Help with Germination-first attempt

Bubbakush55

New Member
Hi all, thanks for taking the time to read and respond. So I've been helping a friend run a grow. We attempted to germinate, and hoped to save the seeds/learn from our suspected failure. We are a 7days and 12 hours out since we placed the seeds in rapid rooters. We soaked the rooters overnight and soaked seeds for ~8 hours in tap water. (realize we should attempt distilled next time). We then placed a little topsoil around the rooter and a little over the top. The rooters were surrounded with those cardboard seedling things. We placed them into a 1/4in of water in small individual dishes and placed them on a heat mat with a plastic bowl over the top for the last week with occasional checking of them. Over the top of this is a led light, but not much makes it through the bowl. We haven't watered more as it's being slowly sucked up from the bottom. We have yet to see a sprout. I placed them about 1/2in deep. (used my hands after washing. Should probably use tweezers/gloves next time). I kind of got too excited about starting and probably made too many mistakes, I believe it is too much water, but my friend thinks it's the use of the dome. These are 3 fems from GPS. I think we will keep going another week. We did not have tap roots out when placed in the rooters, so I imagine there is still a chance to see them pop. Also no roots in the bottom of the rooter. Thanks for any insight and help. I guess I'm going to paper towel method next time if they don't germinate.
 

sfrigon1

Seed Aficionado
Hi all, thanks for taking the time to read and respond. So I've been helping a friend run a grow. We attempted to germinate, and hoped to save the seeds/learn from our suspected failure. We are a 7days and 12 hours out since we placed the seeds in rapid rooters. We soaked the rooters overnight and soaked seeds for ~8 hours in tap water. (realize we should attempt distilled next time). We then placed a little topsoil around the rooter and a little over the top. The rooters were surrounded with those cardboard seedling things. We placed them into a 1/4in of water in small individual dishes and placed them on a heat mat with a plastic bowl over the top for the last week with occasional checking of them. Over the top of this is a led light, but not much makes it through the bowl. We haven't watered more as it's being slowly sucked up from the bottom. We have yet to see a sprout. I placed them about 1/2in deep. (used my hands after washing. Should probably use tweezers/gloves next time). I kind of got too excited about starting and probably made too many mistakes, I believe it is too much water, but my friend thinks it's the use of the dome. These are 3 fems from GPS. I think we will keep going another week. We did not have tap roots out when placed in the rooters, so I imagine there is still a chance to see them pop. Also no roots in the bottom of the rooter. Thanks for any insight and help. I guess I'm going to paper towel method next time if they don't germinate.
Yup nice wet paper towel in a Ziploc bag. Check em every day for tails . And u are good oh and keep at 75 degrees if u can1584395749700121781465954374460.jpg I just keep the baggie in between the fabric pots cuz I know it's about 75 in there
 

Hust17

PICK YOUR OWN
Hello fellow grower! I’m sure there’s a hundred ways to start your seeds but I’ve always gotten a tap root in either paper towel or a cup of water before I put them into their starter cube. I’ve been using just a cup of water lately and poking them until they sink. Some sink right away and some take up to a day poking them a few times. Once they crack and I see the root emerge I go ahead and plant and have had 100% success so far :)

Good luck out there!!
 

BigBallzWillie

BE THE BALL
Hi all, thanks for taking the time to read and respond. So I've been helping a friend run a grow. We attempted to germinate, and hoped to save the seeds/learn from our suspected failure. We are a 7days and 12 hours out since we placed the seeds in rapid rooters. We soaked the rooters overnight and soaked seeds for ~8 hours in tap water. (realize we should attempt distilled next time). We then placed a little topsoil around the rooter and a little over the top. The rooters were surrounded with those cardboard seedling things. We placed them into a 1/4in of water in small individual dishes and placed them on a heat mat with a plastic bowl over the top for the last week with occasional checking of them. Over the top of this is a led light, but not much makes it through the bowl. We haven't watered more as it's being slowly sucked up from the bottom. We have yet to see a sprout. I placed them about 1/2in deep. (used my hands after washing. Should probably use tweezers/gloves next time). I kind of got too excited about starting and probably made too many mistakes, I believe it is too much water, but my friend thinks it's the use of the dome. These are 3 fems from GPS. I think we will keep going another week. We did not have tap roots out when placed in the rooters, so I imagine there is still a chance to see them pop. Also no roots in the bottom of the rooter. Thanks for any insight and help. I guess I'm going to paper towel method next time if they don't germinate.
Which fems?

I would pop them rooters open........gently........... and if nothing is going on, do the paper towel method.
 

Artisan_tek

Insanely Active Member
I drop them in a moist paper towel with plastic wrap around it and then stick that in a dvd case. Place the dvd case someplace dark and wait 2 or 3 days.

If after a couple days I don’t see a taproot I drop the seed into a cup of water as a last ditch effort.

After a day or 2 more if it still hasn’t popped I discard it and start another 1

The seedling stage used to be the hardest part of the grow for me when i was first starting Keep trying. You’ll get it :)
 

Old ST1R

Grow Yer Own Stone
Which fems?

I would pop them rooters open........gently........... and if nothing is going on, do the paper towel method.
I’m with BBW. Open those rooters, find the seeds and put them in paper towels.

My method is very simple and effective. Put a paper towel folded into two or three layers on a plate and wet it down enough that there is more water than the towel can hold. Place seeds on there. Cover with another paper towel folded the same as the bottom one and put enough water on again so there is a bit more than the towel can hold. I then leave this on the kitchen counter and check it twice a day. You want it to dry out a little so it’s not as wet as the first time and give it just a bit of water (I use tap water only) if it seems like it’s a little dry. If your seeds are viable they should germinate in a few days. I usually leave them go until the tail is a half inch to one inch long before I put them in dirt.
 

JohnFonda

Tegrity Greenthumb
Bubba your bottom watering when the seed is at the top. You dont want it drowning but being moist is ideal for germing. Usually I just soak mine for 12 hours or so and plant them pretty shallow. Water every day in coco. Usually pop before a week. Any reason your using the routers? What media are you using afterwards?
 

JohnFonda

Tegrity Greenthumb
I have like a 99% germ success rate even on bag seed from years of sitting around. Keep it simple dont over think it. If you do the paper towel method dont drench it but have it pretty wet. Basically wet it then squeeze a fair bit out. Should be good that way.
 

Now1more

Super Active Member
What everyone else said! Scuff the seed top and bottom with an Emery board or sand paper. Don't scuff until you're through, just enough to thin it. Place in a glass of water with either Super Thrive or a touch of aloe vera juice. Whether you see tails or not, put into a wet paper towel after 24 hours. Works like a charm. I've been blessed to have stuff pop that friends have said that the germ rate is not good. I've been lucky with cloning cuts wrapped in a wet paper towel. I just get lucky I guess.
 

NoWaistedSpace

PICK YOUR OWN
Sometimes seeds are just hard to germinate from extra thick shells. I think Mother nature knows best how to soften the shell and sprout a seed.
I'll place them straight into moistened medium or root riot plug placing seed 1/4 to <1/2". Place under a dome on a heating pad if you got one or just keep them in a warm, dark place , and I don't fuck with them until they pop out of the medium.
When I have to plant seed in used soil, sometimes bugs will steal and eat the seeds cause they will fuckin' disappear out of the medium. lol
I will use the "Root Riot" plugs if i don't have new Pro mix medium to place them in.
For old seeds, you can "sand" them or soak them and take a scalpel and slice the shell and pry it open and if you see a white embryo, very gently place it in your medium and it should take off. Don't waste all your time waiting on it.
Start more seeds.
 

crimsonecho

Self-Proclaimed Don Quixote
Yeah popping seeds are easy, had 99% success with 24hrs soak with tap water and paper towel. If it’s exceptionally cold i keep mine on my macbook, it gets to about 35-36 C i think and it really speeds up the process but it dries more quickly (i use very thin plastic bags).
And sometimes seeds just don’t pop.
Anyway, good luck.
 

Ozjet68

Insanely Active Member
This seems to be the most overthought yet simplest part of growing anything . Apply moisture a reasonable soil temp and the rest happens as natures seed was intended for. You generally only stuff it up if you try and create too perfect conditions . I’ve just thrown them is moist soil many times and bingo .
 
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