I bought these little grow bags with an expandable medium I am told just add water and plant seed, then once sprouted place the entire bag in soil and it biodegrades. Has anyone tried these?? Do they still germinate in a damp paper towel or will they germinate in these bags?
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I use to use them. Common ones here are jiffy brand. Yes they do work but had and seen other folks have issues getting roots to pass thru the bag once in the medium.
Now I just do a paper towel germ and into medium in cups once I get a tap root.
I’m using pro mix Sunshine for my medium. Very seedling friendly. No nutes
The bags can hold too much water pretty easily.
You’ll want them damp. Not dripping.
A light squeeze usually does it.
And I’d still start them in paper towel.
Sometimes the pellet ph is too low for a seed start, peat being naturally acidic.
Good luck and happy growing.
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I’ve not used the germinating pods having read about the bags blocking roots. A lot of growers that use them successfully remove the bag after a certain period of time.
I soak in water using little cups off of cough medicine bottles for 12-18hrs. Tap water with a couple drops of peroxide. Then dump it on a paper towel (seed and paper towel), folded in half and put in a ziploc bag. Warm, dark place until there’s a small tail and into the medium it goes. Usually a 3 day or so process. Hope this helps.
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Do you have a picture so we know exactly what you have?
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I usually avoid all that and just place in soil. Never fails. And don’t have to mess with it transplanting them. In four days the seedling comes out of soil.
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Me too. But I start lots of garden plants to set out once it warms up and I might like something like that for tomatoes or other stuff.
I’ve tried all the commonly suggested means of germination, and found them all to work fine as long as instructions are followed and conditions are correct. I don’t do the wet paper towels anymore. It worked fine for me doing it that way for a long time, but it’s easier to just soak them for 24 or so hours and plant them. I’m still near 100% successful germination without doing the paper towel method.
I keep them hot during the soak/germination. Around 82°F, and I let it get even a little higher for the first several days above ground. They seem to really appreciate the heat, along with very high humidity for the first couple of weeks. I also keep the light on 24/7 for the first few days above ground before going to 18/6 or whatever my schedule is going to be.
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I don’t even soak them, I just plant them in moist soil with a baggie over the top of the cup. Works every time. Just like nature intended.
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All this talk about germinating seeds makes me want to drop a bunch of them. But I am going to resist. I have enough going now.
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Ok. I have seen those for sale. Usually called nursery bags. Roots will grow through without problems.
If fact roots will grow right through fabric grow bags if you set the in another larger bag.
I have actually done that to pot up to larger container.
Im a rookie, i used the jiffy peat pellet 5 for 5 on germination. My root is out of the mesh before the seed sprouts. I use clear cups, easy to see new root.
Did first 3, hadn’t heard of mesh and root issue then.
2nd run, gonna cut that screen before transplanting, broke the new root off of Wedding Cake, transplanted anyway, she took off like nothing happened.
These are 9 days and havent been watered yet.
The coco was hydrated when they transplanted.
I want to master or at least learn a technique before moving on to another.
Straight tap water and warm dark place is all I use. Thanks to ilgm it’s that easy. 24hrs in the cup of water then in the dirt she goes.
Unless you like to inject variables to cause problems just remember KISS. Soak, plant, grow. Hell I didn’t even soak the last batch and I was 6 outta 7 sprouts. Any failed seeds are attributed to just bad seeds not bad techniques!
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Damn good looking leaves, all shiny and green, almost looks fake!
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