First time grower, seeds in soil for about 41 hours in darkness under a dome with a heating pad.. should I turn my light on?

I soaked the seeds in water for just about 24 hours until they sank, then planted the seeds in jiffy cups in seedling soil that I watered first. In complete darkness. The tent has been maintaining 69/70 degrees F. The dome has had steady condensation. The soil temp according to the heating pad is maintaining between 71-73 degrees.

It’s been about 41 hours and they haven’t come through the soil yet I am wondering if I planted them too deep (about 3/4 to an inch). I was just curious as to how long they tend to take to sprout or if I should be adding light now? I keep debating turning my LED light on and keeping it about 40-44 inches above it (the recommended early stage for this light)

The soil is damp still. I am patient I just am nervous I buried them too deep or if I should have had a light on even though most say they don’t need light until they are seedlings. I don’t even know if they have fully cracked open because I put them into the soil just after they sank, they seemed maybe slightly cracked open when I took them out of the water but I was just more concerned about being gentle and not drowning them.

First welcome aboard I would turn the light on.

5 Likes

thank you! I am excited. okay I will do that ! should I do 24 hours or 18?

1 Like

I put mine directly in soil and they go in my veg tent with an 18/6 light cycle. A bit more distance between them and your light like you are suggesting is great. Ideally you would have them be a bit warmer, but they should be okay.

Seedlings don’t need much water at all.

4 Likes

I would start out with 24 till I got them up a couple inches. Then I would cut back to 18/6

3 Likes

I do the same but mine is a 12/12 cycle from start to finish.

2 Likes

Any idea of around when I should expect them to break the soil? like after X amount of time, should I try to investigate?

Mine usually break soil between 3 and 5 days.

3 Likes

Definitely don’t investigate you could break your plant

4 Likes

Definitely don’t recommend digging for it. Now if you have 400 seeds on stock, you could as you have plenty of seeds.

Best thing to do is a 18-24 hour soak. Then transfer to damp paper towels for 48 hours then plant in soil. Then place under your grow lights.

Mine usually pop in 2 to 3 days after places in soil.

3 Likes

thanks for the advice everyone! Tent has been maintaining about 75 degrees now with the light on. Hoping to see something sprout over the next couple days. I will report back!

2 Likes

Good luck… standings by…

1 Like

Happy cake day!!!

1 Like

Welcome, and you got one great advice above.

2 Likes

Thank you.

1 Like

Be patient, I had a Johaar seed sink in 24 hours, then placed in paper towel etc. Took 10 days to crack! Then another 5 days after that to surface!


Its a big plant now!

3 Likes

Ok so 4 out of the 6 broke soil today! I actually planted 6 hoping for 4 so I’m happy about that.

How do they look though? I know it’s early but a few seem a little worse than the others.

I know the pics aren’t great I just snapped them on my phone fast but I have a macro lens on my real camera I can use if you need a better look.

2 Likes

Thanks you were spot on they popped a few days after

1 Like

How do they look?

1 Like

they are way to young to really tell but they have very large Cotyledons (1st leaves you see), for the most part 0 to 7 days of life the plant is running off of what it stores in the seed. keep the environmental conditions good and read your plant, welcome and happy growing

1 Like