Best way to germinate seeds
- Thread starter MDVL
- Start date
I prefer the paper towel method, but other people will swear by their method. It's more about personal preference. ;-)
I agree with Ms. Fox
CantCHowHighI
New Member
put a wet wash rag on a plate and keep it wet . paper towel works as well but wash rag is less likely to break up when wet. put the seeds on it and fold in in to a square so the seeds r covered keep it wet and in a darker spot. they should sprou within 3 to 7 days . DO NOT get over excited to plant in soil. let the seeds germinate untill the white root is 1 to 3 inches long . gl
RooRman
Well-Known Member
- Thread starter
- #6
dfw-guy
New Member
I'm very new at this but here's my input. I tried the papertowel method the first try, and after 10 days nothing had happened. Maybe I did it wrong I don't know that was just my experience. I tried two more seeds but this time I soaked them in a cup of water with a 1/4 tsp 3% hydrogen peroxide. Covered and let standing for 24 hours. The I planted them in the soil, little notch end up and had 2 successful germination's within 18 hours.
oregon crone
New Member
I don't use the paper towel method, and this is my reasoning; a tiny seed has a finite amount of energy available to it until photosynthesis can take place. If we are concerned about transplant shock in plants then why should a seed be subjected to TWO entirely different growing conditions before it has leaves?
When I want to start a seed, I wash my hands before handling it. I soak the seed for a few minutes to a couple of hours in lukewarm water, prepare the soil, and drop the seed in a 1/4" or less hole in the middle of the medium. Cover gently, put pot under a dome or a baggie, and leave it alone no poking, peeking, stirring, digging...a baby is trying to grow! Rapt inattention works best, IME. You want to be sure the "nursery" doesn't dry out, but other than that, hands off is the name of the game.
Seeds are magical!
When I want to start a seed, I wash my hands before handling it. I soak the seed for a few minutes to a couple of hours in lukewarm water, prepare the soil, and drop the seed in a 1/4" or less hole in the middle of the medium. Cover gently, put pot under a dome or a baggie, and leave it alone no poking, peeking, stirring, digging...a baby is trying to grow! Rapt inattention works best, IME. You want to be sure the "nursery" doesn't dry out, but other than that, hands off is the name of the game.
Seeds are magical!
Steve McStoferson
New Member
I use the paper towel method. I take a small tupperware container, fold up a paper towel, soak it with warm water, put the seeds between the towel folds and rest the lid on the container. Then i put it in a dark area at room temps and wait a day. Usually within 24 hours the seeds have cracked and are starting to show a root. I have tried planting when the root is 3/4" or barely showing and each method has given me 100% success.
Once dropped in the soil, they go under my t5 and I spray the top of the soil with plain water daily for moisture, and wait until they pop their heads up. They normally are above ground in 2-3 days after they are planted.
Once dropped in the soil, they go under my t5 and I spray the top of the soil with plain water daily for moisture, and wait until they pop their heads up. They normally are above ground in 2-3 days after they are planted.
I soak until it sinks then into a paper towel placed on my DVR for warmth.
Dutch Passion Brainstorm seed soaked 12hrs in water & seaweed mix until it sank, cracked after 10hrs in the papertowel soaked with the same water & seaweed mix. I don't wait for a long tap root becaue I am afraid of damaging it, the seed goes into a rapid rooter as soon as it shows a tail.
44hrs after cracking open
Dutch Passion Brainstorm seed soaked 12hrs in water & seaweed mix until it sank, cracked after 10hrs in the papertowel soaked with the same water & seaweed mix. I don't wait for a long tap root becaue I am afraid of damaging it, the seed goes into a rapid rooter as soon as it shows a tail.
44hrs after cracking open
Batcave..
can you show me a picture that is not so zooomed of your cup and the rapid rooter?
Better yet, can you please tell me what you do after putting it in the rapid rooter?
How do you take care of it?
I ask, because I am 100% sucessful with clones right now...but shooting around 1 for 4 with seeds.
I like your setup and could use some help.
Much appreciated.
can you show me a picture that is not so zooomed of your cup and the rapid rooter?
Better yet, can you please tell me what you do after putting it in the rapid rooter?
How do you take care of it?
I ask, because I am 100% sucessful with clones right now...but shooting around 1 for 4 with seeds.
I like your setup and could use some help.
Much appreciated.
budtheory, no problem.
The cup is just a small sauce bowl that you can get at wal-mart for $50 each, also use them to soak my seeds. I fill the sauce cup halfway full of my water & seaweed mix, I soak the seed in the cup until it sinks, remove the seed and place my rapid rooter into the cup and let it soak up the orginal water & seaweed mix, place my seed in a moistened papertowel until it cracks, then I just place the seed tap root down into the rooter and place it under a T-5 for a few days of 24/0 until it sprouts, once it sprouts and I can see roots coming from the rapid rooter I place the rooter in my Fox Farm mix and it goes under LED's for 20/4 schedule of veg. I place some clear plastic containers ($2.00 for 6 of them at wal-mart) over the cup until it sprouts, same as I do with my clones in the same sauce bowls. Once into my Foxfarm mix I just water when dry, up pot into the same foxfarm mix after about 3 weeks.
The brainstorm is already on its way so it has been placed in a seedling container, you can see in this photo I use the same cups for cloning since I only take a 2 or 3 clones at a time. I ran out of rooters so the new NL clones I just cut went into rockwool, works almost the same as the rooters
The cup is just a small sauce bowl that you can get at wal-mart for $50 each, also use them to soak my seeds. I fill the sauce cup halfway full of my water & seaweed mix, I soak the seed in the cup until it sinks, remove the seed and place my rapid rooter into the cup and let it soak up the orginal water & seaweed mix, place my seed in a moistened papertowel until it cracks, then I just place the seed tap root down into the rooter and place it under a T-5 for a few days of 24/0 until it sprouts, once it sprouts and I can see roots coming from the rapid rooter I place the rooter in my Fox Farm mix and it goes under LED's for 20/4 schedule of veg. I place some clear plastic containers ($2.00 for 6 of them at wal-mart) over the cup until it sprouts, same as I do with my clones in the same sauce bowls. Once into my Foxfarm mix I just water when dry, up pot into the same foxfarm mix after about 3 weeks.
The brainstorm is already on its way so it has been placed in a seedling container, you can see in this photo I use the same cups for cloning since I only take a 2 or 3 clones at a time. I ran out of rooters so the new NL clones I just cut went into rockwool, works almost the same as the rooters
I use the papertowel methode and it works everytime. In max 4 days great white roots. I dont use water but medicinal distillated water and I keep the towels dry all the time.
That is suppose to be $.50ea
