Hi guys im a new cannabis grower and would like to know how to germinate seeds correctly. previously i had made sure a piece of kitchen roll was damp and place 5 seeds on it and then done the same with another piece of kitchen roll and then placed it in a dark cuboard i made sure the seeds were moist at all times. its been 4 days now and none of the seeds have cracked open at all. please help. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG?

Hello Oricle, welcome to CC. There are a few things that may be of issue here - you mentioned the paper towel was 'damp'. Make sure there is enough water to keep the beans wet, but not drowned. The paper towel needs to hold enough moisture to allow it to be absorbed by the seed shell, otherwise it will dramatically slow or even stop germination.

You may want to consider a slight change next time: toss the seeds into a glass of water for 1-2 days. Keep an eye on them, and once you see evidence of cracking, place them in that wet paper towel sandwich, place the whole thing in a zip lock baggie, and store in a dark, warm place. I usually cover the baggie in foil, then stick it on my desktop over the power supply - keeps things nice and cozy.

Another idea is to scarify the seeds before soaking. Place a small piece of fine sand paper in a matchbox, seeds in the box. Close lid, shake for a few minutes - gently. This sometimes helps thicker skinned seeds with a head start. LabRat does this and from what I know, he has wonderful success with it.

Lastly, patience. Patience is the key to growing good ganja. Some seeds take 1-2 days, others a week or more.

If it were my seeds, I would add a bit more water to the towel sandwich, bag it, keep it warm and dark, and check it each day. As soon as you see something sprouting, plant it.

Good luck.

I germinate a simple way that works 99% of the time. I simply throw the seeds into a shot glass of water and place it on my water heater and close the door, when I come back in 3 or 4 days, the beans are sprouted and ready to be planted.

ive used this method with great success, i germed about 50 shit beans just to practice before i started growing and scarifying them almost all 50 popped. im a noob still too, alot of these guys are super helpful on there and it just comes with experience man, in the month or so ive been on here ive learned so much from some of these guys that i woulda never known, trial and error brother, best way to learn.

Ok you need to start right, go to
http://www.farmersalmanac.com/calendar/gardening/

This is a calendar that will tell you when it is a good day to plant. Using the phases of the moon.

I usually put the seeds in a paper towel on a plate that has a shallow dish shape and fill it with water and put it on top of the refrigerator. in 3-5 days the ones that are good will pop. usually 80% ratio. The last 10 Juan seeds I started all 10 popped...

much appreciated guys like you said fera trail and error tired of buying it better to grow

Um....what has the moon to do with germination ?

how do i make big buds on my plants aswell? is there a fertilizer i should use as i am growing outside?

hey man, another guy had teh same question in a diffferent section, here is what Enlightened1 said th him ad i think its amazing information

" what you need to focus on is perfecting your growing method and techniques. Stop looking for chemical answers to larger harvests. Study individual plants/strains so you become familiar with their growth patterns and characteristics. They are not all that different from us, all carry their own likes and dislikes, needs etc. Working with a particular strain for a while and understanding the way it behaves in your environment is the answer to maximizing your harvests. So many people want a quick fix, a fast chemical solution to their goals... That is not the way.

You want to know one of the greatest things you can do for your plants? Focus on their roots! Condition your medium(if in soil) to support abundant life. This means ditching chemical ferts and chemical hormones, approach the plants in a way that supports long term health for both them and yourself. Beneficial bacteria, mycorrhizae, trichoderma, humic and fulvic acids, kelp extracts, amino acids etc. are just some of the many things you can do to charge those growth engines!

Also, what about your limiting factors? Is your environment perfect? Your Ph always dialed in? Is your light in the correct spectrum and intensity to support intense growth? What about your Circulation, humidity, intake/exhaust, Co2 levels etc. Make sure you perfect ALL bases of growth BEFORE you look for answers elsewhere... It really could be something as simple as dialing in your environment. The plants can only grow as healthy as the nearest limiting factor allows. Cover all bases and you WILL bring your plants to their full glorious potential. I promise you!

Peace, E1


Edited by Enlightened1 (04/07/12 11:16 AM)"

hopefully this helps you out man.

The moon controls the movement of water ie the tides, well if the moon is in the wrong phase when you are trying to germinate your seeds they won't do so well. An example would be trying to grow the plant when the water is going out of the plant, the tide is going out.. The moon effects the water in your plant just like it effects the tides. So if you watch the moon and plant and harvest by the moon you yield more and better plants.

Hope this helps. if ya don't believe me try it.