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procedure for germination
- Thread starter KONEHEAD
- Start date
S
Sirus
From my limited experience... damp cheescloth, plastic baggie, dvd case, and a cable box.
Get the cheesecloth/paper towel damp, not dripping wet.. place said seeds in between the damp layers. Put that in the plastic baggie, don't close it all the way. Stick in dvd case (mostly closed) and place on cable box. Once you have a nice tap root, place in your cubes and wait for the magic to happen.
Get the cheesecloth/paper towel damp, not dripping wet.. place said seeds in between the damp layers. Put that in the plastic baggie, don't close it all the way. Stick in dvd case (mostly closed) and place on cable box. Once you have a nice tap root, place in your cubes and wait for the magic to happen.
thanks broFrom my limited experience... damp cheescloth, plastic baggie, dvd case, and a cable box.
Get the cheesecloth/paper towel damp, not dripping wet.. place said seeds in between the damp layers. Put that in the plastic baggie, don't close it all the way. Stick in dvd case (mostly closed) and place on cable box. Once you have a nice tap root, place in your cubes and wait for the magic to happen.
ok now after the magic happens do i just keep the rock wool wet/mist and continue until the roots start to come out the bottom then transfer to my net pods?? im only going with 2 plants in my 24inch pc case
To give another perspective, I actually dislike and do not recommend the paper towel method.
The reason is that if you are not RIGHT on it when that tap root comes out, it will begin growing into the paper towel. This means that come time to transplant to the actual media, you either tear the tender taproot free, or you transplant a bit of paper towel along with it.
I personally germ in a cup of water placed on the shelf in a closet. When the taproot pops out, I scoop them out, at my leisure, with a straw cut at an angle. Using this method, I can germinate, and transplant into new media without any human contact with the tap root at all.
On my schedule
The reason is that if you are not RIGHT on it when that tap root comes out, it will begin growing into the paper towel. This means that come time to transplant to the actual media, you either tear the tender taproot free, or you transplant a bit of paper towel along with it.
I personally germ in a cup of water placed on the shelf in a closet. When the taproot pops out, I scoop them out, at my leisure, with a straw cut at an angle. Using this method, I can germinate, and transplant into new media without any human contact with the tap root at all.
On my schedule
To give another perspective, I actually dislike and do not recommend the paper towel method.
The reason is that if you are not RIGHT on it when that tap root comes out, it will begin growing into the paper towel. This means that come time to transplant to the actual media, you either tear the tender taproot free, or you transplant a bit of paper towel along with it.
I personally germ in a cup of water placed on the shelf in a closet. When the taproot pops out, I scoop them out, at my leisure, with a straw cut at an angle. Using this method, I can germinate, and transplant into new media without any human contact with the tap root at all.
On my schedule
So you do nothing else but put the in water and wait? I have tried that and got nothing? Only when I put them in the damp paper towel would I get a tap root.
You do nothing else to the seed before tossing in water?
Cheers
I'm curious about long soaking too. I've never soaked seeds longer than a few hours. I just assumed they could be drowned, but maybe that's not true.
Watch out for that top of the cable box thing, temperatures can vary. I have a satellite receiver you could fry an egg on and that would almost certainly kill any seeds.
I would put a shot glass of water where you intend to germinate (however you intend to do it though my research convinced me the shot glass of water method is best) and let it sit for a few hours then measure the temperature with a good digital probe thermometer (like the kind you stick in your steak to see if it's done or not) and be certain the temperature is safe before you risk a seed in there.
Or just put a regular air thermometer if you don't have the probe kind in that location and see what it says after a few hours.
I found the ideal place (80f) to be on top of the hot water heater, nice and dark in there and perfect temperature.
I would put a shot glass of water where you intend to germinate (however you intend to do it though my research convinced me the shot glass of water method is best) and let it sit for a few hours then measure the temperature with a good digital probe thermometer (like the kind you stick in your steak to see if it's done or not) and be certain the temperature is safe before you risk a seed in there.
Or just put a regular air thermometer if you don't have the probe kind in that location and see what it says after a few hours.
I found the ideal place (80f) to be on top of the hot water heater, nice and dark in there and perfect temperature.
The majority of the time, I've done nothing but a straight soak, just for convenience. Although, if I've got something like known genetics, I'll give them a little scuff.
I use an emery board, some people use a matchbox and sandpaper.
To me, this makes the most sense at a visceral level. Maybe it's just my varied interests coming together for a good cause. But, I know that seeds are made to be propagated. But how does nature do it? She certainly doesn't use the paper towel method.
Seeds are spread through birds and animals eating those seeds, the seeds passing through the digestion system, and being deposited elsewhere, with a nice dose of fertilizer to help it along. Either by the digestive acids in mammals, or the craw in birds, the seeds suffer significant outer hull thinning.
The seeds are in fact well adapted to this, with many seeds needing this process to successfully germinate. The seeds have adapted thick hulls and shells to survive this process intact.
So in our created nature, we bypass that step, and have to learn about such things as safely removing unreleased husks from sprouted seedlings. We also learn methods for softening the seeds by keeping them warm and moist in order to help them germinate.
Think about it - what does warm, moist do? To anything? It expands and softens. Softening the hull and signaling the taproot to emerge. If the taproot can break through the hull, that is. And as I mentioned before, sometimes a seedling has to be saved from an overly sturdy hull.
So, on genes I'm needing best germ rates from, I scuff, then soak. Trying my best to replicate the natural thinning and softening that occurs in nature.
It's worked pretty well so far
I use an emery board, some people use a matchbox and sandpaper.
To me, this makes the most sense at a visceral level. Maybe it's just my varied interests coming together for a good cause. But, I know that seeds are made to be propagated. But how does nature do it? She certainly doesn't use the paper towel method.
Seeds are spread through birds and animals eating those seeds, the seeds passing through the digestion system, and being deposited elsewhere, with a nice dose of fertilizer to help it along. Either by the digestive acids in mammals, or the craw in birds, the seeds suffer significant outer hull thinning.
The seeds are in fact well adapted to this, with many seeds needing this process to successfully germinate. The seeds have adapted thick hulls and shells to survive this process intact.
So in our created nature, we bypass that step, and have to learn about such things as safely removing unreleased husks from sprouted seedlings. We also learn methods for softening the seeds by keeping them warm and moist in order to help them germinate.
Think about it - what does warm, moist do? To anything? It expands and softens. Softening the hull and signaling the taproot to emerge. If the taproot can break through the hull, that is. And as I mentioned before, sometimes a seedling has to be saved from an overly sturdy hull.
So, on genes I'm needing best germ rates from, I scuff, then soak. Trying my best to replicate the natural thinning and softening that occurs in nature.
It's worked pretty well so far
Scottyboycx
Member
if the seed are pretty fresh (under 3 year old) your best planting straight to your medium keeping said medium warm n moist. If they are older soak for a few hours in water then plant into your medium. Newer seeds dont need the soak because they have enough water content and u risk rot adding more. The older seeds can need water adding cos they dried more
reckon
Member
To give another perspective, I actually dislike and do not recommend the paper towel method.
The reason is that if you are not RIGHT on it when that tap root comes out, it will begin growing into the paper towel. This means that come time to transplant to the actual media, you either tear the tender taproot free, or you transplant a bit of paper towel along with it.
I personally germ in a cup of water placed on the shelf in a closet. When the taproot pops out, I scoop them out, at my leisure, with a straw cut at an angle. Using this method, I can germinate, and transplant into new media without any human contact with the tap root at all.
On my schedule
great point,....adding: those tiny little microscopic hairs that you tear up when you remove the seedling after you leave the sprouts in the toweling too long, WOULD have become major nutrient/water passageways.
I use the wet toweling method, but I sit the plate right on my desk, and I check it many times a day. (room temp=68-73 degrees)
as soon as I see the seed case split, and the tap peek through (this is called malting), I plant it tap root pointing UP.
when you plant taproot facing up, the plant sensing gravity immediately hooks a u-turn and sends that taproot down, and this "u-turn" action flips the entire seed case/opening cotyledons upward using LEVERAGE, and not just the plants stores of sugars.
(the plant can't photosynthesize until light hits a green surface)
planting with the tap facing up, is an old bean/sweet pea farmers trick to get the sprouts up and open as fast as possible.
so you can use the toweling method, but not if you like to forget about that kind of thing for days at a time,......with me I'm like that chick on those old mervyn's ads: "open! open! open!", so it works.
I like NiteTigers method/idea a lot, and will probably try it next time I pop some beans, as he's right, using that technique, you get to plant on YOUR schedule, not the plants.
I prefer the method of placing about .25-.5" in soil and watering. They usually pop. Or put em in a cup of water overnight or until the root pops out of the seed. Dont really need to soak em or anything. They come up just putting em in soil and watering, you know? Its a plant. Not some weird ass fucking crazy african vegetable or something that you need to score the seed or something
S
slave4sail
Nice link opt1c, indeed many ways to pop a seed.
This is not the only way, but one way. Unless the variety is fragile or old they all get the same treatment. This means they get germinated with whatever is laying about. Out of pure habit it usually goes as follows:
Quick soak up to 4-12 hours, sometimes up to 24 if memory is not cooperating.
Then on to moist paper towel, or a nice fold of coffee filters. Once a decent tail starts to show transplant into a medium suitable to growing style. This may be rockwool, coco, or soil mix.
Totally agree with night tiger about the tails growing into the paper towels, and for this reason prefer coffee filters. Some paper towel are better than others for this problem.
Not a huge advocate for scuffing, but am a huge advocate for planting those special and dear to your heart seeds in accordance to a favorable moon. Sometimes a pinch to help scoot them along if they are taking a while to crack, but usually they either do it or don't.
The simple answer about germinating seeds is dark, warm, and moist. How that is achieved and best maintained would depend on your unique circumstances, available options, and ability.
The only job for a seed is to germinate, mighty nice of those little miracles!
Not to nit pick, but the seeds in nature do indeed germinate in paper towels. As a mammal and part of nature myself I can attest to it. Perhaps it did not travel through the intestinal track of a stork, but it survived the royal post. Nature is what we make of it, just as seeds are what we make.
Do the genetics of seed have to do with the responses to different germination techniques? For example, native landrace seeds that have propagated themselves without human interaction versus a variety that has been propagated under HID's and germinated in paper towels for multiple generations?
Things can be as simple, or complex as we want them to be.
Great comments from everyone.
For reference, have even left seeds that germinated in moist coffee filter for over a week. Lapse of memory, they were nearly 4 inches long and looking pathetic. Some intertwining with each other, lack of color from no photosynthesis. Once separated and planted they resumed normal growth gaining color and normal vigor.
This is not the only way, but one way. Unless the variety is fragile or old they all get the same treatment. This means they get germinated with whatever is laying about. Out of pure habit it usually goes as follows:
Quick soak up to 4-12 hours, sometimes up to 24 if memory is not cooperating.
Then on to moist paper towel, or a nice fold of coffee filters. Once a decent tail starts to show transplant into a medium suitable to growing style. This may be rockwool, coco, or soil mix.
Totally agree with night tiger about the tails growing into the paper towels, and for this reason prefer coffee filters. Some paper towel are better than others for this problem.
Not a huge advocate for scuffing, but am a huge advocate for planting those special and dear to your heart seeds in accordance to a favorable moon. Sometimes a pinch to help scoot them along if they are taking a while to crack, but usually they either do it or don't.
The simple answer about germinating seeds is dark, warm, and moist. How that is achieved and best maintained would depend on your unique circumstances, available options, and ability.
The only job for a seed is to germinate, mighty nice of those little miracles!
Not to nit pick, but the seeds in nature do indeed germinate in paper towels. As a mammal and part of nature myself I can attest to it. Perhaps it did not travel through the intestinal track of a stork, but it survived the royal post. Nature is what we make of it, just as seeds are what we make.
Do the genetics of seed have to do with the responses to different germination techniques? For example, native landrace seeds that have propagated themselves without human interaction versus a variety that has been propagated under HID's and germinated in paper towels for multiple generations?
Things can be as simple, or complex as we want them to be.
Great comments from everyone.
For reference, have even left seeds that germinated in moist coffee filter for over a week. Lapse of memory, they were nearly 4 inches long and looking pathetic. Some intertwining with each other, lack of color from no photosynthesis. Once separated and planted they resumed normal growth gaining color and normal vigor.
That would work too, if there were soil involved.
Re-read the OP, we're talking about hydro.
From my limited experience... damp cheescloth, plastic baggie, dvd case, and a cable box.
Get the cheesecloth/paper towel damp, not dripping wet.. place said seeds in between the damp layers. Put that in the plastic baggie, don't close it all the way. Stick in dvd case (mostly closed) and place on cable box. Once you have a nice tap root, place in your cubes and wait for the magic to happen.
Good advice Sirus...I use a bit of a different approach. I should try the cheese cloth...but I use the papertowel (white no print) and not cable box, I use my PS3
then....
now....
well popping beans could the easiest if you have the basic down,
hydro or soil, to save yourself troubles and heartaches, get yaself some rapid rooters, soak the beans til they sink, put them in the rapid rooter with a dome on top, forget bout them for few days, and when you check em again you'll be happy, im sure!
With older beans, you should help them a bit because, well they are OLD!
cheers,
red.
hydro or soil, to save yourself troubles and heartaches, get yaself some rapid rooters, soak the beans til they sink, put them in the rapid rooter with a dome on top, forget bout them for few days, and when you check em again you'll be happy, im sure!
With older beans, you should help them a bit because, well they are OLD!
cheers,
red.
i Like Nite Tigers method, i been doing it straight in to rockwool or the paper towel method for years, its always served me well, although like NiteT says you gotta be on it or you may end up damaging fragile tap roots. if you have a heated propergator, also straight into the RW cubes n straight into the prop works well, although you may have to wait a day or two longer for the magic to happen(Remember RW Cubes need to be soaked n flushed to purge all lime out,ph5.3-5.5), but tbh it works out about the same as messing with paper towels etc. next time i have a load of Bag seeds ill try the shot glass method my buddy Shhh & Nite Tiger condone, looks simple. One thing to remember with Most Auto's is the shells are harder, and a good soaking for 24 hours first & or Scarify or pre-crack the seeds is a usual must, or your germ rates will suffer, defo consider this one man!get a bit more experience before trying the pre-crack method, it can be tricky! G'Luck!
smokincheeze
Member
agreed, I dont even use a dome and it works 99.5% of the time(sometimes you get bad seeds).
I dont understand why people risk there good seeds soaking them in a paper towel, like someone said earlier if you dont get them in time they grow to it and a greater chance for mold.
I dont know about you all but I smoke a lot and tend to forget things
