germinating...

I had a few questions about germinating. I know everyone has their own way of choosing which is best, but i was just looking for a little feedback before i start. I, at first, was thinking of germinating straight into the soil i will be using, which will be fox farm ocean forest, then i saw all the other ways of germinating, i.e.... paper towel, soaking in water for 24hrs, etc... If i decided to do it that way, would it be better to soak for 24 hrs, then put in paper towel until sprouting and then straight into a rapid rooter or could i just put into straight up foxfarm ocean forest in a 3 gallon pot.?. the reason i say putting it straight in my FFOF is to just try to minimize the "shocking" of a transplant... any feedback or ideas would be greatly appreciated... thanks in advance.!!!!!.

I used the paper towel method all seeds germinated within 24 hours! I took 6Ph water wetted paper towel, placed seeds in there folded em up. Then placed in ziplock bag, and put it in a tiny card board box (air pump box LOL). I sat it on my water heater for slight heat for humidity (you can use anything cable box, tv etc). Next day they were popped.. amazing. First time growing too.. so maybe lucky but I will use this method again for sure. After then sprouted just carefully tucked in the rapid rooters till I seen a root out the bottom, then off to the net pots. I did use a plastic humidity dome while they were in the root plugs.

i have soaked them in water for a day before putting them in the paper towels, and i have also just used the paper towel method without soaking, and both worked good..
you can also always skip the paper towel and germ straight into your pots, no harm no foul..
there really isn't much shock going on with seeds imho..
i would just pick whichever method seems to make the most sense to you and whatever your most comfortable with..

Here's what I do. Soak in a shot glass, should take way less than 24 hrs to crack. Once I see the tiniest tap root start to peek out, i transfer to a peat pellet, or a rapid rooter in your case. Then transfer to soil when you see roots start to peek out. I don't experience any shock. just keeps right on growin.

I plant the seeds in seed starting soil and water..... <GASP> Guess what? Mother nature knows how to handle it.

Serapis said:

I plant the seeds in seed starting soil and water..... <GASP> Guess what? Mother nature knows how to handle it.

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Wow that probably was hard putting a seed in a seed...

thanks everybody for the responses. What kinda light did you put on em right after you transplanted? i got a 400 watt mh/hps light that i plan on running on em for 18/6 to start

r1tony said:

Wow that probably was hard putting a seed in a seed...

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LOL, read it again.... you be missin da meanin...

I've done all those techniques, except for the rapid rooters, and found that the paper towel wetted an drained was the best method.

Serapis said:

LOL, read it again.... you be missin da meanin...

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Ahh... damn toking and posting don't mix.. carry on! LOL!

I'm about to start my first grow from seed, and i was wondering how long they're good on just water i.e. when do you start giving 'em nutes and how much? Also, I know you want darkness for germ. Do you turn on the lights as soon as you've moved the popped seeds into cubes? on what schedule, 18/6?

DrThrill said:

I'm about to start my first grow from seed, and i was wondering how long they're good on just water i.e. when do you start giving 'em nutes and how much? Also, I know you want darkness for germ. Do you turn on the lights as soon as you've moved the popped seeds into cubes? on what schedule, 18/6?

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Just Ph adjusted water for first week or two, then 1/4 dosage per your nute directions is what I did after that. I had light on 18/6 about 2-3 inches above root plug (CFL 6500K).

Best lesson's are the ones learned,