BackGerminate cannabis seeds: Comprehensive guide

In the beginning is the germination. For any cannabis cultivation, the cannabis seeds must be germinated at the beginning. There are different methods for this, each of which has advantages and disadvantages and is more or less suitable for beginners. In this text you will learn what you need to successfully germinate your weed seeds. The methods are presented one by one and described in detail. Also about said advantages and disadvantages you will learn everything worth knowing in this text.

 

It is important not to make any mistakes when germinating cannabis seeds, as this lays the foundation for the later development of the plant. Mistakes in germination can in the worst case negatively affect the size of the later plant or even ensure that your project fails right at the beginning, if the cannabis seeds do not germinate at all. In addition to the correct methodology, the most important thing is to create the ideal conditions for the germination of the seeds. These conditions are similar for all methods. For seeds need a humid, warm (but not too hot) and dark environment to start the germination process. Also, the quality of the seeds matters. You should always use high-quality seeds from established seed banks to increase your success rate. Ultimately, however, it is always possible that individual seeds will not germinate, regardless of the conditions and your abilities. Don't let this discourage you, because it's natural - after all, this is organic material you're working with. However, don't worry too much about the quality. The seeds from the growers available in our store always have a germination rate between 90 and 100%.

 

These are the methods to germinate cannabis seeds

Before covering the methods in detail, here's an overview of the existing methods. Cannabis seeds can germinate in kitchen paper or in water. But germinating cannabis seeds directly in the soil is also feasible. Another popular method is germination in jiffies or so-called peat swell balls / peat swell pots. Regardless of the medium in which you germinate the cannabis seeds, however, there are a few things to keep in mind. Follow our instructions to germinate your cannabis seeds.

 

Cannabis is a dark seedling, so it doesn't need direct light exposure to start the germination process. The temperature of the medium in which you germinate the cannabis seeds should be between 20 and 25 degrees. At higher or lower temperatures, there is a risk that the seeds will not sprout. Optimal is 24 degrees. Furthermore, the humidity is crucial. Only when the seeds are supplied with sufficient moisture, they initiate the germination process. Therefore, you should regularly check the moisture content of the germination medium and add new water if necessary. Germination usually takes only a few days. After 5 to 10 days at the latest, seedlings should have developed from the seeds. However, sometimes there are outliers that do take longer and germinate only after two or three weeks. The process can not be accelerated, but the better the required conditions are met, the earlier germination should occur.

 

Germinate hemp seeds in kitchen paper

For the first method of germinating hemp seeds, use kitchen paper. This involves placing a sheet of kitchen paper on a straight surface, on which the seeds are placed a few centimeters apart from each other. Then a second sheet is placed over it as a cover. Now it is important to keep both cloths moist at all times. However, they should also not be so wet that drops form. After a few days, the seeds should have opened and developed about 2 to 3 mm long root tips, they are ready to be inserted into the soil. To do this, for example, with your finger, or even better with tweezers, drill holes 5 to 10 mm deep in the soil and gently place the seedlings inside. When doing this, make sure that the root should be directed downwards and the casing of the seed should point towards the surface of the soil. The advantage of this method is that you need nothing more than kitchen paper. Besides, you can always control the development of the seeds by covering the upper sheet of kitchen paper. The disadvantage is that you have to handle and plant the very young seedlings. If you do not handle them carefully enough, they can be damaged, which can affect their later development or even cause them to die. Instead of kitchen paper, other similar materials can be used, such as cotton swabs or otherwise absorbent paper.

 

 

 

The water glass method - germinating cannabis seeds in water.

Another method to germinate your seeds is the water glass method. As you guessed correctly, this involves placing the seeds in a glass filled with water to germinate. The water should have a temperature of 22-24 degrees Celsius. Warmer water contains less oxygen, which can cause germination to fail. After two to three days, the seeds should open and small root tips should emerge. As with the kitchen paper method, they are ready for planting once the roots reach a length of 2 to 3 mm. When removing the seeds from the jar, you should be extremely careful and not use your fingers. A pair of tweezers or a sterile spoon is suitable for this purpose. Planting is done in the same way as described above. In a way, this method is very convenient, but it is not very efficient. The risk that some seeds will not germinate here is the highest. Opinions differ as to whether the water jar should be in the light or in the dark. Ultimately, however, both should be possible. Timing is also important. If the seeds remain in the water too long, the seedling will be damaged and die.

 

Germinating cannabis seeds in the soil

You can also plant your cannabis seeds directly into the soil. This has the advantage that you do not have to touch the young seedlings again. This eliminates a potential source of damage. Fill your pots with sterilized growing soil and add water so that the soil is well moist. Then, using your finger or tweezers, drill a hole 5 to 10 mm deep and carefully place the seed inside. Cover the seed loosely with soil and make sure the soil does not dry out over the next few days. For this, it can be helpful to cover the plant pot with plastic wrap, but it should have some holes for ventilation. You can poke these holes in the foil with a toothpick, for example. This keeps the moisture in the soil longer. After about 4 to 10 days you should see the result in the form of a small seedling breaking through the soil to the surface. Continue to provide a humid climate and after a few more days you can transplant the seedling including the surrounding soil into a larger pot.

 

This method has the advantage that the seedlings are hardly exposed to stress during their first days. However, you will have to be patient a little longer to observe the results of your seeds. But in general, this method has very good chances of success if you keep the soil nice and moist.

 

Germinating hemp seeds in rockwool

A professional medium to germinate hemp seeds is rockwool. This is thin threads of solidified volcanic magma. For cultivation, rock wool blocks are available in different sizes. This variant is especially recommended if you want to grow later in hydroponics, whatever kind. Rockwool does not contain any nutrients, so it must be prepared before it is used for germination and growing. In other words, a special, light fertilizer solution must be prepared. You need to adjust the pH and EC (conductivity) value of the solution and soak the rockwool in it. The EC value of rockwool is neutral, which means that the nutrient supply can be controlled very precisely. Rockwool has a natural pH of 7-8, which you should lower to 5.5. You can achieve this by soaking the rockwool in pH adjusted water. Then you should administer a fertilizer solution with a TDS of 600 per million.

 

Now, using a pointed knife or tweezers, drill a small hole in the wool block and insert the seed so deep that you can't see it. From now on, it is a matter of keeping the humidity of the rockwool constant. This is best done in a closed container, such as a bowl covered with plastic wrap (again, make small holes with a toothpick) or an indoor greenhouse. However, make sure to air the container once a day.

 

With this method, very good results can be achieved, but it is more suitable for advanced growers, because on the one hand you need some equipment and on the other hand a certain knowledge of how to handle it, moreover, the necessary measuring devices are expensive to buy.

 

A disadvantage of rockwool is that its production requires a lot of energy and thus pollutes the environment.

 

Germinating cannabis seeds in jiffy / peat pots

Another popular and for beginners the safest method to germinate your cannabis seeds is the use of so-called Jiffys or peat pots. These are small plates surrounded by a net, filled with peat (recently also with coco), fertilizer and minerals and sterilized. Put them in water so they can soak up moisture and expand into a small cylinder. Then press the seed into the opening at the top about 4-8 mm deep into the substrate. Now store the jiffy swell pot at the ideal temperature if possible and in a container that prevents moisture from escaping, such as a mini-greenhouse for growing plants. After a few days a small seedling should rise to the surface and a little later the first roots will penetrate the outer net of the peat well ball, usually this happens at the bottom first. Now you can move the seedling together with the jiffy into a larger pot. Be careful with the young plant and do not overwater the soil in the beginning, because the Jiffy retains moisture for a long time.

 

This method offers very good success rates and is easy to practice. Thanks to the high nutrient content of the jiffy, the roots develop quickly and quickly become strong. The disadvantage is that you have to buy Jiffys for this, however, you can order them easily and cheaply on the Internet, for example, at Linda Seeds:

 

• Jiffy peat swell pot 41 mm
• Jiffy peat swell pot 33 mm
• Jiffy peat swell pot 24 mm

 

 

Common beginner mistakes when germinating cannabis seeds

Even though most of the methods presented are relatively straightforward, they harbor many sources of potential mistakes. As mentioned at the outset, it is exceedingly important that the temperature does not fall below or exceed the limits mentioned. But temperature fluctuations should, at best, be avoided altogether. This is best achieved with the use of a heating mat and by positioning the seeds in a place that is not exposed to large temperature fluctuations. For example, a storage room or a larger built-in cupboard is suitable for this.

 

Furthermore, it is important to maintain the correct humidity of the germination medium. While it is central to not let the medium dry out, too much humidity can also affect the germination of your cannabis seeds and cause a fungal infection. Your substrate (if you're using a method other than the water glass method) should only be well moist, but never dripping wet. When in doubt, familiarize yourself with how much water your substrate can handle before planting the seeds.  

 

Another source of error is transplanting the seeds. The root tips have microscopic hairs that you can easily injure if you touch the seedlings with your fingers. Therefore, it is better to use tweezers and touch the seedlings only on the hard shell of the seed. Do not squeeze too hard, otherwise the seed may break and the necessary protection of the young plant is lost. So a delicate touch is required! Finally, you should hold back on fertilizing. All common growing media except rockwool carry enough nutrients for the first days. Therefore, you should not add fertilizer, as it will harm rather than help the seedlings. You should also hold back with the lighting in the beginning. In the seedling stage it is sufficient to use a small fluorescent lamp. Only when the plants form the first serrated leaves, you should switch to a more potent lamp. Otherwise you will achieve the opposite and the young plants will suffer a light shock, stop growing and die.

And finally, above all, you need patience. Give your seeds the time they need to germinate. Constantly checking to see if anything has sprouted yet can be detrimental to the germination process. You can find everything you need for successful and uncomplicated growing in the online store of Linda Seeds. All beginnings are difficult, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating! Good luck!