Germinating seeds

[kingfish]

I have been around here for a while and can grow some pretty good weed. BUT, I have always had a hell of a time germinating. Can you guys tell me what method works best for you. I have tried to follow Nebula's way, but I keep fucking it up. I eventually get some to grow but not consistently. Somebody enlighten me PLEASE.

[AGH]

Germinating seeds is where I am always the most nervous even though in the last couple years, I have a 100% success rate so you're not alone!

I just put the seeds in a glass of room temp water and in about 24-36 hours, the seeds generally pop and the tiniest of taproots starts to emerge. I then put them in rapid rooters and then we're off to the races!

There's been a couple of times where the seeds don't pop in the glass of water. If they still haven't opened up after 24-36 hours, I get a paper towel nice and moist, put it on a plate and fold the seeds in that then put another plate on top. Within 24 hours, taproots pop out and in to the rapid rooters they go.

I will say that keeping the temperatures warm seems to make a very big difference. I noticed that if the glass of water stays in a cooler room, they don't pop as fast compared to when I put them between moist paper towels between plates in a warm room, they make quick work of it. Which makes sense...the reason cannabis seeds wake up is because in nature, the soil becomes moist and the temperatures warm up. So the goal really is to re-create those conditions to signal to the seed that it's time to get to work!

Good luck!

[Ckbrew]

I put them in water, room temp, dark for 24 hours then place in moist coco/perlite, about .5 inch deep in a solo cup. Keep moist, warm at room temp and in sunlight. Holes in bottom of cups so the excess water can drain off. One seed, one cup, so I know if it comes up or not. I have gone to this method over paper towel method because there have been many times when transferring from paper to coco that the tap root gets damaged. Once that happens, it rarely survives. Having fresh beans helps also.

[Sixwinds]

I recently wrote down my process which works the majority of the time.

The key for me was to think about what a seed in the wild would want to grow and simulate that environment. Tricking the seed into thinking its under a loose layer of soil in a warm moist environment.

Gear - Ziplock bag, coffee filter, seed, spray bottle, water, PH +/-, PH tester, sharpie, tent (lights fan ect), heat mat (MOST IMPORTANT), temp controller, cotton towel.

Process -

Wash your hands really good!
Write strain and date on the outside of the ziplock bag.
Balance the PH of the water in the spray bottle to somewhere between 6.0 and 6.5.
Spray the inside of the ziplock bag with water.
Open the coffee filter (cut to shape if needed) and place the seed in the middle.
Close the filter and spray the filter to wet it.
Put the filter in the bag and spray the shit out of it some more. Note - you do want to drain excess water from the bag, it should not be soaking wet.

Place the towel on the heating mat inside the tent and under the light.
Set the temp controller to 81 F with a heating differential of 2 degrees.
Place the ziplock bag with the filter/seed on top of the towel.
Make sure the ziplock bag is open and not sealed, the seed needs to breathe.
Fold the towel over the top of the bag, blocking the majority of the light.
Place the temp probe under the bag, but above the towel.

Set light to 18/6.
Keep the bag moist, but not soaking for the next few days.
Open the bag, spray it with water, then drain excess and place the bag back. This should be done every few hours to let in fresh air.
If possible run a humidifier or two in the tent.
The goal is to keep the seed and environment very moist.

After a day or two the seed will pop and the white tail will start growing.
Once you are comfortable with the progress move it into a small container.

Ckbrew - coffee filters wont tear the taproot like paper towels do!

[Bluey]

I use the paper towel method.

I put about 6 layers of soaked but not puddling paper towel on a plate. I then put my seeds on the paper towel. Then another 6 layers of nice thick soaked paper towel over the top. Then a matching plate on top to keep out the light and keep in the moisture.

I only ever use soft water. I keep this in a dark place at around 21⁰C and I don't disturb them for 4 or 5 days.

This method has given me the highest success rates of a number of methods and I've trialled it side by side with a few methods...

[DW2]

I use the paper towel method, but I use pH'ed water at 5.0 for the wash and to wet the paper towels.

[SoOrbudgal]

[SoOrbudgal]

Well i don't leave them in the towel for long usually by 36hrs it's cracked an has a tiny tail. I check them often

[SoOrbudgal]

I'm going overboard this summer grow outdoors i just don't want to run out so early and i'm getting down to the bottom of my jars. Today i started 4 more auto flowers in the paper towel. 2 sweet tooth auto ( old barneys farm seed ) and 1 grape auto and 1 runtz auto.

[9fingerleafs]

I use to have issues with some seeds until I started to do the "float technology" method. Pretty flashy name for a simple thing. When you put into water to soak. Just let the seed float at the surface. Don't disturb or swirl the water. You don't want it to sink to the bottom. Just let it float until you see the tap root growing out and then you can place in wet paper towel or into a moist medium.

The reasoning is that sometimes being at the bottom of the glass there is no oxygen so bacteria and mold start to grow. So when the seed finally opens it's already colonized. Floating makes sure that there's some air available to the root as it grows as well as water to drink. Best of both worlds

[Smallgrow]

I have tried a few ways , but have settled back on the paper towel method. Then once the tap root it 3/4” or so into growing medium.
Pretty much all the seed banks I have used insist on this method if you want their “germination guarantee”. This suggests to me its the most reliable, you do have to be extremely careful not to damage the tap root

https://www.cropkingseeds.com/germination-marijuana-seeds/

Obviously quality seeds are a must for high germination rates

[kingfish]

From reading you guys suggestion, I feel that I'm not the only one who loses seeds periodically. I'm going to try burying them directly in the dirt. It's funny how many ways there is to germinate. Thanks for all your suggestions. I'll keep fighting.

[bboyfromwayback]

I don’t like GWE’s method to start a seed. It’s harmful

I drop my seed into a small amount of water, soak it 24hrs then pour it right into a hole 1 knuckle deep. Lightly cover, mist the soil and cover with a bag until you get a sprout

Once it’s dropped into the water I never touch it again. Screw ruining a good seed having your taproot struck to a paper towel

[Bluey]

I've done hundreds in paper towel. Never had one grow into the paper towel. Use thick tight paper towel, no problem. Never seen or used an open weave paper towel. That could be problematic

[bboyfromwayback]

There’s no need for any type of paper towel

[90Gizmo]

I read and do turn the paper towel over so the seed is on the bottom. Tap root grows down so never into the paper towel. It happens automatically as long as the towel isn't too wet, a little pocket of air forms from the bump of the seed so it never drown either.

[LemonBud]

Make sure you have bleach free paper towels. Good Luck

[Fjeff]

the last 3 grows i have gone from the refrigerator to the soil. 100% so far.

[PRIMO]

Only once have I had a taproot grab a hold on the paper, I just cut a 1/2 in. square in the towel and threw it in the hole with the seed. Grew like a weed. I've seen em grow thru a crack inna concrete slab, so a bit of tissue isn't gonna slow em down.

[SoOrbudgal]

Ya know PRIMO this maybe nothing new to some folks but it was to me about attaching seed to papertowels and planting. I saw and read about veggie seeds being put on wet paper towel strips and laid onto the row to be planted. They fold cheap single layer keeps the seed in place and spaced out correctly. I used it for my carrots this year and it works. The towel deteriorates really quickly.

[MaxR]

I’ve tried different methods and the one that works best by a long shot for me is the one recommended in this scientific research paper.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33732764/

TL;DR:
Soak in solution of 1% Hydrogen Peroxide. (You can mix 1 part of 3% Hydrogen Peroxide (aka H2O2) from the drug store with 2 parts water.) It’s like the ‘soak in water’ method but faster. And bubblier!

it’s brilliant because the Hydrogen Peroxide makes the shell softer while providing the seed with Oxygen and minimizing contamination. Also, it’s great for old seeds.

The above links to an abstract of the paper
but if you dig around the internet you can find the entire article, which is pretty cool and gives
more detailed instructions.

[iwanttoknow]

The method that has worked best for me is putting the seed directly in soil. I use small peat cups filled with happy frog soil. I make sure the soil is damp/moist, poke a hole with my finger and drop in the seed. Place the peat cups in a starter tray with a lid. Heat mat is under the starter tray.
Every time I have tried the paper towel method there were problems with the paper towel drying out or if the seeds sprouted I would somehow damage the tap root .