Germinating seed in starter plug

Cdub97 · Feb 6, 2020

In the past I’ve used wet paper towels and as soon as it cracked and the tip of the root showed I’d transfer directly to my growing medium.

First time germinating dropping seed into the little hole of a moist rooting starter plug. 3 days ago. They’re at about 78F and in a humidity dome.

I can see they’ve popped but they’re not coming up. I feel like I should cut off the starter plug and put it in medium like I normally do. It looks like they’re stuck in there.

This is my only genetics and I fear I’ll kill them.

BigCube · Feb 6, 2020

And today?

HighestCut · Feb 6, 2020

The method you just described I have not had very much success with. But if you are in the middle of it you should stick with it. I think putting it under a light might help.

I do like the peat pellets, but soaking them in a glass of water until the tail pops, THEN putting it tail pointing down into the starter/pod. This method has worked better for me.

Cdub97 · Feb 6, 2020

I think I just need to be patient. Day 4 and I started to see them curl up and go vertical. Just taking a little time. Just was scared to ruin my only seeds.

Cdub97 · Feb 6, 2020

I might still cut off the starter plug. I think it’s too much resistance to get out of that hole.

BigCube · Feb 6, 2020

Cdub97 said:
I might still cut off the starter plug. I think it’s too much resistance to get out of that hole.

Does it have light?

Cdub97 · Feb 6, 2020

Yes. Lots of light. Humidity and warmth.

Cdub97 · Feb 7, 2020

I cut them out. All but one was really stuck. They sprung open and popped up as soon as I freed them from the milled plugs.

Never again. Horrible germination method. Had I not been on top of it I might have lost 5 out of 6 seeds.

They’re all planted directly in medium now. Fingers crossed they all survive.

dire wolf · Feb 7, 2020

Hey cdub, I've used rapid rooters with success if you are attracted to the medium I would suggest doing what I do
I slice them in half vertically like a hot dog bun then I lay the seed inside to make a little bed and close it up with a soft rubber band that way I can cracke it open like a clam she'll and aid the sprout if need be .....

Though I prefer the coffee filter paper method....

Cdub97 · Feb 7, 2020

Appreciate the tips.

5 out of 6 are fine. For some reason the White Widow seed cracked but the root won’t keep pushing. It sorta stopped. Anyhow 83% not so bad.

Wee Zard · Feb 7, 2020

Here's some information for y'all.
I use rapid rooters for germination.
Done carefully. With the pointy end up, they are excellent.

Got this from a John Drake book in the sixties.
It has served me well.
In nature the seeds tend to fall to earth pointy end up. The emerging root immediately does a 180.
That 180 degree turn is important. It uses the leverage of that curve to pull the seed husk off.
As the cracked seed is pulled upward, the dirt catches the open husk and the cotyledons can then pull free.
The paper towel method often damages the root and gets folks to drop them into the dirt wrong side up.

Planting directly in shallow dirt can leave you with trapped cotyledons. Getting that husk off by hand requires a steadier hand than mine.
I had to keep wetting them with an eyedropper and hoping for release.
So, switched to Rooters and solved both problems

The roots penetrate the rooters easily. Unlike peat pellets

The most common problem with them can be mold. They are shipped, and should stay, moist, and that invites molds.
That can cause sudden death around flowering time.
Always smell them before use. If they smell "musty" wet them with hydrogen peroxide and squeeze out the excess.
I put them in 16 oz. "beer" cups flush with the soil. Usually pop up in 72 hours.

Jus' my two cents.
Aloha,
Weeze

Manitobro · Feb 7, 2020

I find that starter plugs made from peat or simmilar materials dont allow for enough drainage.
I have had great success planting seeds directly into propagation mix (#5), using plug sized trays, a heated floor and keeping the LEDs at about 15cm above the soil.

That being said, I am a larger scale producer and I can afford (even require for data) to have seeds not germinate on me.
Cropkings seed germination guide is pretty good if every seeds germination is your priority.

MIGrampaUSA · Feb 7, 2020

HighestCut said:
The method you just described I have not had very much success with. But if you are in the middle of it you should stick with it. I think putting it under a light might help.

I do like the peat pellets, but soaking them in a glass of water until the tail pops, THEN putting it tail pointing down into the starter/pod. This method has worked better for me.

I've had success with the paper towel method. I think the key is in pointing the taproot down into the starter pod. I won't say it's fool proof but it's worked for me for many years.

Matthewstever · Feb 7, 2020

I use the paper towel method as well. When I grow in soil, I put the sprouted seed an inch down. It takes a little longer to come up, but I don't have issues with stuck husks, and the sprouts always have nice thick stems.

Germinating seed in starter plug

Germinating seed in starter plug

Cdub97

BigCube

HighestCut

Cdub97

Cdub97

BigCube

Cdub97

Cdub97

dire wolf

Cdub97

Wee Zard

Manitobro

MIGrampaUSA

Matthewstever

Privacy & Transparency

Privacy & Transparency