Am I doing paper towel method wrong

Bib4tuna · Jun 6, 2021

Ok so Id mentioned in a previous thread that seeds I ordered hadnt germinated. Ive just received replacements that ive let sit in water & am now transferring into paper towels. Ive always done the paper towel mwthos with much success but in the past just put plates together & placed under a light bulb for warmth. This time I sealed the plates & in saran wrap & placed plates on top of germination pad. Could this be reason for not germinating. Could germ pad be creating too much heat? When I open plates there's lots of condensation.

lvstealth · Jun 6, 2021

i put mine on top of the cable box, seems perfect.

Ponky · Jun 6, 2021

Same. 500 ml of water in a pink glass. Sit it on the cable box. 2 to 5 days later they're all sprouted. Once I switched to this method I never tried anything else.

Potsquatch · Jun 8, 2021

I had problems with plates on a heating pad, it was too hot and caused all the water in the bottom paper towel to evaporate and condense on the top plate.

Stuck a small cardboard box underneath the plates to add some distance from the pad, problem solved.

PipeCarver · Jun 8, 2021

Bib4tuna said:
Ok so Id mentioned in a previous thread that seeds I ordered hadnt germinated. Ive just received replacements that ive let sit in water & am now transferring into paper towels. Ive always done the paper towel mwthos with much success but in the past just put plates together & placed under a light bulb for warmth. This time I sealed the plates & in saran wrap & placed plates on top of germination pad. Could this be reason for not germinating. Could germ pad be creating too much heat? When I open plates there's lots of condensation.

I put my seeds in a small cup of spring water overnight, then 1 paper towel wet with the water the seeds were sitting in ( just wet not dripping with water). Then I place the paper towel in a small tupperware container with a lid. Then I add the soaked seeds to the paper towel folded with seeds in between & cover with the lid. I sit that on top of my Aquarium and in 1-2 days all viable seeds pop...The aquarium water is 30c so there's just a bit of heat on the top.

mysticepipedon · Jun 8, 2021

Unless the humidity is very low in your house, you don't have to wrap things up.

After soaking overnight - 24 hours, I wet paper towels, squeeze most water out and put them in a fold. I stand the folded towels (about 2'' x 2", at this point) in coffee mugs and add a few drops of water to the mug (and continue, periodically, so they don't dry out). No added heat. Most seeds germ in 2-4 days. Difficult germers can take 10 days.

I've pretty much found that if a seed has sunk after soaking, it will germinate.

M0nStarNuggety · Jun 8, 2021

I use paper towel as well. I don't even soak seeds first. Just a moist paper towel in a baggie. I put it on top of my snake cage, it stays around 70-75f. And 2-3 days later they pop. I plant after seed is fully opened. Only had 3 seeds so far this year not take, out of about 3 dozen. But I've had issues with the 2 different breeders they were from a few times. But I have had some go almost 10 days until pop as well.
That's just growing.

LexLuthor · Jun 8, 2021

I put the seeds directly in wet paper towel, on a plate, in a cupboard. I remoisten paper towel every 8-12 hours, that's just how I do it.

I just germinated 5 seeds and they all cracked in less than 24 hours, but in the past I had seeds that took multiple days to crack. Good luck.

mancorn · Jun 8, 2021

Agree that plates sitting on a seed pad will be too hot. Normally a seed pad is used under flats or small pots so you have a fair amount of space between the actual seed and the mat. In your case the mat is heating the plate and your seeds are sitting on the hot plate. The plates are really just to keep things dark, not to hold in the moisture. I’d stick your wet paper towels in a plastic bag and then just sandwich the bag between your plates. Unless you’re in the Antarctic I’d think your ambient temps are fine.

freezeland2 · Jun 8, 2021

I put seed starter mix in a solo cup. Moisten it and the make 1/4 to 1/2”
Impression with a finger. Drop a seed in and cover and moisten a little more. Set in a warm dark space. 3 or 4 days later there is usually a sprout. I don’t bother soaking the seeds, paper towels or whatever. If it doesn’t sprout after a week in the solo cup I just get another seed and start over. That hasn’t happened very often though.

Rooke · Jun 8, 2021

Hey there I soak my seeds in distilled water until they drop some sometimes I swirl them around in the cup to get them to drop then I take a piece of paper towel fold it in half and put it in a solo cup pour distilled water on the towel until it’s wet with it stuck it the inside of the and leave about 1/2 an inch of water in the bottom then put the cups in a cheapie dome cloner with the seeds at about 3/4 up between the towel then control the temp at 78 f lid on with a thick towel on top for darkness I have a seedling mat with a temp controller and a sensor inside stuck to the lid at the same height as the seeds check them twice a day cuz it happens fast maintaining the water in the bottom of the cup the capillary action will keep your seed from drying out or becoming to moist. I know this seems very anal but seeds are expensive I have done it this way for 3 years lots of seeds and it works on viable seeds every time fewf!!!

freezeland2 · Jun 8, 2021

Rooke said:
Hey there I soak my seeds in distilled water until they drop some sometimes I swirl them around in the cup to get them to drop then I take a piece of paper towel fold it in half and put it in a solo cup pour distilled water on the towel until it’s wet with it stuck it the inside of the and leave about 1/2 an inch of water in the bottom then put the cups in a cheapie dome cloner with the seeds at about 3/4 up between the towel then control the temp at 78 f lid on with a thick towel on top for darkness I have a seedling mat with a temp controller and a sensor inside stuck to the lid at the same height as the seeds check them twice a day cuz it happens fast maintaining the water in the bottom of the cup the capillary action will keep your seed from drying out or becoming to moist. I know this seems very anal but seeds are expensive I have done it this way for 3 years lots of seeds and it works on viable seeds every time fewf!!!

You made me tired just thinking of all that work to pop a bean. Just put it in moist seed starter. If it grows it grows. If not get another seed and do it again.

Rooke · Jun 8, 2021

freezeland2 said:
You made me tired just thinking of all that work to pop a bean. Just put it in moist seed starter. If it grows it grows. If not get another seed and do it again.

I know lmao like I said anal oh yeah and ocd as well! Crazy

Nuttso_642 · Jun 8, 2021

I simply soak a paper towel and squeeze out the access moister so it's not dripping and fold it once. I place the seed in the paper towel and fold it a few more times. I then place the paper towel in my underwear drawer and check them daily. They usually sprout within a day or two. My success rate is 100% with this method.

mysticepipedon · Jun 8, 2021

I just thought I'd add that if you didn't use my exact method to germinate, you did it wrong and your plants are aberrations of nature that must be destroyed at once.

Greenthumbsucker · Jun 9, 2021

Iv germinated many seeds for many years. With lots of success. Til I just received two critical purple autos. I read a site say to soak em first. That's new to me. So I soaked but otherwise did the same way I always have. Soak a paper towel, squeeze out the excess. Put the seed in, fold it and put it in a zip lock baggie and throw em in a cupboard. I planted em in 4 days, shouldve did it on 3.idk iv never put that much work Into germinating and it always seems to work. I recently planted some hibiscus seeds and none popped. Just soaked em and put em in a towel. Well see how they go this time.

euphoria526 · Jun 9, 2021

Nuttso_642 said:
I simply soak a paper towel and squeeze out the access moister so it's not dripping and fold it once. I place the seed in the paper towel and fold it a few more times. I then place the paper towel in my underwear drawer and check them daily. They usually sprout within a day or two. My success rate is 100% with this method.

This. I also do the minimum to get the taproot going.
Moistened paper towel, ziplock, solo cup, 3gal container

Mrb53 · Jun 9, 2021

Tings change with time. Years ago, we just "THREW" seed on the ground, scratched a little and they grew. Now, with most everything being processed, new issues come into ply that were not a concern before.
TO be sure, we have reached the point where we:
Use a little file or sandpaper to remove some of the waxy coating inherent with seeds. You never know HOW OLD THEY ARE. The we make a solution of 30% H2O2 (peroxide) and the rest water or 50/50 milk (milk feeds the seeds if they are old and the sugar store is used up). Soak for 12 to 24 hrs...I do 12
plastic baggie, paper towel and UNBLEACHED COFFEE filter in the middle. Wet the paper towel, let it drip out...not soaking. Place the coffee filter in the middle, place the seeds in the coffee filter, fold over and seal in the plastic bag. Most homes are around 75°f and within 36 hours, they should sprout. By 48, the tails should be .5 to 1 "
If not, your seeds are not QUALITY!. My good seeds pop in 12 hrs after the 12 hr soak. By 36 hrs, they have shed their shell.
The coffee filter prevents the tails / shoot from getting tangled in the paper towel and with most paper towel being BLEACHED these days, there are contaminants (bleach / acid)
Once you plant, dome it for a few days and by 5th or 6th day, they are ready to go

I used to do the minimum but with seeds averaging $10 or better a seed, there is too much JUNK out there. Most breeders / seed house LIE about their quality...That is why the guarantee...they just send MORE seeds...throw enough crap against the walls and something will stick

I now buy from personal breeder friends and cultivate my own seeds

euphoria526 · Jun 9, 2021

I’ve recently bought from amazing looking flowers through people I’ve found on IG. I know they get tons of bad rap, but I’ve had %99.99 success rate getting his seeds so far with 1 or two overall not taking. They have also grown into robust amazing plants that took anything I threw at them. Now I have more seeds than I know what to do with and can’t wait to pop em all

Bib4tuna · Jun 12, 2021

Mrb53 said:
Tings change with time. Years ago, we just "THREW" seed on the ground, scratched a little and they grew. Now, with most everything being processed, new issues come into ply that were not a concern before.
TO be sure, we have reached the point where we:
Use a little file or sandpaper to remove some of the waxy coating inherent with seeds. You never know HOW OLD THEY ARE. The we make a solution of 30% H2O2 (peroxide) and the rest water or 50/50 milk (milk feeds the seeds if they are old and the sugar store is used up). Soak for 12 to 24 hrs...I do 12
plastic baggie, paper towel and UNBLEACHED COFFEE filter in the middle. Wet the paper towel, let it drip out...not soaking. Place the coffee filter in the middle, place the seeds in the coffee filter, fold over and seal in the plastic bag. Most homes are around 75°f and within 36 hours, they should sprout. By 48, the tails should be .5 to 1 "
If not, your seeds are not QUALITY!. My good seeds pop in 12 hrs after the 12 hr soak. By 36 hrs, they have shed their shell.
The coffee filter prevents the tails / shoot from getting tangled in the paper towel and with most paper towel being BLEACHED these days, there are contaminants (bleach / acid)
Once you plant, dome it for a few days and by 5th or 6th day, they are ready to go

I used to do the minimum but with seeds averaging $10 or better a seed, there is too much JUNK out there. Most breeders / seed house LIE about their quality...That is why the guarantee...they just send MORE seeds...throw enough crap against the walls and something will stick

I now buy from personal breeder friends and cultivate my own seeds

I certainly dont trust ILGM & dont believe their seeds are viable. I do grows almost every yr.& always by seed. Granted this will be 3rd indoor grow ever but I always germinate the same way & almost all pop & survive. I get what u mean by times changing tho. Another new change I've made is using the heating mat but last yr. I did with a heat mat & all popped also. I took the duds from them & threw them in ground anyways & one came up,hasnt showed true leaves yet. I wa wondering since the replacements havent popped if I should stick container outside to see if they pop too? After forever in paper plates I moved into lil cups with soil & had that sitting on heating mat. I havent had cups under light tho cuz of heating mat. Usually when I did without mat after plates I'd put under fluorescent lights & they'd break surface. 3-4 days on mat without breaking surface I stuck under light like I used too but was wondering if I could just sit on front porch since it's been so hot out & the dud popped I threw outside? I know alot off ppl might say no since it isnt good to take from outside to inside but if it's on porch maybe it'll be ok.

Am I doing paper towel method wrong

Am I doing paper towel method wrong

Bib4tuna

lvstealth

Ponky

Potsquatch

PipeCarver

mysticepipedon

M0nStarNuggety

LexLuthor

mancorn

freezeland2

Rooke

freezeland2

Rooke

Nuttso_642

mysticepipedon

Greenthumbsucker

euphoria526

Mrb53

euphoria526

Bib4tuna

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