A Germination Machine

D.S. Toker. MD · May 11, 2010

I wanted to share this device with anyone thats had a poor germination rate. This device will crack any viable seed placed inside within 72 hrs. 80% of seeds placed inside will germinate from 12-20 hours but f2 sativa hybrids may take as much as 60 hrs.

The machine keeps temps at a constant 76 degrees and provides the perfect mixture of moisture and air so that all viable seeds pop immediately.

These are the components:
1 small plastic storage box with a lid
Another smaller box that will float inside the larger box
1 aquarium heater
1 aquarium thermometer.
1 cello antibacterial sponge

Total Cost: 25$

The aquarium heater keeps the temp of the water at a constant 76 degrees.

The sponges keep the seeds from drowning and provides the proper air for the seeds to germinate. The sponges should be thouroughly moistened and then wrung out untill no water will drip and then the seeds are placed between the 2 sponge halves. No standing water should be in the inner box- just moisture in the sponges. The sponges are then placed inside the inner box with the lid applied, to float in the heated water.

This season, ive popped 9 packs of seeds from 5 different companies = 90 seeds. 88 or the seeds sprouted. This rate is consistent and typical when using this machine. It elimates any chance of a poor germination rate when seeds are purchased from a reputable vendor..

bloyd · May 11, 2010

now there is some thinking. K+. So the antibacterial properties of the sponge doesn't seem to have any negative effect on germination?

D.S. Toker. MD · May 11, 2010

No. The aspect of the sponge that discourages bacterial growth is the surface structure of the sponge material. Its not conducive to bacterial formation. Any normal sponge will do however.

bloyd · May 11, 2010

Have you had any issue with the root tips of germinating seeds getting tangled into the sponge? Ie have you damaged root tips when removing the seeds from the sponge?

Goa · May 11, 2010

good idea, especially if you're already going to do a DWC, since you're going to need to buy aquarium heater to keep the resevoir at the right temp.

.clunk · May 11, 2010

Cool, I've used the same thing (mine was once an incubation chamber for a mushroom project) but I just use the paper towell method in place of the sponges...it's definately an easy way to maintain an even temp! With the paper towell method they were all popping within 24-36hrs, maybe a tad quicker than if i place them on top of the fridge.

REDEYE_420 · May 11, 2010

GOOD IDEA DS!

GOOD IDEA DS!

STICKY??

Good idea D.S, maybe one extra idea would be to use a blacked out box to minimise light getting in? I could see a lot of newbs using this method to help their germination rates.

Maybe vendors should also point people in the direction of this post too, to germinate their wares?

My method was simple. Tub with wet tissue in it, add beans too it, cover with damp tissue, loosely put lid on the tub and leave above a moderate heat (radiator), check it's moist and not to hot every hour or so. I've had only three or so not germ with this method.

I will give your method a whirl as soon as I can buy the kit you've highlighted as it seems a much better, cleaner way of doing so.

Good post!

Peace.

D.S. Toker. MD · May 11, 2010

Bloyd, the answer is no. The reason is that i never allow a seed tail to get that long. Ive never had good luck with sprouts that had much of a tail when planted, so for that reason I take them out as soon as i see the hull split and white tissue revealed. In my little world, planting sprouts with long tails = runts.

Clunk, the reason i use the sponge is that the sponge structure allows air around the seed which prevents suffocation, but dissalows excessive water from being held against the seed which can cause drowning. If youve ever noticed the rapid rooter plugs, they are sponge like material as well. I could be wrong, but i think suffocation, drowning and the formation of bacteria are the leading reasons for poor germination.

Redeye, vendors would see a dramatic reduction in reports of bad germ rates.
Because i use this box, i know for a fact that reputable breeders make a real effort to choose viable seeds. Nearly every seed ive bought in the past 5 years has been viable and its because of this box.

THC123 · May 11, 2010

i just use a glass of water at constant 27 degrees and add some waterperoxide to avoid having white slime forming and i also get 90% germ rates

Never had problem with seed suffocation

Tropic · May 12, 2010

Nice, this one can prove pretty useful for some people, should be in the DIY link-o-rama IMHO.
:joint:

jd4083 · May 12, 2010

Cool write-up, might help some folks who like the more technical stuff. I dunno, maybe I'm just old school about it, but I've been poppin seeds in tap water with a touch hydro peroxide and then straight into the media for close to a decade and have had at least 90-95% germination in that time with viable seeds. No special conditions, just in a sealed container in a drawer. :tiphat:

D.S. Toker. MD · May 12, 2010

Thc , you may not need this method as its really for people that arent getting nearly100% germination every time. That said, 90% is really pretty low in relation to this device. It consistently germs about 97-99 %. My experience has been that about 1 in 30-40 seeds WONT germ in the device. Plus, ive just never found any method that germs nearly all seeds within 24 hrs. This does.\

jd4083, im glad you get such high rates but your success is really quite unusual for that method. Any seed that lands in a puddle of water in nature is a goner. The most prevalent warning in all of the litterature regaurding germination of seeds is that too much moisture leads to slow germ, drowning and rot.

After buying my first several packs of store bought seeds and didnt have good germ rates i set out to study seed germinatin in general. Every study i read concluded that constant but low levels of moisture and constant temps between 74-78 are the optimum conditions for many seeds including cannabis to sprout. Any method that doesnt strive to create that circumstance is inferior and potentially problematic, according to the litterature. This device is the result of me trying to obtain constant temps in that range and constant moisture.

DocLeaf · May 12, 2010

You could always use a cup of soil instead

But why not,, if it works :yes:

thanks for sharing

ThePizzaMan · May 12, 2010

awesome...I may try this next time. I have struggled with poor germ rates, and on average get only 60% of what I pay for.

And on a side note....I think I have that same walmart aquarium heater.

Feb2006er · May 13, 2010

This looks like a good idea. Will try.

ijimunot · May 13, 2010

If you are germinating more than one strain you could use different colored sponges to keep the strains separated. Headed to the fish store in the am. Great post

D.S. Toker. MD · May 14, 2010

DocLeaf, youre right. Mother nature designed that method and it and its been successful for millions of years. When i can, i use it.

But let me tell you what this device will do that nature wont. As you know,seeds, even those from the same batch will germ at different rates. Lets say i buy 2 packs of seeds,(i just went through this with bubbledust) with plans to find a decent mother specimen. If i plant the seeds in soil, there may be as much as 10 days difference between the first sprout and the last. This makes it more complicated to pick the best plants.

With this method, they all sprout within 24 hrs and if they all start on the same day and can be judged side by side, its so much easier for me to determine vigor and other traits.

If conducting a seed grow and i do sometimes, you dont have plants finishing weeks apart..

Im hoping the paper towel crowd will benefit from the device. I know that the vast majority of poor germ threads are not the result of old or bad seeds.

bloyd · May 19, 2010

Update: I have had great success with your method D.S Toker, I personally can't believe more aren't excited about this. If you are buying rez beans and save just one with this it will pay for itself.

D.S. Toker. MD · May 19, 2010

I find that hard to believe too bloyd. This device pays for itself with the first use. When you get used to using it and fine tune, every seed you put in it will pop.

You can lead a horse to water, but you cant make them drink.

Because i use the device, i know that all of the "poor germ rate" or "no germ" reports are grower error.

TokerOftheSouth · May 21, 2010

Nice post D.S..Im positive this will work..

Thanks

Toker

A Germination Machine

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