When it comes to germinating, I RARELY follow the directions from my seed supplies. Yes, a lot of their stuff is spot on, but when it comes to germinating, I find their directions are for those who have nothing but time to sit and monitor their seeds. This is my method, and I've have 100% success rate since I started (I use soil and this is my method, you may have to adjust for DWC). This isn't the only way, but I've found it works GREAT for me. Take it or leave it...it's all about having fun and trying new things:
1) Soak your seeds in water for NO MORE than 24 hours. Keep the water warm with a heating pad underneath (low setting, you don't want to boil them). Keep the glass covered in plastic wrap to prevent evaporation.
2) After soaking, most of the seeds with have sunk (this is a good thing)
3) Grab two pieces of super absorbant paper towel. lay them one on top of the other.
4) Dump the water onto the paper towel. The water should be saturated, but not dripping (takes a little bit to figure out the perfect amount)
5) Place your seeds on one half of the paper towel.
6) Fold the paper towel in half to cover the seeds
7) Place paper towel/seeds into Ziploc bag.
8) Breathe into the bag, puff it out (don't worry, there's enough oxygen in there to keep them happy)
9) Place Ziploc bag on heating pad to keep your seeds warm (not too warm, we don't want them to fry) and cover the seeds on a thick towel (to keep the light out, they're like mini-vampires)
10) Within 24-48 hours, the tap roots will start to sprout. When they do, pay attention to them...the little bastards start growing like weeds...ironic right? If you notice the paper towel is drying out around the edges, spray it with some water. Every once in a while, there may be a leak where some moisture escapes (it's sneaky like that), which cause the bag to deflate. Don't worry, you can always fill it up by breathing into it again...Ah, the breath of life!!!
11) When the tap root is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inches long, it's time to plant the seeds (they look like super-magnified sperms now...gross) into your medium
12) If planting in soil, make a hole about 1/2 inch into soil (make sure it's moist but not soaking wet, you don't want to drown the little guys).
13) cover the seedlings with a bit of soil, not too much, since a lot of energy is used in growing. If there's too much soil, there won't be enough energy for the seedlings to break through the soil...work smart not hard. Give the soil a light misting to moisten the surface.
14) Place the seedlings in a humidity dome. not much need for light right now since the seed are buried. But keep them warm (if they're warm, they will grow...it's like a weird "field of dreams" thing)
15) Within a day or two, your seedlings will start to sprout. Keep them warm, put some light on them, and keep them moist
16) And there we go, after that, it's all up to you. Proper light, proper heat, proper humidity. The right ratio of everything comes with time and experience.
17) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO YOU START GIVING ANY NUTRIENTS FOR THE FIRST WHILE. WAIT UNTIL THE 2ND SET OF SERRATED LEAVES START FORMING. When you do start, give the nutes at 1/4 to 1/2 strength. New seedlings burn super bad and super easily.
1) Soak your seeds in water for NO MORE than 24 hours. Keep the water warm with a heating pad underneath (low setting, you don't want to boil them). Keep the glass covered in plastic wrap to prevent evaporation.
2) After soaking, most of the seeds with have sunk (this is a good thing)
3) Grab two pieces of super absorbant paper towel. lay them one on top of the other.
4) Dump the water onto the paper towel. The water should be saturated, but not dripping (takes a little bit to figure out the perfect amount)
5) Place your seeds on one half of the paper towel.
6) Fold the paper towel in half to cover the seeds
7) Place paper towel/seeds into Ziploc bag.
8) Breathe into the bag, puff it out (don't worry, there's enough oxygen in there to keep them happy)
9) Place Ziploc bag on heating pad to keep your seeds warm (not too warm, we don't want them to fry) and cover the seeds on a thick towel (to keep the light out, they're like mini-vampires)
10) Within 24-48 hours, the tap roots will start to sprout. When they do, pay attention to them...the little bastards start growing like weeds...ironic right? If you notice the paper towel is drying out around the edges, spray it with some water. Every once in a while, there may be a leak where some moisture escapes (it's sneaky like that), which cause the bag to deflate. Don't worry, you can always fill it up by breathing into it again...Ah, the breath of life!!!
11) When the tap root is about 1/2 inch to 3/4 inches long, it's time to plant the seeds (they look like super-magnified sperms now...gross) into your medium
12) If planting in soil, make a hole about 1/2 inch into soil (make sure it's moist but not soaking wet, you don't want to drown the little guys).
13) cover the seedlings with a bit of soil, not too much, since a lot of energy is used in growing. If there's too much soil, there won't be enough energy for the seedlings to break through the soil...work smart not hard. Give the soil a light misting to moisten the surface.
14) Place the seedlings in a humidity dome. not much need for light right now since the seed are buried. But keep them warm (if they're warm, they will grow...it's like a weird "field of dreams" thing)
15) Within a day or two, your seedlings will start to sprout. Keep them warm, put some light on them, and keep them moist
16) And there we go, after that, it's all up to you. Proper light, proper heat, proper humidity. The right ratio of everything comes with time and experience.
17) UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES DO YOU START GIVING ANY NUTRIENTS FOR THE FIRST WHILE. WAIT UNTIL THE 2ND SET OF SERRATED LEAVES START FORMING. When you do start, give the nutes at 1/4 to 1/2 strength. New seedlings burn super bad and super easily.
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