Hi CF! That's the way I did it too and stared to have trouble just like you have.
My solution came from Xlr8. Here is what he posted in his journal:
How I germinate seeds:
I really like Rapid Rooter plugs. I've been germinating seeds in them since I started growing, and now use them for cloning, too. They're great as they can be used to germinate for soil or hydro, and easy to use. They contain important micronutrients and beneficial organisms to stimulate rapid root development. They have a really nice balance between moisture retention and airiness.
Here's my process:
I soak seeds for a few hours in a glass of RO water. The Rapid Rooter is soaked overnight in a glass of RO water.
Making sure my hands are clean and sterile, I shake the excess moisture out of the rapid rooter, or give it a gentle squeeze. Basically, you want them to be "moist" but not soaked/saturated.
I take a sterile tweezers, squeeze it together, and I stick it into the hole of the rapid rooter while I gently twist it around some. I've had better luck if I deepen the hole slightly, and loosen it up a little inside the rooter plug. You could also use a pen, etc. Basically, just loosen it up and make it about a 1/4" deeper than they come from the factory.
I use a clean pen cap as a tool to scoop the seed from the cup of water, and place it into the rooter. I used to do the "paper towel" method of "pre-germinating" seeds, but it is better to plant them directly in the rapid rooter (or whatever medium you use). You will have better success, and quicker development if you skip the whole paper towel thing, in my experience. When putting it into the rooter plug, I put it in pointy end up (hinged end down). Positioning it this way will allow the taproot to make the turn it needs to, and will put the seed in a better position to succeed and remove it's "helmet".
I place the seed about half way down into the rooter (again pointy end up) and then I tear a small piece of rooter plug to cover the hole on the rooter. It should not be "jammed" in there, but placed in somewhat loosely. The hole should be fully covered to not allow light in.
I place the plug in a humidity dome, under t5's. I don't use a seedling heat mat (only for clones and not directly under). I mist the dome periodically, but high RH isn't needed to germ seeds. The rooters shoudn't be allowed to fully dry, and should be moistened periodically with plain RO water.
Pre-soak seeds in glass for a few hours
Pre-soak rooter plug 12-24 hours (probably doesn't need to be that long)
Use RO water from store - do not PH balance it
Shake/squeeze out excess moisture in the rooter
Use a tweezers or pen to loosen up the hole, and make it slightly deeper.
Position seed in the rooter plug, pointy end up
Cover the hole on the rapid rooter plug by tearing a small piece of the plug, and loosely covering the hole.
Place rapid rooter, with seed in it, inside humidity dome, under flourescent lights (I use T5's).
Rooter plugs should be moistened with plain RO water periodically, but only moistened
Heat mat is not needed - and it can dry the rooter plug too fast. Humidity only needs to be around 50%. I just mist the humidity dome periodically.
No nutrients are needed with seedlings until the 3rd set of true leaves.
I transplant when roots are showing through the bottom and sides of rooter plugs
I've had 100% success over the last year or so this way. There are lots of ways to do it successfully, this is just mine. X
Man thanks for your take on those seeds. They sound like a bad lot.
That should let Fish Cake know he's not by himself with those seeds.
. and I agree omm should get the nod for member of the month! its nice to get high with a little help from my freinds
