Precracking

[midwestganja]

I know this is a good topic and an important one for AF growers. I just recently did my first seed run with Master Low. After letting the seeds sit for about a week or so I attempted to plant approx. 10 ML seeds directly into soil. 10 days later, nothing! Soil was kept moist, temps were fine, yada yada yada!

So what does one do!? I broke down and tried the Precrack method which mdanzig has described already in great detail. What do you know! I soaked 20 seeds for 12 hours overnight, came back and precracked them, and directly into soil. 48 hours later I have 18/20 already up.

Precracking is the only way to go IMO !

Anyone else have good success without precracking?

Peace

 

[DoobieDuck]

the Precrack method which mdanzig has described already in great detail. Peace

MWG...do you have a link to the detailed thread you mentioned? I'd like to read it..thanks DD

 

[midwestganja]

Here you are doobieduck:

http://icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=36204

also some good info in this thread

http://icmag.com/ic/showthread.php?t=92186

 

[DoobieDuck]

MWG I read it...and thank you for the fastest reply I think I've ever had on IC...DD

 

[darkhollo]

I read the link but he merely mentions it (cracking the end of the seed where the tail emerges)

I have heard of sanding seeds, slicing them with a razor (common for some sour bubble seeds) to help the germ rate. I'd love to see a pic of a cracked or scuffed seed.

I have tried the sand paper lined matchbox trick, placing the seed in the matchbox and shaking for 30 seconds to scuff them up. Didn't seem to change my germ rate.

--dh

 

[curts1]

I always precrack my seeds between paper towels and I plant as soon as they crack cause I don´t like tampering with the taproot. I´d say +80% germinate/grow when treated like this.

 

[midwestganja]

Yeah essentially you soak the seeds for 12 hours overnight, in the morning I used a set of tweezers and ever so gently squeeze the tail end of the seed until you hear it/see it pop, it will crack open that little tail end, then put it directly into dirt, or back on a paper towel(if you so choose) and within 24-48hours you should have a tail emerging.

Its pretty cool how cracking a seed can change how fast they germ or if they germ at all. I tried precracking other seeds and I smashed a few. These ML's have a hardier shell it seems.

 

[beek]

How deep did you sow your seeds when you had no luck with germinating in soil ?

I have yet to experience any seeds not germinating and I always go soil route. I put seeds on soil and just do as you would salt your food...just cover the seed with thin layer of soil. Soil is moist of course...

 

[midwestganja]

How deep did you sow your seeds when you had no luck with germinating in soil ?

I have yet to experience any seeds not germinating and I always go soil route. I put seeds on soil and just do as you would salt your food...just cover the seed with thin layer of soil. Soil is moist of course...

Usually about 1/2" or so below the surface. Nothin! Not a single bean germed with that method. Another thing is the beans were only 1-2 weeks old from harvest, so maybe they need a hardening off period? I duno, either way, I plucked 20 freshly harvested beans and pre-cracked them, and they germed faster than any beans i've ever germed.

So there's definitely something to precracking!

 

[*mr.mike*]

When I buy/acquire seeds, I don't precrack, but I do hit them with a diamond jeweler's file around their edges. A regular file will, or can, break chips off of the seed.

After I do a seed run, and have plenty of seeds, I never precrack, or otherwise mechanically treat the seed. I only plant them and let them sprout on their own. I hope that will kind of select against the tuff seeds.

 

[blynx]

I pulled out some 2yr old masterlow seeds I hadn't had any luck with in the past. I soaked th seeds for 24hrs and they were still floating. I pulled them out and cracked them then put them into soil. One popped above soil in about a day and a half. The other took about 3 days to come up.

 

[IceColdCrickets]

I never understood why AF strains, particularly LR#1, got the image that you have to precrack the seeds...

Out of the 1000s I have germed I have never had a low germ rate nor have the seeds been to hard to open up. But I don't germ in paper towles, cotton, etc... Direct into growing medium 1/2 inch down. Now what I have seen are seeds that open up just a little bit and try to push there tap root out and hit a hard piece of perlite, rock, bark, etc.. and not having the strength to push around it , it dies. So, I wonder if the soil density and heaviness plays a role in AFs not sprouting. After I saw this happening I switched to a lighter soil and all problems have gone away,, I just started 30 LR1 and 28 popped up, the other 2 where just duds.

The main thing I have found about germing AFs, the soil must be warm! If you keep your pot on the cold floor AFs don't seem to like it, keep soil temps between 75 - 83 degrees, The temp of the soil can varry a lot from the Temp of the air inside your grow room. You have to get a stick thermometer and put it in the soil, Digital ones are best. Heat Mats are a good investment. This will always improve germination rates.

 

[curts1]

With precracking I didn´t mean that I manually crack the seeds I just soak them between papertowels until they crack on their own.

I´m way too clumsy to be cracking them...it would be a massacree

 

[cervantz]

My precracking method

My precracking method

Nice subject guys! i'm tottaly addept to precracking method, i get like 60% more seedlings when using this with the LR#2 cross ive make. however mine is a little different. I use a vintage style gillette blade lol. i brake it in the middle so its a little safer to handle. this things can REALLY cut if brand new so u really need to be careful.
I hold the seed with the side where the root comes out pointing up, and using the blade i cut very small pieces right where the shells meet each other. I do it until i can see a very small gap between the shells. I better show some pics cause my english is not very good

Heres how i hold and "open" the seeds:

Thats the final result:

I bet u a root will be pointing thru this hole 12h after soaked in water

And heres a non-precracked on the left and a precracked on the right:

Note that although theres no gap on the center/right side of the seed, its still a little scraped. I dont force it to crack or anything.. just that.


i hope this helps ppl having germ rate problems, cause this helps me alot!!

Bye guys!