A customer has a question and I hope we can get some opinions on it, thanks.
"My cousin grew 2 plants before and he said that I might’ve shocked the seeds by exposing them to light while the root was visible. On the other hand I think I might’ve had them in a place where the temperature was a little to high during the paper towel germination part. I placed them behind my refrigerator (while in a dark container) near all the electrical stuff but I think that might’ve been a little too warm in my opinion. I also heard you can add a tad bit of cloning solution in your germination water. I think I’ll do without rockwool this time. I read that the pH in rockwool might affect the seedings. With that being said I ordered a pH tester. "
Soak seeds 24 hours in ambient tap water and then place directly in soil unless your growing hydro in which case I don’t know. Works 99% of the time so long as you have good seeds. I dislike the paper towel method because the taproot likes to grow through the towel and becomes an unnecessary risk to your plant. I have never used any solutions for germination. If you keep it warm (70-80°F) and moist then you shouldn’t have any problems.
Rockwool is inert. It does not affect you seedlings. I use rockwool exclusively for MMJ seeds and I have over a 95% success rate with Robert’s genetics.
Although many growers share the idea that you have to PH balance rockwool; This is total myth. Seeds and seedlings cannot uptake nutrients to about the time they have 4-5 true sets of leaves, and therefore do not need to have any PH adjustment. The PH adjustment comes if you water PH is too far beyond 6.0-7.0 PH Rockwoll is 7.0 (neutral). You can start and grow seeds inn rockwool with no worries.
Why do you think that all clones sold in MMJ dispensaries are in 1.5" rockwool cubes? I will tell you. It is because they are the best starter cube ever conceived of.
Yes. It is recommended to put paper towel container on top of ‘frig’, not behind it!
And; Yes; Exposing a fresh taproot to light is a bad idea.
This is just my process and I’ve had 100% germ rate even with bag seed.
Get a cup, a regular drinking glass will do fine, fill it with regular water, any water really. Put the seeds in the water and poke them all under the water for a second or two then put them in a dark place in cabinet or something. FORGET about them for 24-72 hrs, check for sunk seeds and taproot or seed crack. Then get a plate (not plastic or styrofoam) and a paper towel, fold it in 3rds and get it moist, and put the seeds into the moist napkin and fold over the napkin to close any open air areas. I then get another paper towel get it moist and put it on top of the napkin with seeds just to make sure it stays humid and moist. Put another plate on top to close off any light and put them on a warming mat (or in my case I use the cable box under my tv to warm the plates.) Forget for another 24-48 and wham, Bam, Thank you ma’am I usually have a nice long tap root to start off with! Works every time, but I do have other ways of starting them that have been about 95% successful as well. I know this seems like a lot but it’s actually fairly easy I just wrote a lot haha.
Happy Growing Friend!
-Manny
Thanks for clearing that up had me all sorts of confused then lol… only reason i asked @latewood is i want to see how early i can get away with giving youngsters nutes… personally i have always waited 2weeks from seed popping the riot block, but being as auto’s have very limited initial grow time i want to see what liberty’s i can take with them, my 2 testers 1 photo 1 auto both 6days from breaking ground so will give them so 1/4strength nutes tomorrow and keep a close eye on them
@Manny_FTGUTube i with you almost… pop the seed into Root Riot add 10 drops of water place under a t5 go back in 48hrs to seed popping its head up through
Now we are getting off topic. This is a propagation topic. However; The next thing after propagation is adding nutrients.
You never add nutrients until you have 4-5 true sets of alternating leaves. Do not try to jump the gun or risk burning up the root zone. On Auto genetics, this would be a crucial mistake,
IN soil; I feed my vegging plants full strength, or at least 600-800ppm. I never apply 1/4 strength nutes.
Didn’t mean to get off topic, but didn’t want to make it sound like i was second guessing you, as much as asking a specific question in relation to something you said that was going against my next crash test dummy plant play lol
Patience, Patience, Patience. I soaked 3 seeds in distilled water for 18 hours in the dark, room temperature and no tap root was showing, put them about a 1/'4 inch deep in damp Miracle Grow soil for seedlings, keep them damp with a spray bottle spraying a light mist 4 or 5 times a day and in 4 days all 3 had came up. I was all over the map last year and only got 2 seeds to germinate out of 8. I would say warm like room temperature 75 degrees, damp soil, and patience until they pop up and they they will need sunlight, but I sit mine in the windowsill with just the sunlight until they popped. This worked for me.
so anything prior to being say the first true set of 5finger leaves take on no nutes at all or have i totally missed the point there
