Does anyone know of such a thing as a seed germinating system, lately I have been having problems with my germinating technique. I have a seed germinating mat and I have tried using humidity domes, paper towel methods, dark & light methods and still I have had problems with some of my seeds either taking a long time to pop or not popping at all. I was wondering if there was a system being sold like the clone machines.
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seed germinating system
- Thread starter james lee
- Start date
dociron
Active member
I fold a plain paper towel into 4 spaces, 3 folds, I splash with RO water.
Then unfold the last fold , place seeds inside, put package into a ziplock baggy,
I breathe into the bag, seal only half way, fold bag gently around my babes and place somewhere warm. Then check each day, ok?
Then unfold the last fold , place seeds inside, put package into a ziplock baggy,
I breathe into the bag, seal only half way, fold bag gently around my babes and place somewhere warm. Then check each day, ok?
G
Guest
If the seeds aren't popping open, there are a couple of things you can try.
Some seed shells are very thick and hard. "Scarifying" the seeds helps; there are two methods I know of.
The first is not my preference (I'm a klutz) - use a pen knife to lightly scrape along the seam of the seed to thin it some and make it easier to pop open.
The second and my preference is roughen the shell of the seed with sandpaper; I do this by lining a small box or container with fine sandpaper and lightly shaking the seed around inside the box OR I place the seeds between two fine sandpaper sponges and twist the two sponges together to roughen the shell. The reason for twisting instead of a linear rub is that the seeds are much less likely to pop out and get lost.
The other method, which can be used together with scarifying the seeds, is to add some hydrogen peroxide to the soak water. I use a coffee cup with about 8 oz of water and add about 1/2 tsp of 3% H2O2 to the water. Put the seeds in and place the cup in a spot that is about 78-82F for 24 hours. I usually see the seeds slightly popped open at this point with a bit of root sticking out.
Pre-wet and/or pre-condition the medium as appropriate. Place the seeds into your preferred medium. You should see seedlings coming up in 2-3 days.
I use a cup of perlite with just a pinch of vermiculite mixed into the perlite around the seed. I wet the perlite with pH-adjusted water at least 4 hours before placing the seeds. I place the cups in a container and I put the water in the container - the perlite will wick the water up fairly quickly. (You can also top-water the perlite, but that causes it to compact, so you will want to loosen the perlite before putting the seeds in.) I cover the cups with pieces of plastic wrap and put in a warm dark place (about 78-82F) until the seeds start coming up; I usually see sprouts in 48 hours after placing them in the cups. When the seedling is up, remove the plastic wrap & place under a cool fluoro light that is several inches above the cup. Keep it warm and fairly humid for the first couple of days; I feed the seedlings from the bottom so as to prevent the perlite from packing hard enough to make it difficult for the fresh roots to dig down.
It is very important to water the seedlings with pH-adjusted water. I've compared side-by-side and the success/vigor of seeds germinated and fed with pH adjusted water was a lot higher.
Good luck!
Some seed shells are very thick and hard. "Scarifying" the seeds helps; there are two methods I know of.
The first is not my preference (I'm a klutz) - use a pen knife to lightly scrape along the seam of the seed to thin it some and make it easier to pop open.
The second and my preference is roughen the shell of the seed with sandpaper; I do this by lining a small box or container with fine sandpaper and lightly shaking the seed around inside the box OR I place the seeds between two fine sandpaper sponges and twist the two sponges together to roughen the shell. The reason for twisting instead of a linear rub is that the seeds are much less likely to pop out and get lost.
The other method, which can be used together with scarifying the seeds, is to add some hydrogen peroxide to the soak water. I use a coffee cup with about 8 oz of water and add about 1/2 tsp of 3% H2O2 to the water. Put the seeds in and place the cup in a spot that is about 78-82F for 24 hours. I usually see the seeds slightly popped open at this point with a bit of root sticking out.
Pre-wet and/or pre-condition the medium as appropriate. Place the seeds into your preferred medium. You should see seedlings coming up in 2-3 days.
I use a cup of perlite with just a pinch of vermiculite mixed into the perlite around the seed. I wet the perlite with pH-adjusted water at least 4 hours before placing the seeds. I place the cups in a container and I put the water in the container - the perlite will wick the water up fairly quickly. (You can also top-water the perlite, but that causes it to compact, so you will want to loosen the perlite before putting the seeds in.) I cover the cups with pieces of plastic wrap and put in a warm dark place (about 78-82F) until the seeds start coming up; I usually see sprouts in 48 hours after placing them in the cups. When the seedling is up, remove the plastic wrap & place under a cool fluoro light that is several inches above the cup. Keep it warm and fairly humid for the first couple of days; I feed the seedlings from the bottom so as to prevent the perlite from packing hard enough to make it difficult for the fresh roots to dig down.
It is very important to water the seedlings with pH-adjusted water. I've compared side-by-side and the success/vigor of seeds germinated and fed with pH adjusted water was a lot higher.
Good luck!
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G
Guest
KISS
KISS
5 years, lost 2 seedlings from dampoff. 100% germ rate, even with 20 year old beans. (I found if I soak the old beans in the shot glasses placed on the heating mat until they sink works). You've already got the supplies it seems.
I found these 5 tablespoon tupperware containers with lids at the dollar store, 4 for a buck. Any SMALL container with lid will work well - the key is a small enough amount of ProMix (or your favorite) that will maintain a constant temp with no cold spots. You could probably get away with shot glasses but they are a little on the tiny side, cover them with saran wrap (snap lids are convenient because you will want to spritz each one a few times a day).
I use this sprouting greenhouse from Home Depot, $7.95 includes propogation heat pad.
After the seeds sink from the warm dark soak, I open a napkin all the way and tear it in half (use the other half for the next container). I fold the napkin and lay it across the lid, then place the cracked beans from the soak on it and spritz with water (out of habit my water is PHed neutral 7.0).
Fold half over the seeds, then close with the final half.
Place the seed cocoon into the container and give the whole thing a couple spritzes with the mist sprayer
Place the containers in the sprouting greenhouse, spritz before closing the lid, and in a day or two they'll have tails. Fill containers loosely with your potting mix, shake or tap the side to settle and pat the top flat. Poke a hole less than 1/4" in the center of each to accept a seed, tail down, and carefully cover over with potting mix. Spritz the center twice. When all the containers are seeded, spritz the whole tray and close the lid.
Next day spritz your new sprouts, check for new tails, and close it up. When the sprouts pop up and open it's important not to let the container dry out. After a day or two or when they appear strong enough (opening the lid to check them and spritzing before closing toughens them up) roots can be seen through the bottom. Time to transplant to beer cups and move to heated and humid shelf.
When the first set of pointed leaves reach out and search for light and we can see roots out of the bottom of the beer cup they are ready to pot up and usually can be put under a bigger light.
This works for me and the only time I lose any is my stupidity. Hope this helps a little. See ya in chat.
KISS
5 years, lost 2 seedlings from dampoff. 100% germ rate, even with 20 year old beans. (I found if I soak the old beans in the shot glasses placed on the heating mat until they sink works). You've already got the supplies it seems.I found these 5 tablespoon tupperware containers with lids at the dollar store, 4 for a buck. Any SMALL container with lid will work well - the key is a small enough amount of ProMix (or your favorite) that will maintain a constant temp with no cold spots. You could probably get away with shot glasses but they are a little on the tiny side, cover them with saran wrap (snap lids are convenient because you will want to spritz each one a few times a day).
I use this sprouting greenhouse from Home Depot, $7.95 includes propogation heat pad.
After the seeds sink from the warm dark soak, I open a napkin all the way and tear it in half (use the other half for the next container). I fold the napkin and lay it across the lid, then place the cracked beans from the soak on it and spritz with water (out of habit my water is PHed neutral 7.0).
Fold half over the seeds, then close with the final half.
Place the seed cocoon into the container and give the whole thing a couple spritzes with the mist sprayer
Place the containers in the sprouting greenhouse, spritz before closing the lid, and in a day or two they'll have tails. Fill containers loosely with your potting mix, shake or tap the side to settle and pat the top flat. Poke a hole less than 1/4" in the center of each to accept a seed, tail down, and carefully cover over with potting mix. Spritz the center twice. When all the containers are seeded, spritz the whole tray and close the lid.
Next day spritz your new sprouts, check for new tails, and close it up. When the sprouts pop up and open it's important not to let the container dry out. After a day or two or when they appear strong enough (opening the lid to check them and spritzing before closing toughens them up) roots can be seen through the bottom. Time to transplant to beer cups and move to heated and humid shelf.
When the first set of pointed leaves reach out and search for light and we can see roots out of the bottom of the beer cup they are ready to pot up and usually can be put under a bigger light.
This works for me and the only time I lose any is my stupidity. Hope this helps a little. See ya in chat.
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Thanks for the pix it was quite informative and thanks to all with your feedback. Eventhough I was looking for a store bought system like the cloning machines this info gave me some pointers to compare with what I have been doing with my germination technique. I do like this site everyone is so helpful.
Youareborg
Member
I prefer to simply soak the seeds for a few hours and then sow them in soil kept moist until they break the surface. This has been by far my most successful method.
No offense JL but if you go to the store and buy all the items in 1tokes pictures and use his methods you should have [over the learning curve] as equal success.
Then when you eventually do get that pack of RM HJ's it will be worth it as the smoke is pretty good meds.
Then when you eventually do get that pack of RM HJ's it will be worth it as the smoke is pretty good meds.
G
Guest
Here is my system:
KISS - keep it simple stupid
Peace and love,
Agnes
KISS - keep it simple stupid
Peace and love,
Agnes
G
Guest
Verite said:
Gimme a break. ROFL $8.95 and a 20 pic slideshow. 
If that's too much of a learnin curve, ya better find a good dealer & forget about growin! 
Sorry, I know it's
G
Guest
No one's pissed, kind sir, nor did I see anyone ask for further clarification. What was questioned and answered or needed was taken care of in PM as your snide remarks and condescending attitude should be. I fail to understand why anyone would take offense at help offered in a thread, but I fail to understand a lot of things.
I offered a "seed germinating system" albeit assembled from inexpensive easily acquired components rather than an overpriced overhyped commercially sold system. I attempted to offer acceptable and proven alternatives.
As I stated elsewhere, sorry if I was off topic or more to the point failing to address the issue as you interpreted it. Some of us stoners are far from perfect and in our haste to help lose sight of what was being asked.
This is a community forum and we are all given the choice to agree to disagree on information without attempting to belittle anyone that participates in good faith. If anyone has a problem with my posts, take it to PM and we can dicsuss the matter, rather than muddying up a thread and further confusing the issue at hand.
Lighten up bro - after all, this IS the internet.
Peace.
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G
Guest
He (JL ) Should be listening and not just reading and rambling IMO.
One Toke's technique is a full proof (fool proof?) way that is guaranteed to work. Every single experienced grower I know uses clean (RO or distilled) water and paper towels in the dark. As soon as they sprout put 'em in soil or in a jiffy pot, whatever. Temps between 65-80 degrees F.
FACT - Not every seed sprouts in 1 or 2 days. Out of 10 seeds I sprouted over the last 2 weeks, only a couple sprouted in few days. It's called patience and not letting them dry out at any point. Make sure the seeds are viable too.
Don't be adament about buying some stupid machine that will waste money and space. I like the KISS technique too Agnes ...
But Hey, If you wanna spend money, I'm sure the bros at the shop would love to take your money.
One Toke's technique is a full proof (fool proof?) way that is guaranteed to work. Every single experienced grower I know uses clean (RO or distilled) water and paper towels in the dark. As soon as they sprout put 'em in soil or in a jiffy pot, whatever. Temps between 65-80 degrees F.
FACT - Not every seed sprouts in 1 or 2 days. Out of 10 seeds I sprouted over the last 2 weeks, only a couple sprouted in few days. It's called patience and not letting them dry out at any point. Make sure the seeds are viable too.
Don't be adament about buying some stupid machine that will waste money and space. I like the KISS technique too Agnes ...
But Hey, If you wanna spend money, I'm sure the bros at the shop would love to take your money.
NAACP
Member
All I do is take a shot glass filled with distilled water, I soak the seeds for 24hrs in the shot glass. After that I take the seeds out of the shot glass and into a wet paper towel. I then place the paper towel on a plate and place another plate upside down on the first plate. I have had a 100% sucsess with this method. GL
G
Guest
LOL!
So many of these techniques... I am surprised over my 15+ years growing I have not heard all of these!
Maybe it is because I have forgot what a "non-germed" seed feels like (I am sure it has happend ot me at some point, but I can't recall) especially with bought genetics, but I have never, and I mean NEVER used any methods (not syaing they don't work, I just never had to look into it) what so ever (other than natural sewing).
Here is my method which for me has a 100% germ rate for as long as I can remember! It costs around 25$ but an investment you will NEVER regret!
Sew the seed in the soil a little less than an inch down. This works best with shot glasses or little 2 oz. containers, fill with a light peat-based soil/mix.
Go to as craft store and pick up a 3$ picture frame's glass peice (just the glass no-frame, bought for replacing broken pictures). The best one is around 12x12 inches for around 9 plants in shot glasses, or 6 in 2 oz. cups, get bigger depending on what you are doing.
Now go to your local pet store. Here, in the reptile section you will find heat pads made from "Zoo-Med" in various sizes. Bring the glass peice and measure the pack with the size.
These heat pads "stick" on the bottom of reptile terruariums to keep them warm, not hot...warm, should be about $20.00. In your case it will be stuck on one side of the glass. Get a heat pad that will leaves you around 2-3 square inches of glass around the pad. This is important because you DO NOT WANT YOUR SEEDLINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAD, ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE EDGES, THE POT SHOULD BE 1/4 OVER GLASS AND THE OTHER 3/4 HALF ON THE PAD'S EDGE, THIS IS SO IT WON'T GET TOO WARM FOR IT. (in the pcitures below they are all in the middle of the pad to get the picture, and I have turned my pad off as I no longer need it... usually they would be in a "circle/square" around the edges.)
With the heat pack you will also get 4 plastic "risers" that you will stick in the four corners of the glass peice, to rise it high enough so the heat packing sticking on the bottom won't touch the ground (usually this would go in the four corners of the aquarium/terrarium). You may need to stack and tape quarters on the to riseers it a bit more as the glass is thinner for pictures than for reptiles. Or if you have a grate to put them on they won't need to risers (see pictures, I have this).
Now place your glass down and plug in the pad, and stick whatever lighting above them. The pad will bring the warmth from bottom, inducing a seed to sprout. Give it 72 hours and by the third night you will have a popper.
Make sure to plant the seed "pointy side" (the side you would 'split' with other methods) up. Make sure the soil stays moist, and water them using a spoon.Give them nutrual PH (7.0) water.
This is pretty much fail proof. I am skeptical about pictures but.... here is my current pictures with 4 SAGE, 2 STRAW D, and one late (the one not sprouted yet, but I can see the head) rhino that was planted about 2 days after the others, fearing I might not get 4 females).
Just before their spoonful of watering
Hopefully that has helped out, ask me any question you like, I may have left something out....
Messiah
So many of these techniques... I am surprised over my 15+ years growing I have not heard all of these!
Maybe it is because I have forgot what a "non-germed" seed feels like (I am sure it has happend ot me at some point, but I can't recall) especially with bought genetics, but I have never, and I mean NEVER used any methods (not syaing they don't work, I just never had to look into it) what so ever (other than natural sewing).
Here is my method which for me has a 100% germ rate for as long as I can remember! It costs around 25$ but an investment you will NEVER regret!
Sew the seed in the soil a little less than an inch down. This works best with shot glasses or little 2 oz. containers, fill with a light peat-based soil/mix.
Go to as craft store and pick up a 3$ picture frame's glass peice (just the glass no-frame, bought for replacing broken pictures). The best one is around 12x12 inches for around 9 plants in shot glasses, or 6 in 2 oz. cups, get bigger depending on what you are doing.
Now go to your local pet store. Here, in the reptile section you will find heat pads made from "Zoo-Med" in various sizes. Bring the glass peice and measure the pack with the size.
These heat pads "stick" on the bottom of reptile terruariums to keep them warm, not hot...warm, should be about $20.00. In your case it will be stuck on one side of the glass. Get a heat pad that will leaves you around 2-3 square inches of glass around the pad. This is important because you DO NOT WANT YOUR SEEDLINGS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PAD, ONLY ON THE OUTSIDE EDGES, THE POT SHOULD BE 1/4 OVER GLASS AND THE OTHER 3/4 HALF ON THE PAD'S EDGE, THIS IS SO IT WON'T GET TOO WARM FOR IT. (in the pcitures below they are all in the middle of the pad to get the picture, and I have turned my pad off as I no longer need it... usually they would be in a "circle/square" around the edges.)
With the heat pack you will also get 4 plastic "risers" that you will stick in the four corners of the glass peice, to rise it high enough so the heat packing sticking on the bottom won't touch the ground (usually this would go in the four corners of the aquarium/terrarium). You may need to stack and tape quarters on the to riseers it a bit more as the glass is thinner for pictures than for reptiles. Or if you have a grate to put them on they won't need to risers (see pictures, I have this).
Now place your glass down and plug in the pad, and stick whatever lighting above them. The pad will bring the warmth from bottom, inducing a seed to sprout. Give it 72 hours and by the third night you will have a popper.
Make sure to plant the seed "pointy side" (the side you would 'split' with other methods) up. Make sure the soil stays moist, and water them using a spoon.Give them nutrual PH (7.0) water.
This is pretty much fail proof. I am skeptical about pictures but.... here is my current pictures with 4 SAGE, 2 STRAW D, and one late (the one not sprouted yet, but I can see the head) rhino that was planted about 2 days after the others, fearing I might not get 4 females).
Just before their spoonful of watering
Hopefully that has helped out, ask me any question you like, I may have left something out....
Messiah
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I soak mine in distilled water with one drop of liquid karma. I keep the temps luke warm and let them soak for about 4 hours. In the meantime, I make sure the soil they are going into are moist and warm (80F.) I take a pencil and poke a hole about a half an inch down and then drop the seed into the hole. I keep the temps warm until they pop and then drop the temps down to the mid seventies. I use flouros on the seedlings for about 5 days before I turn on the MH light.
G
Guest
I go with Gohydro and NAACP......
I go with Gohydro and NAACP......
Scuff with some sandpaper in a pill box
Place in pure water for 24hr and tap the floaties down like Gohydro then to paper towels until tails then plant tail tip down into grow cube (no rock wool) an d up in 1-5 days. 100% except with bad seeds......... easy no fuss no mess and no guess.
Peace
I go with Gohydro and NAACP......
Scuff with some sandpaper in a pill box
Place in pure water for 24hr and tap the floaties down like Gohydro then to paper towels until tails then plant tail tip down into grow cube (no rock wool) an d up in 1-5 days. 100% except with bad seeds......... easy no fuss no mess and no guess.
Peace
