Germination 420

Forget germination 101

A complete run through on the process of germination, its something I know how to do and I love to help the city and its people, so here goes.


To start off, gather your seeds together in once place, with white paper towels, and clean water.... filtered, bottled, or tap, and some sort of container. I use a tupperware container, it is better than a plastic bag and more air-tight. If inconvenient or unavailable, a plastic bag will still suffice. It does not have to be 100% airtight, but it needs to hold moisture in adequately. Some folks recommend adding bleach...I don't, it can mess up your grow and is generally unhealthy for the plant. Regular untouched distilled water works fine for me. Once you have your supplies gathered, you can begin.

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:15 PM.
My grammar skills 7 years ago weren't quite what they are today.

next on the ol Stylez agenda...

Use about 3 layers of paper towels. I wet them well, not to the point of dripping, yet not completely wrung dry. The paper towels should be damp. Place the seeds on the bottom layer, and lay the top layer over top of the seeds. The entire surface of the paper towels should be wet. No piece of the paper towel should protrude from the container, or hang over the edge, it will wick the water out. Make sure that both sides of the seed are in contact with the wet paper towel layers. You can press down lightly to ensure contact.

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:18 PM.

Close the container which contains the seeds and put it is a warm Dark area. Warm does not mean hot. Normal room temperature is warm enough. If you are in a very cold environment, you can use the top of your computer monitor, or the top of a fluorescent light fixture to provide warmth, but again, warm does not mean hot. Check your seeds at least twice daily, and remember to fan in lots of fresh air when you check them. Do not poke them, or turn them over, or mess with them at all. Time is doing its work, and it takes as long as it takes. If the paper towels seem to be drying out, spoon a bit of water in, but DO NOT drown them. The general idea is to not bother your seedlings too much. They want to grow.

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:20 PM.

Eventually, when you check your seeds, you will see a small white thing emerging from your seed. This is the young root tip, and it is the entire future of your plant. Do not touch it, or poke it, or let it dry out. Don't let it grow too long, either..... this is the most delicate time in the life of a plant, and if the root tip gets too long and curls, it is much more vulnerable to damage. Just cover it back up and go get your supplies together for planting it. Get everything ready.. soil mixed, pots together, etc. I hope everything is going well so far.

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:21 PM.

Your potting mix should be loose and not too lumpy. I plan on just using a walmart soil, it will work fine for our purpose. Keep in mind not to use a soil with a time-release fertilizer. Dont add fertilizer yet it should have the nutrients it needs for about 24 days. Your choice of pot is optional.
I recommend something at least 6 inches deep, and be sure and check for lots of drainage holes. Party cups with holes at the bottom are my for your beginning plant, though temporary, they are cheap and readily available. Fill your pot (or cup) with your soil, water it well, and set it aside to drain. Do this before you start messing with your seeds. Once the pot has drained 10-15 minutes, take a pen, a screwdriver, anything that is small and pointed, and make a slight depression in the soil in the middle of the pot. Your seeds want to be planted only about 1 inch deep, no more. Transfer the germinated seed into the hole you made very carefully. Ths is the moment you are most liable to damage your sprout. Use careful fingers, or a tiny spoon to move it, do not squish or roll it around. It will be beneficial if the root tip lands pointing down, but moving them around too much is more dangerous than letting the tip point sideways. Just be careful, this is not a step to do when you are stoned . Cover the seed with a bit of loose soil, and stop. Never pour water on a planted seed, this is why we watered and drained the pot first. The soil should already be wet enough for your seedling. Cover the pot with something to keep moisture in, such as plastic baggies as shown below. You are trying to keep the dampness in, as you will not be watering an unsprouted, planted seed. It is fine the way it is. Set your pot in your growroom, which should already be set up. Leave it alone. While you are waiting, there is much going on within your grow medium. Cannabis sends out a taproot first, your little root tip is growing and getting settled in before it allows the sprout to break ground. Check your pots a couple of times a day, but do not water them, and do not poke them, let them be.

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:28 PM.

Great info on germination Stylez1877...btw I'd like to add that big appliances don't necessary have to be turned on to create enough energy to keep the seeds warm.

Here it is, a sprout! This signals successful germination, how cute . This little sprout has been hidden away in a seed, just waiting for someone to come along and give it the proper conditions to grow, and you have successfully done that! Good job! Once in awhile a remnant of the seed will be sticking to the sprout..... leave it alone for a day or so. If it persists in hanging on you can carefully try to remove it, but give the plant a chance to take care of it on its own.

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:30 PM.

The next day or two your plant will look like this, the first round leaves will have opened entirely, and are a good healthy green. If a part of seed case is still hanging on, you can try now to gingerly remove it, as I previously stated. If it won't come off, just wait another day. These first round leaves are called cotyledons.This baby plant wants to grow and flower... as long as you stay out of its way and provide a few things, it will grow and do well. Congratulations! This is a successfully germinated plant!

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:31 PM.

This is your plant at two weeks. At this point, I consider it a plant in its vegetative state, and germination completed.
Again.. your plant wants to grow and do well... it is usually our own interference that causes it problems.

Good luck!

P.S - I didnt take these pictures so I dont get all the credit

that is the most helpfull information i have ever read on germination. well i already fcuked up my seeds . guess i gotta get some new ones and follow your process. THX YOU

germination is done when the first true leaf starts to make sugars for the plant...which means that the cotyleton isnt a true leaf, that roundish little first leaf that comes up.

Correct.

Edited by Stylez, 11 July 2010 - 08:29 PM.

hey thnx 4 ur info stylez1877. i havent started the germination process yet but i found out a lot whilst reading ur thread. thanx agen.

i was meaning to ask . . .
im kinda confused about the paper towels bit, did u means soak 3 paper towels so it forms a bottom layer then soak another 3 and place them on the seeds or have i mis-read wat u were trying 2 say?

3 layers, 1 on bottom 2 on top, is what I do, but the # of paper towls shouldnt matter much.

what a weird coincidence...i was going to post a question on germination. you musta read my mind!!!!!!!!!!!


THANK YOU VERY VERY MUCH!!!! EXTREMLY HELPFUL!!!

_B_

thanks stylez

I was having trouble germinating my seeds ( taking too long for me ) so I cracked them a little bit and then put em back in the paper towel. Next day, they all had germinated.

This isn't recommended but it did work.

Actually all i dos plob them in the ground and water them and its done they pop up after a while get some pite on em and then boomgrowing!

Great read. My seeds just finished day 1. Hope I get some soon.