Best way to use rapid rooters

[siggy]

I had poor germination with my first try of rapid rooters. After a week of no sprouting, I cut them open and each seed had cracked open and a tiny (1 mm) white root was showing. A couple days later they were exactly the same, with no further growth. Not sure if the problem is heat, too much moisture, planting too deep in the rapid rooter, etc.

I had each rooter sitting in a cm of water, in an icecube tray. The tray was in a room that was 76 degrees F. I probably pushed the seed to deep into the rooter; each was about a cm deep, not visible from the top. I watered them each day from the top, so that the rooters were saturated with water. I realize I did something wrong.... too wet? At this point I have taken each seed, with the tiny root showing, and put them into soil... but I'm not optimistic given that it has been over a week and there is little sign of activity. Any advice would be appreciated- I have a few more seeds, and I'm trying to decide whether to try the rapid rooters again or go to a different method. I have a growth in another room that started in happy frog potting soil, but I only had 2/5 germinate in that group.

[tvbfe]

I have great germination rate using the paper towel method.

[Cannabliss]

As far as your rapid rooters for germinating seeds goes, I think you over-watered them. I too had very poor germination rates using those things years ago. I stopped using them altogether. They may work well for clones or something like that, but I personally don't recommend them for germinating seeds. I do however, just like tvbfe suggested above, highly recommend the paper towel method as well. Once they germinate in the paper towel method and have a nice little root going, then you can gently place them into a rapid rooter if you still wish to use them... just don't over-water them again lol.

[alltatup]

siggy Yeah prolly too much water and I'd say not enough warmth. I have a great success rate with Root Riots (same as rapid rs, just different company) using a germination tray on a heating pad. Keep the thing MOIST, not soaked. I put the germ. pad around 85 degrees. I go check on them various times a day to make sure they have the right moisture and heat.

[abadtrip]

Like tat said warmth I killed 6 seeds my first grow in the same way this grow i got a propergator with the heat pad. I soked my rr in tap water 6.2ph 5 ppm. The squeeze out most of the water just drop the seeds in and cover the hole with a little part of the rr I tear off a corner. The in about 24 hr I have sprouts. I kept them in the propergator for 5 days till they had a good set of leaves and I wanted the stalk to streatch. I also add a little water to the bottom for humidity.

[Sheesh]

I've used rapid rooters once and they worked well. My method was very similar to abadtrip except I used the RRs upside down so they sit flat on my propagator without a tray. With this method, you need to make your own hole in the RR and cover the hole to prevent light from getting in. Soak in PH'd water for about 2 hours. I shake them a few times to get the excess water off. Then in the propagator on a heating mat for a couple of days. I moved them into their final 5 gallon container after about 3-4 days in the propagator.

[oldjarhead100]

all good methods above how ever you germinate works ,I have started to slice my RR so they open like a book then lay the sprouted seed in them close them up and put in tray.I pre moisten my RR with voodoo juice very weak and will only add water (like a teaspoon at a time ,if the RR show signs of drying out)

[siggy]

I just bought the RR plugs, without a tray- and I was under the impression that they were supposed to sit in a pool of water. So I had them about 1 cm deep in water the entire time. When I would touch the rooters they were like a water-filled sponge. By the end of the week they were swollen to twice their original size... so I assume that was the problem.

I have more seeds coming, but I was looking forward to trying white widow. Maybe I'll do 3 with the RR's and 3 with paper towel this next time. I actually used to germinate cannabis seeds using paper towel in the 1970s, back when we never had a shortage of seeds! One $25 ounce usually had about 50 seeds per bag... the bench seats of all our parents' cars had the burn holes from those things going off like popcorn!

[alltatup]

Summer of 2016, when I started my first grow: I can't tell you how many seeds I killed before I got two germinated. You will definitely get a feel for it after a while.

[GreenDragonRon]

I've never had a problem with Rapid Rooters; I soak my seeds for 24 hours, stick them pointy side down into the Rapid Rooter, cover the hole with a piece of Rapid Rooter and plant in the final fabric pot. I cover the Rapid Rooter with a delicup and stick the fabric pot into my grow tent. Sprout is usually out in 36 to 48 hours.

[D.A.A.S.69]

Yeah siggy, that's what you were doing wrong, drowning them. I just keep the RR, damp an in a warm place. Yeah I remember them asking what are all the little holes in the seats.

[Zativa]

Unfortunately I had a hard lesson on this topic not long ago. Tried to start some 'Lambsbread' seeds and watched the first six sprout, then drown in Jiffy pellets because I watered them when they looked/felt a bit dry. There is a section in the forums about growing difficult Sativas which is relevant here. Once you get them past a few inches tall, they turn into very hardy small trees. But getting them that far can be an exercise in frustration (and also expensive at $8-10 per seed). Second try succeeded, but still lost a few.

I had better luck with larger GroDon cubes which don't hold water so aggressively. Plant the seeds just under the top surface (which dries quickly), and add water with a dropper rather than by pouring it on. The difference between moist, damp, and wet is very hard to judge. Also a heating pad definitely seemed to help on that second try.

RapidRooters are designed to be used with their plastic pots, which are exactly the right size. If you buy one, you probably need the other.

[Aloner]

5 out of 5 popped for me in Jiffy pellets in a covered tray on a heat mat; all still going strong. Could be first-timer's luck, though.

[alltatup]

Aloner well that's proof right there that they work for germination. I could have imagined that I read that, I might have been high... Not luck; skill.

[Aloner]

Lol skill, she says

[D.A.A.S.69]

Never used the trays either ,I just keep them damp and in a warm,dark place .Real easy.

[siggy]

Just to finish the story, got 10 more seeds. Used a collection of information and ended up with all 10 germinating. Used the 'paper towel method' with a little warmth, and 8/10 sprouted within 24 hours, and the other two a couple days later. The next day the roots grew very fast-- some almost a centimeter in 24 hours! Put them in rooters, in a humid chamber at about 80 degrees F, then when the they seemed to want some light I put them in the tent. I still have a hard time holding back with the water, afraid I'll open the flap in the morning to see them all dried up... but I'm trying to let at least the surface get dry.

Then so my surprise, two of the 'dead' white widows-- planted too deep, about 2-3 cm down, popped up among the new ones. I have five, 5-gallon fabric pots with two seeds per bag- now with 3 seeds in a couple of those bags. The widows took over 3 weeks to show their heads after their near-drowning-- a good lesson about patience!

Thanks again for the help!

[abadtrip]

Congrats it's a nice felling not to kill your babys. I hope your grow goes well.

[Aloner]

Nothing succeeds like success!

[alltatup]

Ya never know what those little seeds are gonna do! That's great news.