Germinating Cannabis Seeds
For germinating Cannabis seeds indoors you need:
- Cannabis Seeds
- Glass or plastic containers with a lid or 2 dinner plates
- Paper napkins/towels
- Pump sprayer with clean water
- Small cup or glass of water
- Time – From 12 hours to 7 days.
Top Method for successful seed germination: Paper towel germination step by step.
Place your marijuana seeds on a paper napkin and between two plates or inside a container/ziplock bag, and spray with room temperature water.
This nest for your sprouting seeds must remain warm, dark, and slightly damp(not soaking wet) at all times. Spray the paper towel with warm ph 6-7 water(tap water works) and cover it with a lid or plate. Place your plates with your seeds in a warm place and check them several times per day.
Never let the paper towel or seeds dry up or your seed won’t germinate. The paper towel must stay moist, but not soaking wet. Once you see the seed start to crack open you can get your seed starting soil or growing medium ready.
When the marijuana seed opens and shows a tap root that is at least 1/4 inch long, plant it in a small beer cup or seed starter plug.
Germinating Cannabis Seeds Directly in Soil
As it occurs every day in nature, you can also germinate your marijuana seeds in the growing medium that works best for you( soil, coco coir, etc.)
Just use a small stick or pen and make a small hole 1 cm deep. Now place your regular marijuana seed in the hole. The growing medium/soil must be wet but not soaking wet, once the seed is deposited into the hole, gently bury the seed with the growing medium without applying pressure to the cannabis seed.
Tips for successful germination of older seeds
Place your seeds in a glass of clean or rainwater, and add 30 ml of hydrogen peroxide per cup of water. Soak at room temperature (20°- 25° C) for 12 hours. Keep the seeds in a dark and warm place with a label to make sure no one drinks your seeds.
Soaking your seeds for more than 24 hours will deprive your germinating seeds of oxygen and they will drown eventually and never sprout. A marijuana seed that sinks is most likely to be viable and good for germination. If it floats, it may just be surface tension holding the seed, touch it, and it may sink. Seeds that are still floating after 12 hours are not likely to sprout easily.
Get yourself a good water sprayer and set your phone to remind you to spray your germinating seeds. A dry paper towel can also damage a recently sprouted seed tap root and kill off your marijuana plants before you start growing.
Track seed germination dates. Do not forget about your sprouting cannabis seeds! If you leave them for too long they will grow a very long taproot and end up dying without a proper growing medium.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cannabis Germination
What are the best temperature and humidity levels for germinating Cannabis seeds?
The target temperature to germinate Cannabis seeds is 25° C / 77°F
The target relative Humidity to germinate Cannabis seeds is 70 / 90%
Do I need growing lights for Cannabis seed germination?
No! You need darkness to start the germination process and you won’t need any lights until you see the first leaves.
Your marijuana plant needs light as soon as it sprouts from the soil. In the first weeks, young cannabis plants are not yet able to process very bright light. Led lights or less intense light sources are better for this beginning stage. A blue spectrum light is best for the seedling stage, as they promote vegetative cannabis growth.
My seed just sprouted but the shell is stuck on the seedling. What should I do?
The cannabis seed shell normally pops off when the first pair of round leaves (cotyledons) are grown. Sometimes with older cannabis seeds, this shell is very tough and gets stuck on the already-formed cotyledons. Keep spraying it with clean water to soften the shell and leave it for several more hours. If you decide to remove it yourself, spray it with a little water 10 mins before using sterilized tweezers. Be very careful not to damage the leaves or newly forming stalk!
When is the best time of the year to germinate Cannabis seeds when growing outdoors?
The best time to germinate a marijuana seed for your outdoor garden is at the beginning of your Spring. Cannabis plants are similar to flowers, they will grow all Summer and start flowering near Autumn when days are shorter.
How long will it take to germinate cannabis seeds?
A Cannabis seed can take anywhere from 12 hours (fresh seeds) to a few days to crack open and germinate, or even longer if the germinating conditions are bad.
It’s been a few days, my Cannabis seeds won’t sprout, why?
Sometimes seeds don’t sprout because of user error, they are too old or were improperly stored. If you know your seeds are very old you can use a nail file to sand down the thickness of the seed shell before you begin. Also, try the above-mentioned “glass of water” to presoak your seed. It’s better to be patient from the start and begin with the best conditions possible.
How to properly store Cannabis seeds
Keep your cannabis seeds in a cool, dry, and dark place, for example, in the refrigerator (in the original container), inside our provided ziplock mylar plastic bag for longer seed conservation. When growing season starts and you are ready to germinate your cannabis seeds place them in room temperature conditions.
Growing Cannabis successfully requires some research or at least some practice, but it’s not rocket science and most say it is a very rewarding experience. We hope you now have the knowledge to get yourself started in the cannabis-growing community.
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