Hi guys, New to this forum. I have always grown from clone. However, i am away to undertake my first seed grow. I plan to use the paper towel method to germinate, then plant her root down 1/4" down in soil. I was wondering if, when im germinating with paper towels, i can place the paper towels inbetween 2 saucers and under the light for heat and humidity. Also, when i plant it in soil, should i put it straight under the light and on 18/6? cheers
Any dark space works well. I usually put the seeds in a shot glass for 24 hours regardless if they have poped put them in towels and 2-3 days later ready to plant. Your plant does not have any light requirements till the first leaves pop. So yes you can put it under the light and no you dont have to instantly. Is it fine?...sure. THe sun does not turn off when seedlings emerge out in nature.
I have been studying various germination methods recently and found the majority of people either use paper towel method or plant seed directly in soil or rockwool or such to germinate. I also see many people soak the seeds from 12-24 hours and then do one of the above. Got so confusing when I was exploring this topic...but yet it really is very simple. To germinate the seed needs moisture, darkness, and heat. From what I have read, temp should be like 68-88 degrees F...wide range. If you know it is "tropical" strain then as high as 90 degree F...moisture means damp and not soaking wet. If the seed has a very hard shell or is older soaking can be of benefit...like farmers soak pea seeds before germing. Dark means "dark"...as it would be if the seed were in nature and underground waiting for the right conditions to occur so it could germinate. Now all that being said...I personally think the easiest way would be just paper towel method and then to soil (as you said) under lights at 18/6. Paper towels on a small plate and another plate over it for the "darkness" and also will help keep moisture in. Maybe use those tall red drink cups with holes punched in bottom...that way you can get a nice tap root! Good luck to you! Jake
I used the paper towel method with great success. Just keep them in a warm dark place and just slightly damp and they will pop just about every time with quality seeds. That being said, I love the ease and sucess rates I have seen with rapid rooters. Germinating in a towel, I still used starter plugs once the seed germed. With the rapid rooter setup, I just drop the seed in the rooter. No soaking seeds, no paper towels, just plugs. No ph'ing like rock wool and no soggy peat pellets that either dry too fast or stay too moist. A tray with a humidity dome and heat mat will run around $50 or so but damn it is worth it to me. I have sprouted probably 50 plants, mj and others, and had 3 failures from seed. One bag seed and two blue mystic autos from nirvana never popped.
paper towel method in a SEALED plastic container sitting on a WARM not hot object like a DVD player, DVR.
I am with joker here. Paper towels? Really? DVD players? Serious? Transplanting a taproot is easier? C'mon! Rapid rooters or root riot plugs are the absolute easiest things to get your plants started in. You saturate them and plant the seed and that's it. Just wait. I recently got a very good germination rate out of them. The real benefit though is that they are spongey and solid, which makes the transplanting process exceedingly easy and less stressful compared to a crumbly media. They are super cheap and work very, very well.
Cheers for all your input guys. Think im gonna go for the paper towel method as it seems the simplest while still having a great success rate. Would it be advisable to put the plates in my tent just for heat and humidity? (making sure they are still in complete darkness ofcourse) R
I've had success planting directly in moist soil, but i'm going to try the paper towel method my next grow. Instead of using plates just put the paper towel in a zip lock bag or a sandwich baggie. Will keep the humidity up for the towels.
Cool, ill probably use the zip lock bag technique and just put something over it to block out all light. Clones are so much easier but im gonna have to learn eventually haha. cheers R
First time grower here!!, just done the paper towel method and it has worked a treat 4 me, well 3 out of 5 so far and only put them away in dark room 24 hours ago, well impressed with the method, didn't think it would be that easy. Oww the seeds are The seven dwarfs cyclops, ak47xlowrider #2x lowrider 1,just potted them and put them under cfl so got me fingers crossed now lol