Intro and request for help in germinating seeds

[MLCBeaches]

Hi all - new to this forum. Had a few problems recently growing - had some good looking plants that I took close from and then they turned out to be male so start all over!! Very frustrating - they looked female then grew balls overnight. Have had some problems germinating seeds - am thinking the seeds I had were old. Have just ordered 8 x fem seeds, have got demineralized water and easy plugs. Interested in thoughts on failsafe germination please

 

[Billygoat]

Welcome.

You will get plenty of differing options on germinating seeds. So I might as well throw my method.

1. sandwich bag about a third full of water.
2. drop seeds in.
3. blow into bag and seal. (so its kinda blown up).
4. put in a warm dark spot like beside a fridge or near a hot water system.
5. Wait for tails to poke out, then transfer them to grow medium and under light.

 

[Carbcon]

"Blow into bag and seal"

Is that your favourite part?

Edit.
I usually soak em for a few hours. Usually just water.

Whether cracked or not, into soil and don't touch em to check.

Fruit and veg seeds good for practice, cheap and easy to get.

 

[Billygoat]

"Blow into bag and seal"

It's the secret to good germination

 

[MLCBeaches]

What about heat mats? Too much or ?

 

[Ganja Kaiser]

I use a heat mat. Even once they're in the medium and in small pots I have the pots on the heat mat and inside a mini greenhouse.

 

[Ganja Kaiser]

Welcome mate btw. Getting a few new gardeners around here lately. Good to see.

 

[MLCBeaches]

I use a heat mat. Even once they're in the medium and in small pots I have the pots on the heat mat and inside a mini greenhouse.

What’s your germination method?

 

[Billygoat]

Yeah warmth is important. make sure ya heat mat has a thermostat.

 

[Red Eye Hero]

 

[Ganja Kaiser]

What’s your germination method?

Nothing special. Soak seeds for 24 hours in a glass cup, transfer to damp paper towel on a ceramic plate and then inside the greenhouse with the lid on and on top of the heat mat until they get decent tails. Transfer to medium.

Although, I'm going to try soaking for 24 hours and then straight into the medium (soil for me) on my next grow.

 

[ED-209]

Here's what I do, works a charm even with seed 10+ years old that has been kept in the fridge

1. 2-3 pieces of kitchen paper towel
2. apply water to towel until absorbed by not falling apart
3. stick seeds on half of the paper and fold over
4. stick folded over paper towel with seeds inside ziplock back
5. stick ziplock back with folded paper towel with seeds ontop of modem
6. wait 2 days and should be good to go if the seed is relatively fresh, +1-2 more if older or have been in the fridge
7. when the seeds have popped and you can see the radical around 5mm in length, transfer into pot, radical facing down
8. keep warm, under low light if you want until cotyledons emerge]
9. don't kill 'em

 

[Indy]

What about heat mats? Too much or ?

Wouldn't think it'd be required in Northern Australia. In southern parts QLD, only really required mid-autumn to end of winter. As for the rest of the country, ask someone who lives in the same state/region.

 

[MLCBeaches]

Yeah warmth is important. make sure ya heat mat has a thermostat.

Mine doesn’t - why does that matter as they only warm up a bit?

 

[Billygoat]

Mine doesn’t - why does that matter as they only warm up a bit?

I bought one without and when i hit it with one of those laser thermometers it was over 50 degrees.

 

[Indy]

Like Bill said. They do seem to operate at higher temps than what they suggest. I had to deal with same issue recently with mine (no thermostat). I addressed the issue using a homemade bubble cloner setup, with a timer (on and off every 15mins through the night hours). With the seeds between paper towels.

 

[Love to grow]

I use the paper towel dampened inside a snap lock bag pretty fool proof the bag keeps the paper drying out 24-48 hrs later straight into jiffy’s and all good

 

[RiverRat]

Hi all - new to this forum. Had a few problems recently growing - had some good looking plants that I took close from and then they turned out to be male so start all over!! Very frustrating - they looked female then grew balls overnight. Have had some problems germinating seeds - am thinking the seeds I had were old. Have just ordered 8 x fem seeds, have got demineralized water and easy plugs. Interested in thoughts on failsafe germination please

Welcome to the site.

 

[Aequita]

I use the paper towel dampened inside a snap lock bag pretty fool proof the bag keeps the paper drying out 24-48 hrs later straight into jiffy’s and all good

This one always works for me always, plant when taproot pops out 1cm upright 1-2 cm deep so the stem has a bit to travel, if seed case fails to fall off spray with water a bit and worst case manually take it off gently