1st timer, got everything to start, need some advice

[Trustle]

Hi there, 1st post!
So here am I, at the starting line, ready to launch everything. Been reading a lot for the past month, and this weekend I will start germination.

Before the question, a super quick resume of the instalation:
- 4X4 tent in garage
- 4 inch cloud serie fan
- Vivosun filter
- HLG 550v2 R-spec led lamp
-General Hydroponics nutrients line
-Pro-Mix Mycorrhizae Growing Medium.
-I'm growing 4 plants

Will grow a BCBD Sweet god strain. Here the 5 questions:

- 6 pack seeds: those were not cheap and I'm not sure if I really should germinate all 6 of them ($$$) and take the best 4 candidates or should I germinate 4 seeds ($$) and finger cross to have them all poping out.

-Confuse about the technique I should use. Some swear that paper towel is the only way to go, others peat pellets.. My reference book suggest paper towel technique. I think I will go paper towel. Planning to germinate this in the tent with an average temp of 24-25 C with 70% humidity. I do not have a heating mat, planning to have the seeds 1-2 foot above the heat source of the tent enclosed in a growing tray with a top that have vent holes. Some say that chlorine in the towel is not good... IDK a bit confuse. I do prefer the idea of a seed completely covered in a humid medium, peat pellet dont offer this garantee IMO.. but maybe I'm wrong. PLanning to put the germinated seed in a 4inch pot. all this using spring water...

-Read a couple times that different nutrients are better absorbed with specific water PH levels. Could not found what PH to use with x nutrients, should I care about that?

-Confuse about 14-18hrs soaked in a water cup, or put straight in paper towel. My new friend at the hydroponic shop had this to say: this is needed for seeds that have a "thick" shell. Cannabis one is pretty thin, you can go right in the peat pellet (they prefer peat pellet technique there)

-Lighting with seedlings: My lamp is pretty bright, but do have a dimmer. I can go to half the wattage of the full power. I was wondering even at 3-4 feet of distance, at 50% of power, is my lamp a bit too strong for the seedlings? Don't wanna invest in T5 neon for this, but I do have a high quality aquarium LED light that have vegetation spectrum. Should I thnk of using that instead for the first/seconf week of growth?

Thanks a lot for any answers, this forum looks AMAZING!
Cheers!

 

[Old Salt]

I lost too many seeds, and have modified the instructions from a former sponsor to reflect what's working for me.

Too much water once you plant them will kill them. Water sparingly.


ProMix counts as soil. You'll find lots of good information for soil growing in @Emilya's current journal. Her paper, 'The Proper Way to Water a Potted Plant' is considered a must read for soil growing.

 

[Trustle]

Thank you very much Old Salt for those added notes, appreciated!

 

[labexperiment]

1. I would start 4 and save the other 2.

2. I use rapid rooters for all my seeds and clones, love them and will not change unless something proven better comes along. I do not like that they changed the dimensions of their plugs though, the previous shorter slightly wider version was preferred. I scarify the seeds, put them in the Rapid rooter and then place them in tray with 1cm/ or a 1/4 inch of water to keep them wet, ph'd to 5.8 with .25ml/ltr of Rapid Start from GH. Once roots pop out the bottom I transplant to Sunshine mix #4 or Promix HP. As many other's, I have excellent results and have found what works well for me.

3. There are differences in soil based nutrients and soil-less nutrients, the use of which depends on your chosen medium to grow in. And yes ph is important.

4. You can start them under a CFL or florescent tube for a week or 2 if you prefer to play it on the safe side, keep the light fairly close if you do, 15-25 cm or 6-10 inches.

 

[Virgin Ground]

Aquarium light may work depending upon the wattage. You want at least 25 watts to start. Color temp between 4000-7000k is fine.

 

[Bush Doctor 77]

I had problems germinating seeds using my well water, or even RO. I went to bottled spring water and the paper towel method, and have high rate of success. I just popped some seeds that were over 12 years old, and got about 50% germination. I put them in water until they sink, then into a saucer with a hunk of wet paper towel folded a few times. Set that on your modem or another warm place. I'd pop 3 seeds, if they are fem, and clone the best.

 

[Trustle]

Great stuff guys! Tx a lot for all that... Super cool! I will get that rapid start.. will check spec of my Fluvial led strip, will try 4 seeds..
I'm very excited, this hobby is amazing..
Cheers!!

 

[saltybluegrass]

Look at that root growing into the paper towel with a magnifier.
I would assume the instructions that come from the idea- The First Four Inches Are the most important apply here.
If left too long in wet towel , the root will start threading into the paper fibers.
You probably don’t even realize you’re tearing the root however small she is.
This is one of her first growths and getting ripped apart isn’t good in my est.
I started cutting that piece out and planting it with the new sprout.
Do yourself a favor and find The First Four Inches to study.

 

[multiVortex]

2. I use rapid rooters for all my seeds and clones, love them and will not change unless something proven better comes along. I do not like that they changed the dimensions of their plugs though, the previous shorter slightly wider version was preferred. I scarify the seeds, put them in the Rapid rooter and then place them in tray with 1cm/ or a 1/4 inch of water to keep them wet, ph'd to 5.8 with .25ml/ltr of Rapid Start from GH. Once roots pop out the bottom I transplant to Sunshine mix #4 or Promix HP. As many other's, I have excellent results and have found what works well for me.

I use these too, along with peat pellets, but think I'll give up the peat. I found a pack of 100 plastic shot glasses on the amazon for like $6, and if you take the bottom out they make an excellent little "holder" to help out the rooter. Also keeps a little humidity too, which isn't a bad thing.

I figure that pack will last me a few years, as they're easily reusable. There are some other uses as well, so not like they go to waste or sit idle just for rooters.

 

[Old Salt]

My rooter are up for grabs. I din't have any luck with them. Perhaps if I had the plastic shot glasses, I'd give it another try. I've found that I can get an 80% or better success rate using a different method.

Snip - put them in water, cut under water, coat with Stim Root #2, carefully insert in coco/perlite, and stand back while they grow.

 

[labexperiment]

@Trustle May I suggest you continue reading a lot, you will find most of the questions you want to ask have been answered in this forum already. But feel free to ask anything you are unclear on. Follow a few journals that use the same medium you do, and start your own journal if you're up to it.









Scarification of the seed will speed up the germination process. These are the items I use for starting seeds. Along with a t5 light directly above the dome. As soon as roots show through the Rapid Rooters I transplant into the peat moss and water/feed with 25% of the recommended full strength GH nutrient line up, ph'd to 5.8. I'm sure what ever nutrients you are using 25% would be fine as well, unless they have a seedling strength recommendation then use that. My success rate at germinating is in the hi 90's %.

As always this is what I have found that works for me, others have their own methods and use them cause that is what works for them. I am not right and they are not wrong we just have different methods to the same end goal.

My grandma just took cutting put them in a glass of water on the window sill and roots grew out for most of the cuttings.

 

[HugePeckerhead]

This is a method from our sponsor New420Guyseeds. First time trying it the other day. 100% success rate so far. 6 for 6. Popped in about 30 hours.

 

[Old Salt]

I use the humidity dome, and seedling mat as well. I added a thermostat, as I found the dome got too warm at times.

 

[Edzzed]

I germinated mine in peat pellets. I have a 4x4 tent with a heater in there. Once everything was warm i put the seeds in. Of 7 seeds, 3 popped. I am having doubts on one seedling right now. so am trying to germinate two more. One thing I have done is putting a dome over the seedling. Because the seedlings do not yet have an established root system, The plants absorb water through the leaves. I think the word is transpiration. The box contains a small greenhouse with peat pellets. You can see how I have used plastic food containers as a greenhouse. If I was to take it off right now you would see small water droplets on the leaves. The root beer can is for size comparison. No beer here. I prefer Rye n coke. lol depending on you humidity, You might want to go DIY Bucket Swamp Cooler I just used a bucket with cloths. You can read about it my first grow sig below. I have two 4 inch fans inline. One fan runs on a humidity switch and the other runs on a thermostat switch. Each switch can power a humidifier and a dehumidifier while the other controls both heating and cooling which is a heater and extractor fan in my case. Inkbird AC Sensor Humidifier Dehumidifier Humidistat Pre Wired Plug Digital Controller Greenhouse: Amazon.ca: Home & Kitchen AND GROWNEER LCD Digital Thermostat Temperature Controller 2-Stage Outlet Heating & Cooling - 1100W, -40~248℉, w/Sensor for Fermentation Grow Tent HVAC Equipment Seedling Heat Mat: Amazon.ca: Patio, Lawn & Garden I do have a 3rd switch and it is heat control. Eventually as the plants mature I will rework my switches. Got some nice humidity in those containers. I am going to stock up on them. Go to your local grocery stoore that has a bakery. Ask for jalapeno or marachino cherry containers. The marachino is the bigger one.

 

[TheMadDabber]

Yeah. I'm no grow pro, but I have some experience.

I do cup of water over night poke them so they sink. Once they sink wait another 24 to 28 hours. I they have tails straight into the dirt. If they dont then go paper towel.

Don't switch back and forth between lights or at all if possible. I run a custom built hlg. Just make sure to dim or start 5 feet above and move closer....

I also dont advocate using domes. It can stress the plant once you finally remove it, unless you can spike your Humidity and slowly lower it over a week.

It's like switching lights. Plants dont like abrupt change. Especially in their critical developmental stages.

But it's your first time so have fun with it! Do a couple seeds with one technique and a couple with another.

They call it weed for a reason cause it is one and made to grow just about everywhere.

It's easy to stress at this point and question a bunch, but we are all proof theres like 2500 ways to skin the cat and as long as you stick to a proven method there shouldn't be too much guess work.

Also the seed may take a few days to come out of the soil. That's normal and germination in soil can take up to 2 weeks before a sprout appears

 

[Trustle]

A big thank you to all the peeps who contribute to this thread. I carefully listen to all the advises and the babies are germinating right now.. I'll post some pictures at one point..
Cheers and happy growing!
Trust

 

[Ghostwriter31]

I just germinated two seeds. I put them directly into their final pot, 1/4 inch deep if that. watered the center of pot only every 12 hours or so, kept it moist, inside my tent with humidity around 55 and temp @ 77. Five days later, they popped soil and tonight I have first set of leaves on one of them and the other will have hers in morning . The open seed hull is attached to the top of the leaf on one plant. I tried to knock it off but didn't want to damage stem so I left alone and will let photosynthesis take place. I guess that the right word

 

[Old Salt]

Sometimes the seed coats don't fall off of the cotyledons. It's a good idea to lightly mist the seed coats a few times a day to keep them moist so new growth can push them off.

 

[Ghostwriter31]

Sometimes the seed coats don't fall off of the cotyledons. It's a good idea to lightly mist the seed coats a few times a day to keep them moist so new growth can push them off.

Thank you, I’ve been spraying t most of day and it looks like it’s about to pop off. My guess is it will be gone in the am

 

[Trustle]

Weekend Update!
So I decided to go with 4 Sweet God Fem seed . I dropped the 4 seeds in a glass of water, ph to 5.8 with some GH Rapid Grow. After aroud 20 hours they all sunked and went with the paper towel method.

3-4 paper in the bottom, one covering the seeds. In a plate in a dome with open vents. Sprayed the dome a bit.
Put the dome with plate in tent with temp oscillating between 22 to 24 C with RH around 72%. Dome is like 1.5 feet above heating source. Took temp in dome with temp gun : plate was between 24 to 25.5 C ) Checked paper towel every 4 to 8 hours so they stay humid...

24hrs later, one of them cracked and this morning the root was about just a little under 1 cm. Decided to put it in a 4 inch pot with moist promix. Small hole with finger, seed about 2 cm in soil, covered with moist soil barely just to cut light.

Now I was about to wait until tonite (will hit the 48 hrs mark) of the seeds in the paper towels if they cracked open.
If not was about to go with CropKing method of putting them back in a water cup and wait to see if they open..

If I'm doing something wrong tell me! or any suggestion for the best method to get those seeds to crack open!
Cheers Guys!
I think I will start a grow journal now..