Do I Have To Germinate My Marijuana Seeds Before Planting?
- Thread starter MegaSmoke
- Start date
missnu
Well-Known Member
No...it is better to plant them straight into soil...too much can go wrong between germination and planting..but if you do it all at once then you can't have any of those issues...
Some people use a wet paper towel, and I can say I have done this myself more than a few times...but there are too many times that I let the paper towel get too dry, or it gets too hot, Or the seed sprouts and I rip it to pieces before I can get it in the ground...or when you go to pull it off the paper towel it rips the teeny tiny new little root...The only issue with planting the seed straight away is that you can't check to see what is going on...but after a few days you should see a sprout...if after 4 days I don't have a sprout, I gently try to dig around the baby plant and see what is going on. The only issues with soil planting is that sometimes you might plant the seed too deep, in which case you will know if after 4 days you have no sprout, because when you go looking for it...you might find a tiny sick looking little seedling just stuck under the soil, in which case you just move it up a little, no harm as long as you catch it before it is too late...or you plant the seed too shallow and it sprouts out of the ground with it's seed shell still stuck on...which is really easy to fix as well...just wet it really well adn then gently remove the stuck shell, or just leave it alone...I am a shell picker though...also if the seed shell is still on you can bury it a little more...the seed shell gets soft when it is wet and then the plant can just split it open and go on...but if the seed shell is above ground it dries out and gets hard like the original seed, and sometime the plant can't make it out..but as long as you keep the seed shell wet it will get pushed off naturally by the plant.
Some people use a wet paper towel, and I can say I have done this myself more than a few times...but there are too many times that I let the paper towel get too dry, or it gets too hot, Or the seed sprouts and I rip it to pieces before I can get it in the ground...or when you go to pull it off the paper towel it rips the teeny tiny new little root...The only issue with planting the seed straight away is that you can't check to see what is going on...but after a few days you should see a sprout...if after 4 days I don't have a sprout, I gently try to dig around the baby plant and see what is going on. The only issues with soil planting is that sometimes you might plant the seed too deep, in which case you will know if after 4 days you have no sprout, because when you go looking for it...you might find a tiny sick looking little seedling just stuck under the soil, in which case you just move it up a little, no harm as long as you catch it before it is too late...or you plant the seed too shallow and it sprouts out of the ground with it's seed shell still stuck on...which is really easy to fix as well...just wet it really well adn then gently remove the stuck shell, or just leave it alone...I am a shell picker though...also if the seed shell is still on you can bury it a little more...the seed shell gets soft when it is wet and then the plant can just split it open and go on...but if the seed shell is above ground it dries out and gets hard like the original seed, and sometime the plant can't make it out..but as long as you keep the seed shell wet it will get pushed off naturally by the plant.
balactus
Well-Known Member
It will take longer to sprout is what you mean, not exactly longer to grow. Planting right into soil would be like how nature intended. Add a little heat plus keep it moist and it will be the same as if it were growing in the ground outside almost.
Germinating before hand will just eliminate your chance of a dead seed not growing. Plus you risk contaminating your seed if you handle the seed and touch its roots when its thats small. I personally have not seen that case but it was something to keep in mind. Always wash your hands before and after you handle.
Germinating before hand will just eliminate your chance of a dead seed not growing. Plus you risk contaminating your seed if you handle the seed and touch its roots when its thats small. I personally have not seen that case but it was something to keep in mind. Always wash your hands before and after you handle.
Dalek Supreme
Well-Known Member
I let them soak for an hour in a lite hydrogen peroxide solution then straight to planting in my medium of choice.
I pitch mine into a shot glass of water for 12-24 hours & then straight into the dirt.
Works like a charm.
Works like a charm.
halfloaf
Active Member
Place seeds in a glass of water for 24 hours then place them in paper towel soak paper towel with water but not to much place paper towle on a teaplate put a bow over then place in a warm area.
Leave for about 6 hours check it has not dryed out wet agian if needed leave for 6 hours repeat until you see the tap root let that get to about 2.5cm long then plant into the soil root pointing down.
Leave for about 6 hours check it has not dryed out wet agian if needed leave for 6 hours repeat until you see the tap root let that get to about 2.5cm long then plant into the soil root pointing down.
bullwinkle60
Well-Known Member
I use the paper towel and baggie method and within 40 hours I've always had a tap root.
RetiredMatthebrute
Well-Known Member
i use the paper towel method
2 small matching plates, fold a paper towel in 1/2 twice (2 folds) dampen paper towel (to make it easier to work with) put seeds in middle and then soak the paper towel, place second plate on top put in a warm spot and within 48 hours you should have some tap roots coming out. i have had a couple seeds take longer than 48 hours but the average is about 24-36 hours. i generally let them sit in the paper towel for ran additional 24 hours after i first see a root, then just take a pen, poke a small hole in the medium and place the seed in the hole and moisten the soil.
the biggest thing is to "moisten" the soail not saturate it, and after you moisten it you shouldnt have to add any water for a while (unless you have some really hot/dry conditions that small seedling will never use all that water) at least 2-4 days you want the soil to dry out a bit so the root has to "search" for water towards the bottom of the container
biggest thing that kills small sprouts/seedlings is death by drowning, either you cause a situation called "damping off" or you just straight up drown them either way dont over water them, they only need the bottom 1/2 of the soil to be moist so its ok if the top layer gets a bit dried out.
good luck, plant more than one if your using reg seeds (i suggest at least 4) so your not setting yourself up to get let down after 4-5 weeks of growing a plant to find out its a male. if your inside get some decent lights, CFL's are a bit "cheaper" (not really but you can buy a couple at a time so the up front cost is spread out) than a HID light. inadaquet lighting will also set you up for a let down as you will grow a plant for 12 weeks (minimum maybe more) just to get a gram of 1/2 way smokeable herbs
lots of good info and people on this site to use to your advantage just try not to keep asking the same questions a million other people have already asked like "how do i germinate a seed" do a bit of research and when searching go right to the advanced search instead of using the quick search as it yeilds better results.
Happy growing,
RMTB
2 small matching plates, fold a paper towel in 1/2 twice (2 folds) dampen paper towel (to make it easier to work with) put seeds in middle and then soak the paper towel, place second plate on top put in a warm spot and within 48 hours you should have some tap roots coming out. i have had a couple seeds take longer than 48 hours but the average is about 24-36 hours. i generally let them sit in the paper towel for ran additional 24 hours after i first see a root, then just take a pen, poke a small hole in the medium and place the seed in the hole and moisten the soil.
the biggest thing is to "moisten" the soail not saturate it, and after you moisten it you shouldnt have to add any water for a while (unless you have some really hot/dry conditions that small seedling will never use all that water) at least 2-4 days you want the soil to dry out a bit so the root has to "search" for water towards the bottom of the container
biggest thing that kills small sprouts/seedlings is death by drowning, either you cause a situation called "damping off" or you just straight up drown them either way dont over water them, they only need the bottom 1/2 of the soil to be moist so its ok if the top layer gets a bit dried out.
good luck, plant more than one if your using reg seeds (i suggest at least 4) so your not setting yourself up to get let down after 4-5 weeks of growing a plant to find out its a male. if your inside get some decent lights, CFL's are a bit "cheaper" (not really but you can buy a couple at a time so the up front cost is spread out) than a HID light. inadaquet lighting will also set you up for a let down as you will grow a plant for 12 weeks (minimum maybe more) just to get a gram of 1/2 way smokeable herbs
lots of good info and people on this site to use to your advantage just try not to keep asking the same questions a million other people have already asked like "how do i germinate a seed" do a bit of research and when searching go right to the advanced search instead of using the quick search as it yeilds better results.
Happy growing,
RMTB
halfloaf
Active Member
Why ask for help when give said help you just go fukit.Interesting... I just noticed that one of my darker seed has a little "white root" coming out of it. Its really small but I think I will plant it. I just want a small plant with bud on it.
As for having a small plant with bud unless you understand LST your plant will grow as big as it can.
What are you growing under hps/led what medium are you growing in what nutes are your seeds fem or reg are you growing in a tent or a DIY setup?
jestermite
Well-Known Member
I had always used the paper towel method with great results. This last time I stuck all 5 of my new subcool seeds into peat plugs instead thinking 'what's the difference?'. Not one came up. I don't have a clue as to why they failed but here it is: I'll never go away from the paper towel method again. Don't eff with perfection. Especially with seeds of high value.
Vindicated
Well-Known Member
I like directly sowing in dirt myself, but I do usually soak for 5-10 min max. The problem with soaking for to long is that sometimes it kills the seeds by causing it to rot. Another thing you can do right after a soaking is to dip them in your [FONT=arial, sans-serif]mycorrhizal inoculant (e.g. Great White).
The main benefit of the paper towel method is that you can more easily test the germination rate. Say for example your breeding your own strains and want to check the viability of your seeds. Count 100 seeds and germinate them using a moist paper towel. After 48 hour, see how many are viable and that's your germ rate. For those just growing 5-10 seeds, it doesn't offer any real advantages. [/FONT]
The main benefit of the paper towel method is that you can more easily test the germination rate. Say for example your breeding your own strains and want to check the viability of your seeds. Count 100 seeds and germinate them using a moist paper towel. After 48 hour, see how many are viable and that's your germ rate. For those just growing 5-10 seeds, it doesn't offer any real advantages. [/FONT]
thehole
New Member
I always germinate my seeds using the paper towel method before putting them in soil. I'm at 100% success rate out of about 60 seeds.
It takes the same amount of time either way. If you germinate outside soil it takes about 30 hours or more, then once you plant it in soil it takes about 2 days to show above soil. If you just put seed in soil without germinating, if seed successfully germinates, it will take about the same amount of time, maybe a bit longer, to show itself above soil.
It takes the same amount of time either way. If you germinate outside soil it takes about 30 hours or more, then once you plant it in soil it takes about 2 days to show above soil. If you just put seed in soil without germinating, if seed successfully germinates, it will take about the same amount of time, maybe a bit longer, to show itself above soil.
Laney
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the warning, lol - I was thinking of trying something different but I'll just stick with it.
hotrodharley
Well-Known Member
Poke a hole in dirt up to the middle joint of your finger. Drop the seed in it. Cover it up. Water it. Roll a fattie and relax. Keep reading and asking questions. The plant will not outrun you.
thehole
New Member
You can see in these pics how I do it.
Regular heavy plates with saran wrap and foil to help keep in moisture and help keep out light. Wet but don't soak paper towels, close em up and set on heating pad. I usually get em to break between 24-36 hours, have never had one go past 48 hours.
Regular heavy plates with saran wrap and foil to help keep in moisture and help keep out light. Wet but don't soak paper towels, close em up and set on heating pad. I usually get em to break between 24-36 hours, have never had one go past 48 hours.
missnu
Well-Known Member
Interesting... I just noticed that one of my darker seed has a little "white root" coming out of it. Its really small but I think I will plant it. I just want a small plant with bud on it.
Ok for real, the size of the seed, and the size of the sprout are no indication of the size the plant will be...listen to what you are saying...or rather read back what you are typing.
MoReJew-ce
Member
When I hear peat and seedlings or seeds dying, I immediately think ph. Most peat mixes I've tested (using a cup with drainage and catching runoff to test) end up with an acidic ph. Usually I stick with specific "light" soils or "seed starter" types to avoid this. It's much easier to take a neutral medium and add a very light recommended dose of ferts than to change existing medium problems. Personally tho, I'd avoid anything peat heavy for starters. That's just my opinion from recently testing.
UncleBuck
Well-Known Member
what @GreatwhiteNorth said.
soak that seed for about a half day or a day, then just drop it into the soil like @hotrodharley says.
i do one more thing when planting seeds, i tap on the seed in the shotglass after about a day. if it sinks, good. if it doesn't, i tap on it again 12 hours later. if it still doesn't, sink, i plant it anyway.
soak that seed for about a half day or a day, then just drop it into the soil like @hotrodharley says.
i do one more thing when planting seeds, i tap on the seed in the shotglass after about a day. if it sinks, good. if it doesn't, i tap on it again 12 hours later. if it still doesn't, sink, i plant it anyway.