Newbie ??: germination and initial planting

[artemisinked]

Hi folks- hope you can help. Newbie here- just sprouted several seeds. There are conflicting views about how to plant germed seeds but many say plant with tap root up. I did and this morning, tap root was sticking up above the soil. At the time, I didn't know it was the tap root, so I removed the humidity cover and turned on the grow lights. After some research today, I realize that it is the tap root and I shouldn't have taken off the cover and the root shouldn't be sticking up.

Will these little guys be okay until I get home and can make a deeper hole for them and put the humidity cover back on? Or have I just toasted these newly germed seeds and need to start again?

Many thanks for the help.

[jcj77d]

u need to carfully get those tap roots down, & u dont need lights til they sprout. if u dont want to risk messing up the tap root, try to loosen up the soil around them very good & put about a 1/8-1/4" of soil on top of the seeds, & if u have a heat mat use it, the tap roots will follow the heat.

[artemisinked]

Thanks so much! One other question- do you think they'll be okay for a few hours until I can get home (or have I just inadvertently fried the tap root by exposing it to any light at all)? I really hope not- I got all excited when they sprouted.

For background: I'm using a basic flourescent grow lamp- nothing fancy and it doesn't throw off much heat at all. It's about three inches away from the soil/exposed root. The soilless growing medium is nicely damp and has water retention crystals and they're in peat pots that are properly saturated.

[turbo59x]

hey guys,
i just started germinating some seeds about 40 hrs ago
i started them in a cup with water.
then after some time placed in a wet paper towel
now today i just woke up after a long night of drinking and forgot to water the towel.
this morning the towel was dry and crispy.

i immediately watered. r these guys still ok.
2 of them have the tap root minimally exposed. im worried for these.
should i plant or leave in paper towel?????\

thanks for any advice

[Revolution]

Once the tap root is exposed, you can plant them in soil taproot facing downwards. They'll sprout in a few days.

[dcoully123]

turn them round and dont worry

[turbo59x]

yehh the two tht had the tap root slightly exposed.
i just soaked them before planting.
and hopefully in a few days i should see sprouts.

any helpful tips to insure a sprout.

[DrTrichome]

When germinating, moisture is crucial so keeping a high humidity is a good idea. Put the seeds in a moist paper towel folded and moistened with warm water and place in a ziplock bag (just like bean sprouts in grade school!). Close the bag and place it on top of your refridgerator or somewhere sort of warm (a seedling heating mat would be ideal, but anything warm, not hot, will work fine). Within a few days you will have a root coming from your seeds. Plant that sucker in your grow medium with the root facing down and keep it moist but not super wet. You most likely won't have to open the plastic ziplock until the roots have bursted and you are ready to transplant.

[turbo59x]

eyy DOC,
thanks for that detailed insight. I just like grade school. Seems to be helping i see some action going on. Hopefully i can message you with some questions that come about during my grow.

now my seeds look okay, seems the clone i got will just be extra.

[DrTrichome]

Use the search feature of this forum. You can find lots of great advice that way just like I did. Feel free to pm me with any questions or better yet, put them on this thread so that everyone can learn from them. Good Luck!

[whoreable]

I use the paper towel + tupper ware device and set them in a trash bag next to a Heater at about 90F+

those seeds will pop in about 24 hours, with a fat root.

[turbo59x]

yeah,
so i got my root and one of them now has pushed itself out of the soil and the root is partially curled. placed it in so the seed is barely peeking the surface and the root is submerged it soil.

when should i consider transplanting to a larger more permanent pot?