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Sprouting Seeds in Coco: A Tutorial

Chomp

Member
I've seen many posts dealing with problems people are having sprouting seeds (and keeping them alive after :D) in coco so I am sharing my method. This has worked for me on numerous grows and strains; since I started using it I have never lost a seedling.

I picked up the basics of this method back on OG (I wish I could remember the guys handle to give credit) and perfected it to my conditions...my temps and humidity are usually between 70-85 and 25%-50% depending on time of year.

I like to germinate seeds in the fold of a cotton T-shirt cloth in a covered small tupperware container like the orange drain catch in my pics. I place that on top of my satellite box which has produced 100% for me lately; it's 90F on top.

I try to catch the seeds when they first begin to crack to plant them to eliminate any damage to the tap root, but sometimes they look like this:

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It is very important, especially with seedlings, that you rinse the coco very well to wash the salts out. I only use Botincare coco blocks, they have worked great for me. Hot water works the best for this. After the coco has cooled down squeeze the excess moisture out.

It is essential that the cups have really good drainage and are at least the 16-20oz size, any smaller and you lose moisture too fast, any larger and they remain saturated too long. I use a hot nail to melt 9-10 holes into the bottom of the cup like this:

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DO NOT SKIMP ON THE HOLES!!!! :laughing:

Fill the cup to the top with your coco:

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This next part is very important. I use GH flora micro/bloom and cal/mag to precharge the coco with 5ml micro/ 5ml bloom/ 5 ml cal/mag per gallon at pH 5.5. Use this solution and water until run off like this:

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Next dig out a little hole approximately 1/2" deep, it needs to be a little deeper than you would normally plant into soil. Don't worry; coco is much easier for the seedling to pop out of.

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Place the seed in the hole and gently push the coco back on top of it. Don't tamp it down just fill the hole :moon:

Then I place a misted clear cup over the seed's cup like so:

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They are placed under lights to keep them warm in my op.

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The domes stay on top until the seedlings start to break the surface; as soon as they start to break the surface, take them off. The domes ensure that the coco does not dry out before the seedlings pop, and that you don't need to water them for the first 2-3 days after they break the surface as long as the coco does not dry out. It is ok for the cups to get a little light as long as the surface is not dried out. When coco gets dried out bad things happen like burning from uneven salt buildup and nutrient lockout. That is why I recommend that you do not use any fans blowing on the seedlings at this point.

I water with the same 5ml/5ml/5ml micro/bloom/calmag per gallon solution every time I water them...this is also very important because coco will store essential nutrients and minerals and literally suck them out from the seedlings if they are not at proper levels.

They get their first watering at about 2-3 days above ground, but I don't water to runoff, only about 1/4 cup of nutrient solution when they are about this big water around the edges of the cup not directly on them:

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The next and all waterings after that until the first transplant are with the same solution every other day. Make sure you get a run off like in the pic above: These are about 8 days old...:dance013:

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After the first transplant I usually up the solution to 8ml micro/8ml bloom/ 5ml calmag at every watering unless the plants show they don't like it and I adjust accordingly. At this point if you are growing under HIDs you can water everyday like a drip setup. Just make sure you get runoff to "flush" out any salt build up. Right now I am using a vert 150w for the last week of veg and for all of bloom and they still like water every other day so far. I used to grow with a vert 600w drip system and ran the pump twice a day at times so it all depends on what your plants need as they grow larger.

If you are growing in a very high humidity environment you may need to let the cups go longer in between waterings at first. Let the pot get a little light, but not completely dried out.

Again it is very important that you do not let the coco dry out like a soil grow and keep your nutrient solution pH at 5.5

I hope this helps someone and if there are any questions please ask :good:
:rasta:Chomp
 

Chomp

Member
Hey Scrogerman...Do these seedlings look shocked? It's wintertime here right now. I've done it hundreds of times just like this, but thanks for your suggestions.

:rasta:Chomp
 

Chomp

Member
Same seedlings today, one day later than the pic above. They got their 2nd feeding to runoff yesterday morning...

Scrogerman I know that you're trying to help, but I do not recommend keeping or putting a dome over seedlings after they break the surface in coco, even in RH as low as 25%, it can lead to damp off in my experience. I use this method with RH as low as 25% without any problems. It may not be "optimal" as you say, but they thrive just as I've spelled it out. My RH for this grow right now is 25%-35%.

To avoid confusing anyone, I'm not saying that 25% to 35% RH is optimal. That's just what my RH happens to be right now at this moment.

:rasta: Chomp

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D

DHF

Just remember that what works for you is not "optimum" and thus IME not worthy of a tutorial that`s supposed ta work "across the board" in ANY environment.....What works for you may not work for me in my most humble approach to this....Catchin my drift ?.......especially in low humidity environments......

Not disrespecting the intent , but rather the extent of how it`s being defended as all that and then some when most of us know better.....

Rooted and ran over 500 cuts at a time every few weeks in clear cups of coco "moist" with drying out periods in high humidity , and guaranteed 99% success rate came from almost 80 degree temps and comparable humidity for results of exploded rootzones begging to be transplanted to bigger containers where they could show their ass...........

My 2 cents from all those yrs..DHF...:ying:....
 

Chomp

Member
Just remember that what works for you is not "optimum" and thus IME not worthy of a tutorial that`s supposed ta work "across the board" in ANY environment.....What works for you may not work for me in my most humble approach to this....Catchin my drift ?.......especially in low humidity environments......

Rooted and ran over 500 cuts at a time every few weeks in clear cups of coco "moist" with drying out periods in high humidity , and guaranteed 99% success rate came from almost 80 degree temps and comparable humidity for results of exploded rootzones begging to be transplanted to bigger containers where they could show their ass...........

My 2 cents from all those yrs..DHF...:ying:....

This tutorial is not about rooting clones in coco. It is about growing SEEDLINGS from SEED directly into coco. It is a completely different thing and many people have problems with it, but YOU should "know better" from all your years of experience.

You're knit picking my method without even trying it because of a disagreement in another thread. I clearly stated my environmental conditions in the tutorial for a reference point and not as optimal conditions. Please stop trolling my thread.

Thank you,
:rasta:Chomp
 
D

DHF

Rooting seedlings OR cuts is elementary since it`s the SAME process......Never trolled your thread , but rather tried to clear the air on things that you`re glossing over as a given from your perspective and environment......

Proof`s in the pudding....DHF......:ying:....
 

Chomp

Member
Rooting seedlings OR cuts is elementary since it`s the SAME process......Never trolled your thread , but rather tried to clear the air on things that you`re glossing over as a given from your perspective and environment......

Proof`s in the pudding....DHF......:ying:....

No it's not the same process DHF and you know that...or should...and if it was so "elementary" then why do so many people here have problems with the process. Please read the thread again because I have addressed some of your concerns that I thought might have been common sense. I am not trying to force this method on you or anyone else DHF...It is merely a tried and true method that I use. If you don't like it; don't use it.

Proof's in the pudding is exactly why I posted pics of the processes success...

mean mr.mustard...I am glad that you have never had the problems that many others on this forum have had sprouting and growing seedlings in straight coco....thank you for your contribution.

:rasta:Chomp
 
D

DHF

Chomp.....I apologise for gettin you all on the defensive ....but....

Rootin cuts or seedlings is essentially the same process "environment wise" , not biologically of course since one`s an embryo and the other`s a clone off an existing plant...duh.....but.....

I do appreciate your input on trying ta help folks sprout beans in coco instead of rooters or rockwool traditionally used in hydro setups.....but.....

Your low relative humidty is an X factor that hasta be dealt with , and not given out for information as being the way to accomplish dialed conditions ok ?......btw......

Did you go look up "vapor pressure deficit" ?......Please do.....

Peace......DHF.....:ying:.....
 

Chomp

Member
I'm not on the defensive DHF...you keep telling me I'm wrong and I'm showing you otherwise. I specifically said perfected to MY conditions and listed what my conditions are AND I've addressed your concerns in the OP

If you have a problem with what I've said and shown then by all means please post up your own "how to" with pics and post it up. Now please stay out of my thread with your petty knit picking.

:rasta:Chomp
 
Inconsistant optimum conditions are better than inconsistant poor conditions in a lot of cases.

Why not use some wet damp towels or an old sock/t-shirt/dish cloth soaked in water to raise RH to a more optimum level.

Don't ask me how but i achieved growth like you have in 8 days in 2-3 days, but that was my first time when i did everything right to a t. With functional ideas like yours but taking care of airflow and rh.

do you want to make art or do finger painting? :artist:
edot:/ very nice pics/tutorial !!
 

Chomp

Member
Let us see your art then GhettoGospel....

I'm not advocating that everyone should grow in low RH conditions...I've personally had worse luck in high RH conditions with molds and mildew growth than in lower RH conditions so I don't feel the need to mess with it....my plants grow great so I laid out what works very well with my environment. Take it or leave it...I have posted actual pictures of great growth in my conditions....If you don't want to try what I shown, then don't.

Please post up pics and a tutorial of your method..... I'd love to see you grow seedlings that big in 2 days....that would be an awesome thread, and much more convincing than just saying you did :good:

:rasta:Chomp
 

Crusader Rabbit

Active member
Veteran
I really like your method of using a hot nail to melt drain holes in the cup. I'm gonna find my small soldering iron and give it a try ... with good ventilation of course. I'd be happy not to have all those little bits of plastic debris left over from using a drill bit.
 
The seeds i used sprouted in under 12 hours and where above ground in 24 hours. I think i grew them 20/4 and i was "talking" to them all the time...

I was about 16 at the time and being my first plants i took every care with moving and planting the seeds giving them co2 and puting my 20W cfl less than an inch of the plant.

I can get pics they are on an old memory stick i having lurking around...

if i find it i'll post 'em up

i'm just saying i know your method is great and im happy u do what you want but just dampening off some paper towels and placing them neer your seedlings will speed things up

but thats assuming you are in a rush, so sorry if it seems like i am assuming too much about you./
 

Chomp

Member
The seeds i used sprouted in under 12 hours and where above ground in 24 hours. I think i grew them 20/4 and i was "talking" to them all the time...

I was about 16 at the time and being my first plants i took every care with moving and planting the seeds giving them co2 and puting my 20W cfl less than an inch of the plant.

I can get pics they are on an old memory stick i having lurking around...

if i find it i'll post 'em up

i'm just saying i know your method is great and im happy u do what you want but just dampening off some paper towels and placing them neer your seedlings will speed things up

but thats assuming you are in a rush, so sorry if it seems like i am assuming too much about you./

I wasn't trying to be a jerk...sorry if it came off that way. I was serious about the 2 days seedling thread...I'd like to see it.

:rasta:Chomp
 

Chomp

Member
I thought this link may help your tute Chomp. 'The Importance of RH' (read posts #2 & #5)

https://www.icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=112589&highlight=rh+importance

Its good that your tecnique works great for you. The more info & links in the thread the better for everyone, one of the better points of the site.

Low RH with seedlings & Veg plants forces the plant to use most of its energy transpiring water, effectively slowing growth!!!. VPD is an important aspect in growing any plant, it needs to be balanced for optimal growth.
A simple flap cut into the lid of a dome, that you can adjust, open & close, will enable the grower to control RH, set it to a more desiable range for optimal growth. Id be looking for 50%-70% in the early & Veg stages of growth. A dome/propagator without an adjustable flap/opening will cause too high RH & that can/will lead to molds & mildews, & other dieseses.

Best of Luck All!

And the dome also severely limits the amount of light the seedling gets as well, effectively slowing growth...It would be nice if you PMed me instead of what you're doing....

Thank you,
:smokey:Chomp
 
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