I got a bit of rain today and not much sun at all but the rest of the week should be 80s and sunny. I am so hoping for the weather to stay like this for another month and a half at least.

Maybe a little impatient, but I took a toothpick to check since nothing happening for 4 days. Come to find out the seed has done nothing, looked as pristine as the day I put it in. I was a little concerned with these seeds for a couple of reasons a.) After I had ordered the seeds I come to find out that KC Brains has had some pretty mixed reviews as far as reliability b.) when I dropped it in water it immediately sank to the bottom

So I pulled it and dropped it and another into a paper towel in a ziplock, this will allow me to keep it a little warmer since my temps had been dropping a bit. It will also allow me to keep an eye on it, even though I would prefer to go straight into the soil. The second seed I dropped in water floated for about 5 seconds and then dropped to the bottom as well. These are non-feminised seeds, so it was probably a better idea to drop 2 anyway.

ok I dropped my seed in a cup of water for a whole 24 hrs, then paper towel and Ziploc dark place and didn't see anything happen until like four days later. was your soil getting light? Has to be a dark place. wet folded paper towel into Ziploc into shoe box is what I did. Good luck tho man.

Was not dark per se, but the seed is under the soil so should be dark. It is in my flower box but not directly under the light. I think I will put in on the germination heating pad I have.

Well, sad to say neither of the seeds have done squat. I have been keeping the paper towel moist and it is sitting on the germ may, but there is nothing going on. I was concerned about these seeds since they immediate sunk when I put them in soil.

On the plus side, the clones I cut from my Strawberry dream are going great, so I would not have had room for both.

Well, this experiment is over.. I didn't get a single seed to germinate, and my Strawberry Dream clones are taking off like gang busters so I am scrapping the seeds and will take the two clones to completion. I will try a couple more of these KC Brains seeds, but would certainly not recommend them, and this is consistent which the reviews I have heard. I guess I should have done better research before I paid for them, but super cheap seeds, I am more interested in the 8 freebies I got with the order

hbbum said:

Well, this experiment is over.. I didn't get a single seed to germinate, and my Strawberry Dream clones are taking off like gang busters so I am scrapping the seeds and will take the two clones to completion. I will try a couple more of these KC Brains seeds, but would certainly not recommend them, and this is consistent which the reviews I have heard. I guess I should have done better research before I paid for them, but super cheap seeds, I am more interested in the 8 freebies I got with the order

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I had 1 Cali Special pop within 48 hours and 2 are for sure duds so far. I have 2 more in a paper towel. I am doing DWC after 2/3 weeks in a rockwool cube. Just wanted to say that they aren't all duds.

Thanks, it is actually for the best. I had 2 clones from them Strawberry Dream that took off and the will be flipping to flower within a week. I got 5zips from the plant I took these clones for, will be my first time growing 2 plants in the space I have.

hbbum said:

Thanks, it is actually for the best. I had 2 clones from them Strawberry Dream that took off and the will be flipping to flower within a week. I got 5zips from the plant I took these clones for, will be my first time growing 2 plants in the space I have.

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I'm actually growing my first grow right now. I'm super excited and having so much fun learning. They are only about 4 inches tall right now, but I have 1 Cali Special and 1 Auto Purple growing.

Cool, sounds like you got the same freebies I got

hbbum said:

Cool, sounds like you got the same freebies I got

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Oh yes, the Auto Purple popped in like 2 hours. I think this California Special is a dud....growing quick....but so far 4/5 seeds have been duds. I've never grown, but I've popped tons of bagseed over the years and figured a real breed would be better. But this California Special is terrible in that sense, if it's good I'll make a clone or two.

Yeah, thinking they are garbage. Explains the price though As I recall I really only picked it up because of the freebies, had I know how bad they would be I would have picked something else.

hbbum said:

Yeah, thinking they are garbage. Explains the price though As I recall I really only picked it up because of the freebies, had I know how bad they would be I would have picked something else.

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Same deal here my friend, I will not be buying K.C. again.