Germination issues

Grow Cycle Seedling
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From a fellow grower:

I used your article on germination and soaked two NL and two Afghani seeds. After a few days, both Afg had rootlets, and one of the NL. The other NL had cracked but developed no root.

I moved them carefully to my seed soil, and put them under 18 hours of light. As of today, one of each strain is doing well (I think, photo attached), but the other two have not emerged (in the photo, there were two seeds in each marked pot—about 3” apart or so—the ones that didn’t emerge were to the back).

Any ideas, or is this just normal? 50% seems like a low germination rate but I’m a newbie. I noted later that in another germination article, you don’t mention soaking, only paper towel, soil, etc. so wonder if you no longer recommend the water method?

Thanks for all your great articles and resources in any case! Looking forward to the fertilizers from my second order, and will keep you posted.

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I soak mine in water for 24 until they split then I put in paper towel until I see nice tap roots
And once I have tap roots around 1/2 to 3/4 inch I’ll place in soil and mist soil till damp
I have around a 90 percent success rate with this method with seeds from elsewhere and 100 percent with the seeds I got from ilgm

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Seems like they should have survived if they were showing tap roots. What type of soil did you use? Did you handle the tap roots by hand? To really help us, a support ticket would help. Fill this out the best you can and it will help us to help you.

COPY/PASTE: This “Support Ticket” into your forum post. Answer these simple questions the best you can.
If you do not know, or do not use something; Just say so = NA

ILGM Support Ticket:

What is the strain and type(unknown bag seed, strain name, regular seeds, feminized seeds, auto-flower, etc)?

Indoor or Outdoor? If outdoor, planted in ground or in a container?

Size of space (max height and area, length/width)?

Soil or Hydro? Type of Medium used? System type?

pH? Of the soil or medium (root zone/reservoir/run-off) and of the water and/or nutrient mix that is fed to the plant?

Type and strength of nutrients used? NPK? EC/TDS/PPM levels? Of what you feed it as well as what is in the water by itself and in the soil/medium (run-off), or reservoir.

Temperature? Day vs. night temp or highest and lowest temps? Root zone temps?

Humidity %? Day vs. night

Light system/watts/lumens/FLUX/PAR?

Ventilation system? Size? CFM? CO2? AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier?

Number “weeks/days” from into Season, Vegetative Growth or Bloom/flowering?

Add anything else you feel would help us give you a most informed answer. Feel free to elaborate, but try to be brief and to the point. Short and to the point questions and/or facts will help us help you

3 Likes
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Hey, thanks for the replies! I’ll copy/paste your ticket below and respond.

TxGrowman
1h
Seems like they should have survived if they were showing tap roots. What type of soil did you use? Did you handle the tap roots by hand? To really help us, a support ticket would help. Fill this out the best you can and it will help us to help you.

COPY/PASTE: This “Support Ticket” into your forum post. Answer these simple questions the best you can.
If you do not know, or do not use something; Just say so = NA

ILGM Support Ticket:

What is the strain and type(unknown bag seed, strain name, regular seeds, feminized seeds, auto-flower, etc)?
Northern lights fem, afghani auto (I may have the gem and auto backwards–not home at the moment)

Indoor or Outdoor? If outdoor, planted in ground or in a container?
Indoor

Size of space (max height and area, length/width)?

Germinated in glasses of water, changed water each two days

Soil or Hydro? Type of Medium used? System type?
Water, then soil.

pH? Of the soil or medium (root zone/reservoir/run-off) and of the water and/or nutrient mix that is fed to the plant?
Unknown–it is a new bag of seed starter soil.

Type and strength of nutrients used? NPK? EC/TDS/PPM levels? Of what you feed it as well as what is in the water by itself and in the soil/medium (run-off), or reservoir.
N/A yet.

Temperature? Day vs. night temp or highest and lowest temps? Root zone temps?
65-70f, 45-50% humidity, soil is watered by a capillary mat so consistent lousture level.

Humidity %? Day vs. night

Light system/watts/lumens/FLUX/PAR?
10w or so I think? Will be moving transplants to a greenhouse once they’re ready.

Ventilation system? Size? CFM? CO2? AC, Humidifier, De-humidifier?
None–just in the kitchen.

Number “weeks/days” from into Season, Vegetative Growth or Bloom/flowering?
Took about 3 days for roots to form, they were 3-5mm long at transplant. Used my well-washed hands to move the seeds, and pointed roots down.

Add anything else you feel would help us give you a most informed answer. Feel free to elaborate, but try to be brief and to the point. Short and to the point questions and/or facts will help us help you

Since two of four came up, I’m just confirming that the seeds were probably the issue instead of me? One for sure developed no root; the other failed one did but it was shorter than the other two. I’m now trying two more seeds in soil directly and with a seed heat mat.

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Thanks! That’s a long root when you transplant! Might try this next time.
Best,
bmc

1 Like
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Sounds like you needed to wait just a little longer on the two that failed
I’ve also waited a day or two before they pop out if you plant them too deep ?
Happy growing bro keep us posted
Also welcome to the play ground we are here to help you if you need anything else bro

2 Likes
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End it is very possible that I could take 3 to 4 days before they come out of the dirt I’ve had him take two days to pop out and I’ve had him take over a week to pop out but if they opened up and had the tail they should grow You may just have it a little too deep in the medium so it may take a few extra days

2 Likes
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OK, thanks again guys. Well, the medium is still damp so even if they were moved too early, they still should have come up. I planted maybe 1/4" deep or a bit more. Will keep you posted.

1 Like
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I’ve had a few seeds come completed out of the soil during the night after soaking them and they just died. I don’t have a grow light and are there any other way to prevent this?

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Just a quick update–figuring “nothing to lose”, I scooped out the soil with the bad seeds and found the seeds. The northern lights one (that didn’t split in water) was still totally intact, no root. The Afghani one (which had a rootlet) still has a rootlet, and has not grown at all compared to when I planted it.
Just for giggles, I put both back in a wet paper towel, though I doubt anything will happen now. I feel pretty comfortable that I didn’t plant too deep, and that the seeds were the issue. The other two with identical conditions are doing great.
Thanks again for the tips, and see you on the bitstream.
bmc

1 Like
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If you don’t have a light how do you plan on growing them @EarlyPearl ? Just wondering
You can try a well light window sill and a bottle over top to help keep humidity up around plant
But I think most of us soil growers use a propagation tray and dome with or with out heat mats and some lights to start our plants the first week or two min
But maybe @Hogmaster has another idea you can use ?

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I grow outside. I do the window thing for around a month. I was just saying that I soaked my seeds as they recommended, but one came completely out of soil during the night and died. I have a street light right next to where I live and I think it was just stretching to it. That’s my theory, but I don’t know.

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I do the paper towel method soak a paper towel put it in a bag they usually Crackin are ready within 36 hours sounds like your soil might be too hot I would recommend buying a CFL hundred watt one per plant you’re growing I don’t deal with heat mats or use I do the paper towel method soak a paper towel put it in a bag they usually crack and are ready within 36 hours sounds like your soil might be too hot I would recommend buying a CFL hundred watt one per plant you’re growing I don’t deal with heat mats I use a solo cup and Foxfarm ocean soil after three weeks then I transfer outside

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Thanks again for the responses. The soil was room temp, 70F or so, not hot at all.
Meanwhile, I put two seeds into seed starter mix directly, with a heat mat of about 72-75 degrees, and the NL seed sprouted in three days. The afghani is still not up.

The two failed seeds are now in wet paper towels–I looked at the afghani one today (the one that originally had a little root)–the root is still the same, but there was a tiny white worm on it, half the size of the root. Wonder where that came from in sterile mix and new pots. Hmmm…

Ah well, live and learn.
best,
bmc

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@Bmacpiper today you can always contact customer service and they will be more than happy to help you save the seeds that do not germinate do not throw them out if you send them back they will send you more

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Yes, thanks. I’m in touch with them.
best,
bmc

1 Like