im wondering if i can germinate seeds in a more colder environment like my basement. I have Jiffy peat pellets with the dome but i dont have a heating pad and its around 55 in my basement, will this be alright or do i need to have them warmer, will this affect germ rate?
Why would you put them in the basement? I use the cup of water method of germination with great results. Soak your seeds in some distilled water for about 24 hours until most have sunk, cracked and tap roots are just starting to emerge. Then put them right into your grow medium with a light on and ready for when they come up. During the soak I just keep a small cup with the distilled water in a kitchen cabinet and it works fine.
I dont really want to do it that way because im probbaly gunna fuck up with the tap root by breaking it or some shit id rather just put it directly into the peat pelllets?
I just lost 2 seeds due to cold germing temps, I moved my stuff into a heated room and am having much better luck.
Just don't let the tap root get too long. After a 24 hour soak the tap root will just barely be poking out. I see some folks with tap roots during germination that look like snakes and if you had them that long I could understand the concern. I have never damaged a seed with this method. A tip for extracting them if you do this is to use a plastic straw cut at an angle, works great, lets you place the seed perfectly without harming it. I'd take my chances with that as opposed to germinating at low temps.
Peat pellets aren't ideal for germinating seeds and cold temps will either severly slow the seeds development or just flat out kill them. Cup of water is the best way I have come across It's not hard plant them just after crack and there is no tap root to break off. I have lost lots of seeds in paper towels though due to dry out, and entanglement. If your set in your way though do whatever. Seeds in peat pellets seem to mold to me.
If you are using soil, you can just put your seeds in the soil and put some water on them.. All my seeds have germinated this way..
ya i guess you could put it a moist paper towel and under a regular house in a lamp to germinate it just to keep the seed worm