seed germ question

[WeedKrazy420]

ok for some reason my seeds haven't been starting. i have 4 sussesful gros and didn't change anything. i was wondering if it could be low temperatures at night? the air conditioner is on since its been hot and i wondered when my lights go out if the temps could get low and cause it not to germ? i have done everythign the same with 100 percent germ until now and its not the seeds as i tried 5 different bagseeds and white rhino a mmm and a nl x shiva!! i am wasting my good seeds and i have used 2 diff kinds of peats pellets and the ones never ever let me down b4. i think for some reason i got a new fan and (the old one sucked and kept it around 85) or so. and now the new one is faster to exhaust the heat and plus the airs on? (getting a temp guage today!) could this be the reason? i can't see anything else i have done differently??? last gro was started in the winter so there was no air on. i am trying everything at 1st i thought seeds then peats then now i am beginning to think its not warm enough? whas the best temp to have them at on germing? anything? i am at wits end. i went from never had a problem to can't even start anything? what is going on???? i am losing my mind because i wanna start some and can't!!!!

 

[sproutco]

I think I would have a constant temperature of at least 75 degrees. Having part of the day cooler is normal in nature. This is called diurnal thermoperiodicity.

 

[WeedKrazy420]

ya i lowered my light for more heat and will close the door for the dark period to keep some heat in and open it for the light period . i will see if this works. i guess i got to just try it and check it off the list. my new bagseeds are starting to sprout a tap root so i hope they pop up soon! hopefully i have found my problem! the water inside the peat pellets was actually cold when i opened them up and thats with the light on! kepe ya posted also i will get the temp gauge asap by tonight

 

[cid420]

i would fridge the seeds in cold tea befor u germ them then rise off and germ or plant the seeds, this will act as winter would on the seed showing its time to break free and grow

 

[DocLeaf]

Hi WeedKrazy420

first chill. experience is something gained not bought. we are learning already

now lets get to the roots of this issue, so you can get growing again:

germination temp: 18 - 21c

lights??? lets switch the lamps OFF until we get growing shall we,,, for one it's a waste of electric :wink:

peat pellets, these do tend to get cold easily they must be hydrated to the right degree before use, not too wet, not too dry. then they want packing close together,,, the more you plant the bigger the prop/box they go into. this way they stay tight and warm. we use pellets for clones sometimes, never for seedlings!!

propagator? do you place the pellets into a prop. to maintain humidity and heat? if not, why not? if yo don't have a prop. try dropping the pellets into a plastic pot/cup/box (as above), and cover with food-grade-film or shrink-wrap, its cheaper...

medium? what is the final medium, soil or coco? if yo using soil substrait, try planting directly into/onto a lighter version of the final substrait.

personally: we find the best way to germinate is to place an un germinated seed directly onto moist soil substrait at 21c. a kitchen window is normally just right :wink:



ppl don't grow erb,,,the erb is a plant,,, it grows itself



hope this helps
DocLeaf

'The best of man/woman is like water,
Which benefits all things, and does not contend with them,
Which flows in places that others disdain,,,' [Tao Te Ching]

 

[GratefulPhish]

recent studies show a slightly warmer dark period increases yeilds and bud density... the difference between your day and night time tempatures is referred to as your +/-. I believe raising the temp +8-10 degrees during lights out showed the best results.

 

[sproutco]

the difference between your day and night time tempatures is referred to as your +/-. I believe raising the temp +8-10 degrees during lights out showed the best results.

Michigan State coined the term "dif" to describe this difference in day/night temperature. Higher night temperatures make plants shorter.

 

[DocLeaf]

Higher night temperatures make plants shorter.

cooler temps make plants more compact,,, like landrace indica.
warmer temps tend to make plants stretch,,, because the plant pores (stomata) cannot breath.

hope this helps
dLeaf

 

[sproutco]

Higher night temperatures versus day temperature results in shorter plants. It is called dif. Of course, your day temperature is cool. Greenhouses use this trick to avoid having to use growth regulators. It is sometimes difficult to achieve the cool day temperture in a greenhouse because of the suns warmth. http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/hort/hil/pdf/hil-528.pdf

 

[MTF-Sandman]

I've tried a -6 dif before...honestly I couldn't tell a difference in yield or height...just a bunch of wasted electricity cooling the hell outta them during the light period. I was given the same info before I tried it (from maximum yield), but since trying it I've decided it's not worth it. It didn't do any harm though...

 

[WeedKrazy420]

doc boy how i miss my seedlings sprouting like the ones in your pix. ok 1st off i use peats and place them in a clear cupcake holder that fits 6 peats.this act as my mini greenhouse. i then put under my lights and mist every other day or so as so they don't dry out. this is all i always did with 100 percent germ results. now i can't get one seed to sprout above the ground. i get the seed to open and show tap root in 2 days then it just never shows up?. so should i put the plants in a windowsill to germ? i am almost to the point where i wanna take seeds to a friends house let them pop up there and then bring them back here to grow! lol. my hps too much? its never been b4?? if anything the bulb needs replaced as i used it for 2 straight grows but i was gonna switch it when flower started. i am just so confused that i always do the same thing and it always worked until now? i just got a new fan thats it? the temps in my cab r at 87f under the light now. i just got a temp guage. it used to be 85f but i also lowered the light. the air is not on now as the day is not hot or maybe it would be colder in there? so should i start seeds with the light off? how would they get warm to germ? don't u need light to make it grow upward? i have used 40 watt flouros and 250 watt hps and always had my seeds under the lights with 100 percent germ until now?. if i tried to start the seeds without peats should i just use the paper towel method till i see the tap root emerge and then just plant that into the pot i am gonna use? i never used anything but peats.

 

[sproutco]

There is always the possibility of disease getting to the seed when it first sprouts. Sometimes the disease is on the seed coat. You can soak your seeds in 1 3/4 teaspoon 3% hydrogen peroxide per quart of water for 12-24 hours before planting into your soil. This will sterilize the seed coat.

 

[DocLeaf]

thanks for the link sproutco

...perhaps this theory works for equatorial / sub-tropical species of C. sativa

However, with highland species of indica it seems to be the case that the lower the landscape that a cultivar inhabits the taller/longer the internodes.
Whereas, in higher upland species the flowers are tighter/ more compact in patterns of growth. this reflects cold/exposed highland temps, whereby the internodes remain short so as to stop wind-chill, frost, death,,, In contrast milder/sheltered valley temps are more humid, requiring longer internodes; often in the same sub-species (wild vs cultivated).

peace
dLeaf

 

[highasakite]

the seeds are probly too cold. put them on a cable box or something warm and leave it on

 

[hybridtek]

put them in som peats ina tupperware container and on top of your TV or monitor, that will keep them around 80-85, perfect for germination

 

[WeedKrazy420]

thanks guys i have them in my closet downstairs with no light and a good warm temp! . i hope this worx i will try anything! i can't even believe this is happening when i used to be like why can't people start seeds when its so easy? now i kno why. because something was wrong. well keep u posted! i would really like to start my k2 once i get some bagseeds to germ and figure out whats wrong. i think i will dip into some of my bubblicious to toke and hopefully gro on and get soem more high quality nugs

 

[WeedKrazy420]

ok i kept them bagseeds in the closet for 2 days and then put under the light yesterday and today i actually have some sprouts!!!! woooo hooooo!!!!!!! i think i was just watering way to much insead of everyday like i was i went every other day. it was either that or using the closet for a few days that worked!!>? now lets see if they don't die off?

 

[Guest]

I've read alot of different methods over the years. Some guys go all horti-science over it with gadgets and devices to assist nature.

Me? I use a saucer, fold a paper towel into quarters, lay it on the saucer (making sure none of the paper towel edges are hanging over the side) dampen it with room temp tap water. Place my seeds on top, them place an identical dampen paper towel on top of the seeds. Add a little more room temp-ish tap water on them, scooped from my hands. I then place them in a dark cupboard up top (usually warmest spot, on top - heat rises) or on top of the fridge with another saucer covering it - to prevent dust and keep it dark. I'll check it once or twice a day to make sure the towel didn't dry out - add water as needed / I'll also dump the existing and put in fresh water daily or the day after to prevent germs from stagnant water.

Done this for almost 30 years.

Time it has failed:
kept seeds too cold - they took almost 5 to 10 times longer to germinate. I was in no hurry and was curious if they would germinate. They did, but weren't very eager about it. about 65-70 f temp. Plants grew normally.

I spaced off and didn't check the towels and allowed them to dry out. The seeds that popped out and allowed to dry up - were toast. Those that didn't, did germinate after they were resoaked. Plants grew normally.

On a few occasions, I put the damp paper towels on the kitchen window ledge, no direct sunlight - but lit. They germinated the same, no difference except needing water added more often due to evaporation.

We tend to over worry about a plant - that in reality is a weed that wants to grow out of control and take over the yard. No matter.

I've planted seed directly to soil, but like you - I wanna see them germinate instead of waiting for something that may or may not pop out of the soil. But none the less - I get the same germination success rate.

Tossing them on top of the soil and letting them do their own natural thing as if they fell from the mother plant herself in nature. Well, I've never done it on purpose, but I have in my youth, carelessly tossed some seeds out on the patio when rolling doobies, only to find some nifty plants growing weeks later.

Anyways, where I'm getting at is - as long as the seeds are damp and warm - you've got plants coming. I think your problem was simply just temperature, if you had put them in a warm location for a couple more days, they would most likely have taken off. By the way, when you do find a good spot for germinating, stay the course - don't fix what isn't broken. Your closet seems to be the ideal temp.

 

[WeedKrazy420]

thanks man for explaing some more ways to germ! only one killer bagseed popped up but hell better than none! i got 5 seeds of various kinds including some from a previous gro and some from some more great bagseed. i am gonna try this again and see whats up. i will not use my great strains until i get all my seeds to work and then i will grow them. i am experimenting with bagseed. i planted my one bagseed that grew in a 1 gallon pot today and will see how it takes off. if these peats don't work this time i will try the paper towel method and see how i like that. thats alot for all the help guys!!