Question about Temperature for Seedlings

[RoadRash]

2013 was not a great year for Indoor Gardening for me.

I have a seed collection that is from 15 to 2 years old.

Starting seeds in a cold (50 degree) room with a 250 watt Metal Halide, almost nothing would germinate.

Worse, ALL FEMALES. I know, most people would like that, but, without males, it's pretty hard to make seeds.

I was counting on the light to heat up the medium (dirt grow, I make my own worm castings & compost) but ... DAMN !

There were other complications ... a favorite mother plant died, I was thinking about doing a re-fi so I had to shut down so as to achieve the choirboy look ... AND I got a concussion skiing which kind of took 2 months out of my schedule.


Reading some of the posts here & at THC Farmer, I am reading about seeds sprouting after many years.

I am religious bout taking care of my seeds - always in the temp range 50 to 80 (whatever the temperature is indoors.) Maybe 80 is a little too high.

Right now I have one plant from a seed from a 2011 grow - for which I am truly grateful. That is in a medium size closet with a 400 watt HPS. It gets nice and warm, but not too warm (maybe 85 F).


Once I get my re-fi done, I was thinking of putting a 400 Watt Metal Halide in there. Hopefully get lots of sprouts.


Anyway, I'm just curious what your experience is. Is 50 degrees F a "show-stopper" for seed germination, even with a bright 250 watt light ?

I moved a few years ago. I am not used to growing in a cold climate.

I appreciate your help & comments.

 

[exploziv]

Seeds don't need light, but warmth and humidity. So the 250 watt light would not help if the temps aren't right.
Get a heatmat for starting seeds. That will help you with you germ rates.
Also, there's no point in trying to start 15 years old seeds in poor conditions, they need any bit of help you can give them to wake up from dormancy.

 

[moondawg]

Roadrash, ive done a lot of research on the question you pose. Im somewhat of a cheapskate and paying 15 -20 bucks for seeds just to watch them terminate in between 2 paper towels is a no go for me. So i pulled out the research and spent6 months studying seed germination and specifically cannabis germination

This is gospel. No exceptions.

The optimum termperature for the germination of cannabis seeds (and many others as well) is 76 degree's farenheit. Fresh cannabis seeds will germinate within 12 -24 hrs when exposed to a consisten temp of 76 degrees.

Variation in either direction will see a decrease in speed and viability. At 70 degrees, germination may take 5-15 days. Higher temps are less tolerated in seed germination than is cool temps. Temps above 80 degrees may result in no germination. Tmeps below 65 may result in zero germination rates.

Some years ago, i designed a seed germinator that maintained germation temps at exactly 76 for germination with the seeds placed inside a rooting plug and then into the deviced that maintatined the temps.

search "Germination machine" in seeds and strains i think.. I think thats what i
called it. Its been several years ago.