Germination advice

No brainer.

 

Did all 5 of your seeds sprout last grow (have tails)? If so, I would repeat the process with the paper towel. It sounds like the trouble came with the peat pods. I would make changes there. Maybe even eliminating the peat pod step and go right into a small pot.

 

Mother nature doesn't have sandpaper and paper towels. Small pot, seed starter soil, pre-wet the soil, pop the seed in, wait.

 

Final pot, pro-mix, stick seed in, water, wait.

 

Lights don't matter until she pops her pretty little head up.

 

put it under the light 18/6, lower intensity, once it sprouts adjust light based on plant response.

 

I've many grows with GH White Widow, and have GH Super Critical on the go now..4l pots

I do extract from my freezer to a jar lined with sandpaper, shake for 30-45secs
and drop to a warm jar with a tsp of aloe vera as a surfactant
leave for a max of 8 hours or until they sink(means less air now)
and leave on a heat mat in damp sponge, 27c/77f for 24 hours then to a rapid rooter

note: they can and do drown

good luck

 

These fine folks have been growing for a very long time in the Emerald Triangle. Good people.

 

"mess with em enough & you will kill them for sure" was written about me. All I do now is put em in a cup of water (floating) (ph corrected) & DO NOT touch them. when tails are > an " plant em in soil in a pint/solo cup, whatev. no more hood or heat mat unless real cold, which aint too likely here.

 

Fold a paper towel twice. Wet it throughly but not dripping. Unfold one fold. Put seeds in about a half inch below the remaining fold. This will allow space for the hull to come off. Resold the towel over the seeds. Fold the towel into aluminum foil and fold the edges over to keep moisture in and light out. Stand it up on edge in an area that will be more or less at a comfortable temperature. Check it in 3days. If the seeds are fresh they will have sprouted and have a root an inch or two long. Carefully and gently grasp the root and carefully lower it into a hole in soil with the cotyledons just above the soil. Carefully push soil up against it and water it.

Every one I’ve done this way has grown.