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GrowFAQ : Seeds, germination & seedlings : Seed germination techniques

Uncle Bens sure fire seed germination method Added by: MedMan Last edited by: MedMan Viewed: 68 times Rated by 10 users: 8.80/10 The following easy seed germination method has been adopted by alot of bio folks and is foolproof if you follow it carefully. The risk of damage to the radicle has been eliminated and the seedling will be ready to transplant in a week if all goes well.

Your seedlings will be alot better off if you germinate directly in soil - less handling and mechanical disturbance means less chance of physical damage to the plant's taproot and less food reserves used to orient itself due to the natural hormonal influence called Gravitropism.

This is one of my favorite methods for Cannabis Seed Germination in soil:

Soak the seed in plain water for 12 hours prior to planting which will speed up germination. Good seeds will sink, bad seeds will largely remain floating after this extended soak. I first sterilize seeds in a bleach solution (1 Tbsp. bleach/1 gallon of water) for 1/2 hour to kill any fungus residing on the seedcoat. Sterilize enough *damp* soil with heat to germinate all of your seeds. You can do this by treating the damp soil to temps of 200F for 20 mins in a conventional oven, or in a microwave oven on high for 2 minutes, while stirring a couple of times and let cool. This will insure that damp-off fungus spores have been killed in the soil mix. Make sure the soil mix is light and humusy (but not real coarse). You can add a little sand or vermiculite to aid in drainage and weight. Stay away from perlite, it has a nasty habit of floating out of the mix when watering (along with your seeds). Buy some white 20oz styrofoam "drinking glasses", commonly called "Styro-Cups", and punch holes in the bottom (and side) for drainage. I use a red-hot ice pick for this. These containers are 6 1/2" tall and will allow ample room for the taproot to grow before cotyledon emergence, which will increase your seedling's vigor and stem strength. The taproot (radicle) is already at least 4" long at the point of emergence - don't cramp it. These cups are found on the shelf displaying picnic items at your local grocery store. Fill the pots almost to the top with your soil mix, water well to settle the mix, take a pencil and make a small hole about 1/4" to 1/2" deep, NO deeper, and drop * one* seed in. Cover the seed with *fine* soil, only enough to top up the hole, firm lightly with your finger, and lightly water until water runs freely thru the drain holes. Place in a warm spot, around 82F/28C. Do NOT cover the cup with saran wrap or anything else. The seed has already been hydrated from the soaking and will germinate soon. During the first *couple* of days, mist the top soil surface lightly (if need be), never allowing the top 1/2" to dry out, but not to the point that the medium stays waterlogged which will invite rot. Do not water anymore until the seedling is up, and only if it needs it at that point. Again, no need to cover with plastic wrap as the radicle will grow at least 4" before the cotyledons emerge from the soil. IOW, even though you can't see it, the plant's root is seeking and finding moisture at the container's lower soil levels. That's all to it! This method is pretty much foolproof. With good care, your fave will be ready to transplant within 1 to 2 weeks, and will easily slip out of the "cup" with a solid root ball that will never know it's been disturbed if potted up gently and quickly. Move up to a final pot of 3 to 5 gallons to sex and finish. An effective transplant solution can be made using 1 teaspoon of a 15-30-15 fert and 10 drops of Superthrive per gallon of water. Take note regarding the immediate growth spurt after this transition!