Homesteader said:

Are you putting them directly into live soil or are you starting them in coco or peat?
Lots of times, many things will eat young seedlings in the soil before they break the ground (fungus gnat larvae being one). If you use something somewhat inert like sand, peat or coco, you can get them a head start and let the roots develop.

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Homesteader said:

Are they old seeds? Maybe they are popping and then turning to mush? Sounds like its something else other than the medium. Those should all work well.

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linde said:

old seeds. it's almost hard to not get a fresh strong seed to pop within 48 hrs. do it the old fashion way. drop them in a cup of 80° water for 24 hrs. than put in moist paper towels between 2 plates. keep around 78-80°. if seeds are good they will be cracked within 48 hrs. if seeds are old repeat process only adding carbonated water and hydrogen peroxide to water.

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sambapati said:

I would just suggest using brown kraft paper coffee filters....they are much less likely to take any portion of your precious seed away. Putting them in-between the filters also works. A brief bath in very diluted Hydrogen peroxide has also been recommended on the farm to clean the seeds....I wish you luck and share the frustration...way way cooler when they just take off the way they are supposed to....I guess that is why we're not making the big $$$

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Homesteader said:

Hard to tell from my vantage point but could also be that the seeds were not fully matured.

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Milson said:

Mature seeds will be hard and dark-ish usually. They often have striping. Less mature seeds will be pale and softer. At least in my experience.

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Nellyyortiz9 said:

Ok now question...once poped open and germinated, you put in the medium...how long do you wait for the taproot to be?
I usually just pop it in the medium after a day in the paper towel, regardless of how long it is....should I wait till the taproot is a certain length?

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linde said:

old seeds. it's almost hard to not get a fresh strong seed to pop within 48 hrs. do it the old fashion way. drop them in a cup of 80° water for 24 hrs. than put in moist paper towels between 2 plates. keep around 78-80°. if seeds are good they will be cracked within 48 hrs. if seeds are old repeat process only adding carbonated water and hydrogen peroxide to water.

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mysticepipedon said:

This is the method I've always used, except I'm not that particular about temperatures.

If you soak your seeds in water (or peroxide solution), after the 24 hour period, tap any that are floating. If they all sink, they will very likely germ. If they don't sink, there's a stronger chance they won't germ (or it will take that seed longer to germ).

Once they germ, seedlings don't like wet soil. Soaking them may fool you into thinking they like to swim, but once they sprout, they are upland plants.

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Homesteader said:

If you are buying the seeds they are mature. I would hope. Bag seed will sometimes will be the result of a herm late in flower and will produce little seeds that may or may not fully germinate.

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Aqua Man said:

I'll tell ya where I think you are going wrong at the end and what I do first.

I soak mine for 16-18hrs in DISTILLED water. Pop or not they go into paper towels but can use coffee filters. You never want to let them dry and you never want water pooling. If you can see water theybare to wet. I use 4 paper towels stacked then wet with DISTILLED water just enough they soak it all up and like i say if its shiny wet its to much. I use 4 because they don't dry out as fast.

Temp is very important they need to be warm. My ghetto solution is put a towel on top of my cable box. Take 2 plates face to face place the seeds on one side of the paper towel and fold it over so the seeds are covered. Gently pat the towels down so the have good contact with the seeds.

After 24hrs you will likely start to see some sprouts. Once they have a 1/4" tap root place into the media of choice that is MOIST NOT WET tap root down. Transfer as the pop as there is no point planting a seed that doesn't germ.

Now here is where I feel your mistake is.... only plant them max 1/2" deep. They seeds only have so much energy stored. If you go deeper they may not make it. Especially when its like 2 inches or something... now am I right? Have you been planting over an inch deep? Or maybe I'm wrong but thats how I do it.

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