How do you germinate your cannabis seeds?
I was on the streets of Twitter, and I came across this post, and it got me thinking, well, germinating cannabis seeds may not be as oblivious.
https://twitter.com/PushinPetunias/status/1650172003482058758
So, not to leave anything to luck, let's talk about it: What is the most effective germination method that has worked for you, and you can trust it to come through any time?
Answers
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I have had good luck with the paper towel and distilled water. First, I put the seeds in a small glass of distilled water for about a day until they sink to the bottom, then I fold a towel up a bunch of times so it fits on a small plate. Dump the water and seeds onto the towel and using tweezers, put the seeds in the middle of the towels and dump off the excess water. Add distilled a couple times a day so the towel never dries out and in about three days with SeedConnect seeds, you will have a root sticking out about a quarter inch and ready to plant with the root facing down. I plant mine into the buckets I grown them in with the soil very wet first. I use a shot glass to cover the sprout and water with a spray bottle so the little plant doesn't get washed away. As the sprout gets bigger, I use a bigger glass untill it's a good 3 or 4 inches tall and rooted well. After a few days I switch to regular water in milk bottles left out a couple days to reduce the chorine. I always use PH down in my water, about a tsp. per gallon gets you a nice yellow color in the tester, closer to 6 on the scale. With good soil, lighting and fertilizer, you will have a nice plant in about 10 weeks loaded with buds.
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Hey Ozz,
Nice to meet you. Excited me with a grin on my face.
Anyways you haven't missed any details. Thank you for sharing, and we are happy to have you in the community.
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One mistake in there. It's a half a tsp of PH down to a gallon of water, a light half of a tsp.
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I soak my seeds in 50/50 peroxide and water for 24 hours. Then between 2 moust paper towels and in a baggie. Usually I put the baggie ontop of my light driver. This 4/20 I treated myself to a propagation set up. Cell tray, humidity dome, ac infinity seedling mat, plus an inkbird temp controller I won in an instagram giveaway. Using it first time today.
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All of mine go straight to the dirt and to a good window seal or the garden.
Here is a Runtz and Black Mamba started from seed in garden. 6 weeks and a couple days old. Grew them as always at a 45 degree angle. Feed plants only fish & kelp emulsion. All branches have been topped ready for the stretch. People forget it's just a weed. So kiss it.
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@bigfishtools actually cannabis isn't a weed by definition. It is often confused as one because of derogatory labeling and monsterization. You know, people love roses but hate weeds. Psychologically the term weed is supposed to leave you feeling negatively towards the plant.
It is actually an annual flower like Petunia or Pansies, growing for one season then dying.
I see you're outdoors, do any indoor growing?
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Hello growers,
I love the healthy space where we can constructively share differences in opinion and challenge each other.
The word "weed" actually comes from the Old English word "wēod," which simply meant "a herb" or "a plant." It wasn't until much later that it became associated with wild or unwanted plants, which is how we tend to think of it today.
When it comes to cannabis, the term "weed," in my opinion, originated from the fact that it is a fast-growing, hardy plant that can thrive in various environments. Like other weeds, we can't deny that cannabis spread and survived without much human intervention.
However, as cannabis has been domesticated and selectively bred over the years, it has become clear that it still requires care and maintenance to produce the best possible yields. Like any other crop, cannabis needs the right nutrients, water, and environmental conditions to thrive.
So while the term "weed" may have originally been used to describe a wild and self-sufficient plant, it's important to remember that even cannabis requires attention and cultivation to reach its full potential. With proper care, cannabis can produce high-quality buds that are the envy of any gardener!
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@bigfishtools , the garden looks lovely, and the effort reflects on the plants.
I think the beauty of cannabis is the reward in terms of potency and yield you get proportionate to the effort, which is encouraging even for a first-timer grower and a challenge to keep getting better with each grow.
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I have had awesome results from home germination green house kit from any hardware store
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Hello @useLess
You are welcome to the community. Thank you for sharing. Truly. you can even order some online.
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This thread is fantastic, and I love the interaction!
First and foremost, a shout-out to bigfishtools.
I wholeheartedly agree that cannabis is "just a weed," but for me, it's also a cherished herb. Growing it doesn't require rocket science, though I can imagine it could if we had NASA's budget!When germinating cannabis seeds, I prefer a good soil mix. Planting directly in soil has worked well for me. I've had a 100% germination rate using seeds from theseedconnect.com. Minimizing the handling and movement of the seeds or seedlings reduces the risk of failure.
I believe the Old School germination methods originated from a time when people grew what they smoked. The weed you bought on the street was almost always filled with seeds, commonly known as Mexican Dirt Weed. Back then, if you took a dozen or so seeds, perhaps only half of them would sprout. Germination served as a way to ensure that only viable sprouts were planted.
I want to thank Dasiy for initiating such an informative thread. I'm eagerly looking forward to hearing more from everyone.
Take care, Shoe
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Hey @SHOE, you are welcome. 100% germination! That's impressive. And you are right; minimizing handling and movement reduces stress on seeds and guarantees higher germination rates, but that is ideal when you trust the seeds you are germinating.
However, if you want proof of viability, soaking seeds in lukewarm water for 24 hours is a good idea because you have a taproot popping.
Here are more interesting ideas on seed germination that I found on Twitter, https://twitter.com/mgrowhub/status/1663910181191778309 -
Boy what a topic! I've been growing for a few years, nothing major, just some home grown weed for self-consumption. I have struggled over the years with germinating my seeds. I grow in soil so I have tried the many version of germination from straight into the soil, peat pots, water glass, you name it. However, I seemed to stay away from the paper towel method for some reason until recently. For my last two grows, I tried the paper towel method, and wow...every seed germinated. How I do it might be slightly different in that I soak the seeds overnight, then put them in gently soaked paper towels then lock then in a medium-sized, square Tupperware container. This approach seems to keep the humidity and doesn't dry out the towels. I've germinated about a dozens seeds this way and all have popped within a few days (all Seedconnect seeds!).
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Wow, @Slayer68, forgive my late reply. Thank you for sharing, and we are glad to have you on the forum.
Soaking seeds overnight is a way to prove the viability of your seeds. It saves you time and money germinating seeds directly that ain't viable.
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I am totally old school...I'm 67yrs old and started growing in the 70s...back then we just put them in the ground and hoped for the best...we didn't know the difference between male and female seeds until after trial and elimination we figured it out...Columbian Gold was my favorite and after eliminating the males it was the tastiest around...the buzz was good too!
As years went by I started making my own female seeds, still sticking them about a third inch into the soil...took some horticulture classes which gave me better insight into the science of growing...yep, a third of an inch, a little water from the hose I left out overnight in glass milk bottles...Boom...after 3 days in the dark they would come up big and strong...
I had learned to amend the soil I was using and started growing in 10gal pots...my product kept getting better and better the more I educated myself through books and other accomplished growers...As time went by and fans and lights came to market I moved everything indoors...found controlling the "weather " as we called it produced some of the best cannabis around...to this day I still start my seeds in dirt a third of an inch down, a little water, and a humidity dome gave me 97% germination...it's been a very fun and lucrative hobby and to this day I still enjoy watching that little seed becoming one of the most beautiful plants around...and damn...it's soooo good!!!
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Hey @Chiprx1. We are glad to have you in the community. Thank you sharing. This is quiet the experience. I look forward to hearing more about your growing experience over the years
