Benefit of germination compared to direct?

ABeaujolais · Feb 7, 2026

I've been growing about a year and a half, still learning. I've usually planted seeds directly in the pot they'll grow in and they always had a good start. Most experts I see germinate their seeds, then into a small container, then into the main pot. I don't understand the benefit of going through the germination process then shocking the plant a couple times rather than just plopping the seed and letting it grow uninterrupted. I gotta be missing something.

JIMKSI64 · Feb 7, 2026

ABeaujolais said:
I've been growing about a year and a half, still learning. I've usually planted seeds directly in the pot they'll grow in and they always had a good start. Most experts I see germinate their seeds, then into a small container, then into the main pot. I don't understand the benefit of going through the germination process then shocking the plant a couple times rather than just plopping the seed and letting it grow uninterrupted. I gotta be missing something.

Small plant big pot is much more water sensitive in my opinion. Talking about soil. For the first part of the grow you water the plant but soon you base watering on pot weight and water the pot.
JMO
I put sprouted seeds directly into 5 gallon fabric.

Grownsince95 · Feb 7, 2026

ABeaujolais said:
I've been growing about a year and a half, still learning. I've usually planted seeds directly in the pot they'll grow in and they always had a good start. Most experts I see germinate their seeds, then into a small container, then into the main pot. I don't understand the benefit of going through the germination process then shocking the plant a couple times rather than just plopping the seed and letting it grow uninterrupted. I gotta be missing something.

You're either good at watering, lucky or both. It's much easier to water a plant whose container is appropriate for the size of the root zone. Just keep doing what you're doing if it works for you.

I was taught not to transplant autos for some reason I forgot so I do those direct like you.

ABeaujolais · Feb 7, 2026

JIMKSI64 said:
Small plant big pot is much more water sensitive in my opinion. Talking about soil. For the first part of the grow you water the plant but soon you base watering on pot weight and water the pot.
JMO
I put sprouted seeds directly into 5 gallon fabric.

That's how I water starting out. I gradually increase as the plant sprouts and grows.

ABeaujolais · Feb 7, 2026

Grownsince95 said:
You're either good at watering, lucky or both. It's much easier to water a plant whose container is appropriate for the size of the root zone. Just keep doing what you're doing if it works for you.

I was taught not to transplant autos for some reason I forgot so I do those direct like you.

I'm kind of obsessive with watering. I use a syringe until the plant is a couple inches tall. Just to keep it damp. The advice to not transplant autos is probably because you'll lose veg time. With transplanting it usually takes a few days for the plant to adjust and start growing again. One of the drawbacks of autoflowers is you don't have time to recover from any issues, it just flowers.

Oldchucky · Feb 7, 2026

ABeaujolais said:
I'm kind of obsessive with watering. I use a syringe until the plant is a couple inches tall. Just to keep it damp. The advice to not transplant autos is probably because you'll lose veg time. With transplanting it usually takes a few days for the plant to adjust and start growing again. One of the drawbacks of autoflowers is you don't have time to recover from any issues, it just flowers.

I use a catheter tip syringe also while they are little squirts!

Hossgrows · Feb 7, 2026

I too put sprouts in larger containers.

I don't use specialized tents, domes, heat mats. Just a moistened paper towel, inside a Ziploc bag place it on top of the water heater, or near a heat register till they germ. Then directly into a small pot made up of the soil from my outdoor garden for approximately 6-8 weeks. 16/8 lighting ( End of March till mid May. NE Ohio )

My thought process on this is.... little to no stress when transplanting to my outside garden. Roots aren't bound up, and already in the same soil it will be living in, outside. It just wakes up a little confused to it's new surroundings.

Ninjadogma · Feb 8, 2026

IMHO the main reason seeds get presoaked and popped in paper towels and why clones are often rooted in rockwool instead of dirt is for tighter control with both. They'll germinate just fine in soil, they typically just take longer. Not always though. I had seeds falling off some mother's and they were popping left and right in the dirt below.

Zewbacca · Feb 8, 2026

Just like in the wild, ninja. That's pretty cool!

amneziaHaze · Feb 8, 2026

its easier to put a paper towel on the router then to heat a block of dirt. allsoo paper towel in a humidity dome is easier to keep stable than to water the dirt and wonder if the seed is now swimming or its in perfect conditions... not imposible but there is a huge lack of control.
usually paper towel will pop faster than the dirt

BeefyBully · Feb 8, 2026

Yes paper towel does pop faster than dirt, but can you add fungi for when you sprout the tap root ? Is it too young ?
Haven’t done an auto as of yet but slowly improving my soil to germ.
Use: the ac infinity nursery pot system, 1/4 gal and the 1/2, start off in coins under dome or 1/4 gal nursery pot w/soil. Rootwise for pre-moist , coat seed with fungi , drop in seed. Takes about 5-6 days to germinate, no more water until roots form , Bavaria bassianna and microrizai will already be in for tap root to grow with.. still need warmth and humidity for plant function. When transplanting just drop the whole nursery pot in the next size up until final pot = no stress no lost time..

MercDod · Feb 8, 2026

For autoflower or fem Photos, I like to start out in a shot glass for 18 hours then to the paper towel method. I do this so I know before I put them into a pot that I have good seeds to start with and not a dud. I usually start with one or two extra just in case. I grow 4 plants at a time and dont want to find out 4-6 days later I need to start another. After im sure I have a tail I generally plant in final pot. However, in the past I for photoperiods have germinated as stated above, moved to a solo cup (helps to control watering especially for newbies) after 12-14 days moved to 1 gallon nursey pot (allowed me to help control nutes and add Mycorrizia to roots) then to move to 5 gallon fabric pot (also allowed me to help control nutrient mixture for veg, flowering time and add Mycorrizia to roots and allow for air pruning).

amneziaHaze · Feb 8, 2026

MercDod said:
For autoflower or fem Photos, I like to start out in a shot glass for 18 hours then to the paper towel method. I do this so I know before I put them into a pot that I have good seeds to start with and not a dud. I usually start with one or two extra just in case. I grow 4 plants at a time and dont want to find out 4-6 days later I need to start another. After im sure I have a tail I generally plant in final pot. However, in the past I for photoperiods have germinated as stated above, moved to a solo cup (helps to control watering especially for newbies) after 12-14 days moved to 1 gallon nursey pot (allowed me to help control nutes and add Mycorrizia to roots) then to move to 5 gallon fabric pot (also allowed me to help control nutrient mixture for veg, flowering time and add Mycorrizia to roots and allow for air pruning).

actually thats the only reason you really need.when you open the paper towel there is 4 or 6 tails. when you plant in dirt you wait....

defective · Feb 8, 2026

Preference preference preference…all they need is moisture and moderate temps, however it happens.

orggrwr · Feb 8, 2026

defective said:
Preference preference preference…all they need is moisture and moderate temps, however it happens.

Exactly, the best way to pop a seed is the way that works for you.

MercDod · Feb 8, 2026

defective said:
Preference preference preference…all they need is moisture and moderate temps, however it happens.

Unless its dead to start with, then it will never grow.

Benefit of germination compared to direct?

Benefit of germination compared to direct?

ABeaujolais

JIMKSI64

Grownsince95

🤘😆👍

ABeaujolais

ABeaujolais

Oldchucky

Hossgrows

Ninjadogma

Zewbacca

amneziaHaze

BeefyBully

MercDod

amneziaHaze

defective

orggrwr

MercDod

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