I planted 2 seeds about 5 days ago. I floated them in water for 2 days and they had half inch tales. Planted them 5 days ago. One sprouted about 2 days later and is currently doing good. the other hasn't. I want to dig in there and see what happened but I don't want to disturb it if it still could sprout. How much longer should I wait to investigate?
How many days till a seed is considered not going to sprout?
- Thread starter jokerlola
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Morda Grown
Well-Known Member
I would give it a couple more days, up to 5 days is about the right amount of time. After 7 I would just call it a dud. You may have broke the tap root, it happens.
Prolly a dud .... need to wash hands and keep things really clean when dealing with tap roots and seedlings.
I'd very gently scrape away some of the top soil and just see if there's a little swan neck lurking there
It could have just been planted a little deeper than the other, you'll find out either way
I plant seeds as soon as they've cracked and a root is peeping out to ensure there can be no damage to the tap root, landing upside down, getting crushed etc
It could have just been planted a little deeper than the other, you'll find out either way
I plant seeds as soon as they've cracked and a root is peeping out to ensure there can be no damage to the tap root, landing upside down, getting crushed etc
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- #5
I let the seeds soak (float) in water a day longer than I intended so the tap root was about a half inch long. I planted it so that the top of the seed was about 1/4th inch from soil surface and was careful to cover it over gently with a bamboo skewer. The seeds both cracked open at the same time and grew the same sized tap root. Maybe the soil was just a little wetter in this seed cup and it damped out? I will dig it up a little and see what happened.
Ghostwriter31
Well-Known Member
You can gently disturb top of soil to see if tap root is developing. Don’t dig to deep. I’d give it another 2 days , make sure it wet but not drowned
Diatomacious
Well-Known Member
As a general rule of thumb I usually wait 2 weeks after dropping a seed in the soil. I never pre-soak or paper towel anything though, just drop the seed about 1/4 - 1/2 inch below the soil surface and cover and keep moist not wet. Your soil could have been a little too hot for the seedling and burnt the root off so you may want to invest in a seed starter mix (just guessing).
Sativa1970
Well-Known Member
If it isn't hurting anything leave it be. I have given up on many seeds after a week and everyone else had popped up. Just left the seed pot sit to have it emerge a week latter.
Diatomacious
Well-Known Member
Sometimes older seeds can take longer than a week. I've seen them pop up after close to 2 so why I wait.
Morda Grown
Well-Known Member
I could understand waiting if it were a seed I bought. Nothing worse than paying for a seed that don't sprout. Either way I would be starting a new seed after a few days.
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- #11
Diatomacious
Well-Known Member
Your soil was too hot and burnt the root up is why you didn't find it. (hypothesis)
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- #13
The soil is a seed starting mix of mostly peat moss and perlite made by Sun Gro. It has no fertilizer in it. The other seed I popped grew fine and is still growing.
Diatomacious
Well-Known Member
Should be good to go then. You could simply put the seeds in the soil and water. Presoaking and towel method introduce human error factors.
Morda Grown
Well-Known Member
I use the towel method. Just works best for me. I only had 1 issue where as I dropped it in the soil it flipped over. The root started popping up out of the dirt. ( think I have pic) If I find the pic I'll post it. When crap happens you just need to move to the next. It, on average, takes 2 days to sprout, 2 more days to break ground. I like knowing that seed is viable. Have had a few not sprout In towel in 5-7 days and just toss it and start a new.
Edit: Nope no pic... dang it.
Edit: Nope no pic... dang it.
Diatomacious
Well-Known Member
Everybody's different... just have to use the method that works best for you. If you do drop right in the soil it usually takes a week... healthy seed 3 days... unhealthy seed 2 weeks.
I know what you are describing... if you drop right in the soil the root will naturally grow down. Just makes it easy for me not having to babysit a seed.
Morda Grown
Well-Known Member
Why waste time with an unhealthy seed? Just say-en 
I used to just drop seeds in soil, but now, I just like to see that healthy root before it goes into soil. Take tweezers grab the hull and plant. I had not ever seen one start growing upside down. I'm thinking I planted it sallow and it was growing up to hook down. I flipped it over but it did not grow. It is my opinion the it air pruned the main root and it was done.
I used to just drop seeds in soil, but now, I just like to see that healthy root before it goes into soil. Take tweezers grab the hull and plant. I had not ever seen one start growing upside down. I'm thinking I planted it sallow and it was growing up to hook down. I flipped it over but it did not grow. It is my opinion the it air pruned the main root and it was done.
i use towel method. lost one seed in 3 yrs, but it was older too. i messed up the tap.
i run hempy and have had to go digging in the media to save them. in the last couple years there have been a few that opened up under the media. once i got them lifted, it all worked out.
rapid rooters and plugs might work out better for some folk. they can be transplanted to any media .
some of my older seeds have gone ten plus days in the towels. i have a 100% germination rate though. been at it for 30 plus yrs same way.
i run hempy and have had to go digging in the media to save them. in the last couple years there have been a few that opened up under the media. once i got them lifted, it all worked out.
rapid rooters and plugs might work out better for some folk. they can be transplanted to any media .
some of my older seeds have gone ten plus days in the towels. i have a 100% germination rate though. been at it for 30 plus yrs same way.
Diatomacious
Well-Known Member
Sounds about right.
Hempy:
Rogue, Gallows bird
A lively mischievous young person
Full of deviltry
