Male Or Female?

[BudBogart]

I have a question about germinating and planting it. I'm using the moist paper towel way, but only half the time they actually sprout. When I put it into soil, should I let it get the light from the sun for a week or so until it sprouts?

You should be getting almost 100 percent germination using the paper towel. Put paper towel on plate, moisten, place seeds, cover with another paper towel, moisten, let water run off, place second plate upside down over first plate to keep in moisture and keep out light. Don't let the end of paper towel stick out or it will act like a wick and dry the towel.
Seeds will sprout in a day or so. Put seedling sprout down in small hole in potting mix. Sprinkle 1/4 inch or so soil over seeds, do not press in, gently water and they should pop up in under four days.
Use bottle water or tap water that has sat to remove chlorine.
Once in the pots, they don't need light until they sprout.
Are you doing anything differently?

 

[Mari420]

You should be getting almost 100 percent germination using the paper towel. Put paper towel on plate, moisten, place seeds, cover with another paper towel, moisten, let water run off, place second plate upside down over first plate to keep in moisture and keep out light. Don't let the end of paper towel stick out or it will act like a wick and dry the towel.
Seeds will sprout in a day or so. Put seedling sprout down in small hole in potting mix. Sprinkle 1/4 inch or so soil over seeds, do not press in, gently water and they should pop up in under four days.
Use bottle water or tap water that has sat to remove chlorine.
Once in the pots, they don't need light until they sprout.
Are you doing anything differently?

I put it in the towel for a few days (2-3) then I put it in the soil and cover the seed up. Sometimes I put it right in the light, sometimes I put it on the window sill. The plant in growing now was put straight into the light. But the last one I put into the light died. The roots stopped growing and started to dry up. I sprayed the soil with water right before I put the seed in.

 

[Mari420]

Taking it outside you do risk the chance ive bring all types of nastys into your grow room.

If you dont hav a light to stick on it best bet is to stick it next to the window.
I personally dont use the towel method i use coco peat pellets.

My first grow was a window grow. Sometimes when I put the seeds into the soil, I'll either put it straight into the light or use the window.

 

[BudBogart]

I put it in the towel for a few days (2-3) then I put it in the soil and cover the seed up. Sometimes I put it right in the light, sometimes I put it on the window sill. The plant in growing now was put straight into the light. But the last one I put into the light died. The roots stopped growing and started to dry up. I sprayed the soil with water right before I put the seed in.

Okay, do you have a dome covering the seedling when first planted? That's important to do. Can be made using a plastic bag over the top.
Do these seedlings have tails? How long? Are you facing the tails downward when planting?
Spray with water after you put the seeds in to help remove possible air pockets.
Don't worry about putting them in the light so quickly. Warm and moist more important the first 1-2 days. After the seedling emerges and the first rounded leaves appear, then is the time to ease them into the light.
Oh, keep the plate with seeds in a nice warm spot.

 

[Mari420]

Okay, do you have a dome covering the seedling when first planted? That's important to do. Can be made using a plastic bag over the top.
Do these seedlings have tails? How long? Are you facing the tails downward when planting?
Spray with water after you put the seeds in to help remove possible air pockets.
Don't worry about putting them in the light so quickly. Warm and moist more important the first 1-2 days. After the seedling emerges and the first rounded leaves appear, then is the time to ease them into the light.
Oh, keep the plate with seeds in a nice warm spot.

They don't have tails yet, but I am not at my house to see. I get back tomorrow and hopefully by then I'll be able to plant them. I plant them tail down like you're supposed to do. For the dome, could I get a solo cup, and put a bag on top? Ive never done that before, maybe that's why I haven't been having luck with growing them.

 

[Smerb]

Take bag, take seeds, get distilled water, grab paper towel, wet towel a little, put seeds on towel, fold towel, wet a little again, fold, put in bag, flatten,use your hot breath to blow bag up, let little air out, put in drawer a few days. Viola! Little window sill action at first. You know the rest us budddddd.

 

[Mari420]

Take bag, take seeds, get distilled water, grab paper towel, wet towel a little, put seeds on towel, fold towel, wet a little again, fold, put in bag, flatten,use your hot breath to blow bag up, let little air out, put in drawer a few days. Viola! Little window sill action at first. You know the rest us budddddd.

That part is easy, but when it gets into the soil, it won't grow. It just dies.

 

[BudBogart]

They don't have tails yet, but I am not at my house to see. I get back tomorrow and hopefully by then I'll be able to plant them. I plant them tail down like you're supposed to do. For the dome, could I get a solo cup, and put a bag on top? Ive never done that before, maybe that's why I haven't been having luck with growing them.

A solo might work. I've always used a sandwich bag or ziplock style bag. They work during the first couple days they have emerged, need some light and need the humidity.

 

[BudBogart]

That part is easy, but when it gets into the soil, it won't grow. It just dies.

What soil are you using (sorry if already told us, but...)
Either the seedling is drying out and the humidity will fix it, or the problem would be your soil is way too hot.

 

[Mari420]

What soil are you using (sorry if already told us, but...)
Either the seedling is drying out and the humidity will fix it, or the problem would be your soil is way too hot.

It's ecoscraps. I have a ph tester. But it's pretty shitty. It will say the ph level is 7.5, but then it'll say a lemon is 7. I got it down to 6.5, but who knows if that is actually the ph level.

 

[BudBogart]

It's ecoscraps. I have a ph tester. But it's pretty shitty. It will say the ph level is 7.5, but then it'll say a lemon is 7. I got it down to 6.5, but who knows if that is actually the ph level.

Eco scraps premium potting has 9-6-1 npk. That could be the problem. The first two weeks of a seeds life would really prefer no nutrients in the soil as the seed contains all the nutes necessary for the first couple weeks. Everyone sells special seed starter mixes that have no extra nutrients added. Really might fix your recurring issue.

 

[Smerb]

It's ecoscraps. I have a ph tester. But it's pretty shitty. It will say the ph level is 7.5, but then it'll say a lemon is 7. I got it down to 6.5, but who knows if that is actually the ph level.

Can you get store bought soil? Maybe fox farm.....

 

[Mari420]

Eco scraps premium potting has 9-6-1 npk. That could be the problem. The first two weeks of a seeds life would really prefer no nutrients in the soil as the seed contains all the nutes

Is there any soil from like Walmart or lowes or homedepot that would work? And apparently I need new nutes cuz someone just told me to never use them and to flush right away if I did.

 

[Mari420]

Can you get store bought soil? Maybe fox farm.....

I can't find any fox farm at the stores. I cant buy anything online and I can't find any good soil at the stores.

 

[BudBogart]

Do you remember if eco scraps was premium potting or their organic bag? I don't know about npk of the organic bag, wasn't listed. You can start in any seed starter soil or soil without added nutrients ( bag won't list npk fertilizers)

 

[Mari420]

Do you remember if eco scraps was premium potting or their organic bag? I don't know about npk of the organic bag, wasn't listed. You can start in any seed starter soil or soil without added nutrients ( bag won't list npk fertilizers)

It's the organic one.

 

[BudBogart]

Is there any soil from like Walmart or lowes or homedepot that would work? And apparently I need new nutes cuz someone just told me to never use them and to flush right away if I did.

Definitely home D will have something suitable. A small bag of perlite to mix into soil would be good, too.

 

[BudBogart]

It's the organic one.

Well, that should start okay. I am back to humidity being your problem, an easy fix.

 

[Mari420]

Definitely home D will have something suitable. A small bag of perlite to mix into soil would be good, too.

What's soil that will work tho? I'm tired of wasting my money on stuff that just ends up killing my plants.

 

[BudBogart]

What's soil that will work tho? I'm tired of wasting my money on stuff that just ends up killing my plants.

Let's try not to spend money till we really figure out the issue.
What nutes are you advised to throw away? Most any fert will work if diluted properly for the conditions.
Are you using tap water? Letting it sit for 24 to rid the chlorine?
Almost any bagged soil is going to grow canna. The only glitch is if the soil is loaded with too much nitrogen for a tender little sprout.
Soil that would otherwise work just fine for growing canna may be too hot for the day old sprouts.