Issue #111 - Sunday, June 1, 2014

Dear Fellow Grower,

In today's issue...

• Learn how to get nearly 100% germination rates!
• Should you get CFLs or an HPS for your grow space?
• This week's Trophy Pics features gorgeous seedlings!

Happy Growing!

Nebula Haze & Sirius Fourside (founders of GrowWeedEasy.com)

"The best education you can get is investing in yourself."

― Warren Buffett

Cannabis germination is the process of getting your seeds to sprout.

The little white shoots emerging from the seeds during germination are your marijuana plant's first roots, known as a "taproot." All your other cannabis roots will sprout from the main taproot.

The roots will get longer and longer, pushing the seed up, and after the shell breaks through the surface of your growing medium, the first leaves (these first round leaves are known as "cotyledons") will emerge from inside the cannabis seed. The cotyledons were already created as part of the plant embryo in the seed itself. In fact, the first leaves emerging are what break apart the shell after it's cracked open by the taproot, as pictured here.

Cannabis seeds can be expensive, don't waste your seeds with bad germination methods!

(Wait, where can I get cannabis seeds?)

What Do Marijuana Seeds Need to Germinate?

Marijuana seeds need the following to get the best germination rates:

• Moisture - keep things moist yet not soaking (you can soak hard seeds for up to 24-32 hours, though do not leave seeds soaking in water for longer than that).
• Undisturbed - A safe place to sprout where they won't be disturbed - either you plant the seeds directly in the growing medium, or germinate them somewhere else and move them.
• Warmth - Get the best germination rates by keeping germinating marijuana seeds in a warm place, not too hot! Think springtime.
• Gentle - If you must move sprouted seeds, treat them gently, and avoid touching their roots if possible.
• Plant immediately - If you're not germinating seeds directly in the growing medium, check on seeds regularly so you can plant them right away once they're sprouted white roots.
• Plant seeds with the root down! When planting germinated cannabis seeds, make sure the white root is pointed downwards. Seeds planted upside down (with roots facing up) take extra time to reorient themselves and emerge from the growing medium.
• Plant them knuckle deep - When planting germinated seeds, they don't have to be placed too far under in the growing medium, about a half inch to an inch (1.3 cm - 2.5 cm) down should be enough.

For marijuana seed germination, think springtime conditions. In the wild, marijuana seeds germinate in the spring.

Never let your young sprouted seeds dry up!

The main signal that tells a marijuana seed to start sprouting is the presence of moisture and heat. The combination of warm and wet "tells" the seed to start burrowing their main root (called a taproot) through their shell.

If a seed's root breaks through the shell and the water around has dried up, your seedling will die.

Seedlings are fragile at first. Once sprouted, the roots need to stay constantly moist to stay happy and healthy. It's important to make sure the seeds have access to water the entire time during germination, no matter which cannabis germination method you end up using.

Keep things warm!

Seeds germinate best in warmer temperatures and young marijuana seedlings enjoy higher relative humidity in the air. When seedlings are young, they grow faster and healthier when they can absorb moisture from the air through their leaves while their roots are still developing. Dry air won't kill your seedlings, but it doesn't make things better. Again, think springtime.

You can use an incandescent bulb (or two) placed over the marijuana seed germination area to help keep things warm. Incandescent bulbs can't be used as grow lights, but they're great for providing heat. Some people will also place a heating pad (the kind you get from a garden store for seedlings) underneath seeds to help aid germination.

Basically you want to make sure any seeds or sprouts are kept warm and moist at all times, that their roots are unexposed to light, and that they get planted right away.

There are several different methods to germinate your cannabis seeds, and in this article I will list some easy techniques that have worked for me.

How do I know if seeds are good?

Generally green or white seeds will not germinate, but most dark seeds will germinate when given good conditions.

I used to believe that marijuana seeds were only "good" if they were extremely hard and very dark. One of the first tests I heard to check new marijuana seeds for viability was to try to crush them between my fingers. If the seeds could be crushed, they weren't good, or so I was told. This has proven to be terrible advice!

Some of the best plants I have ever grown have emerged from seeds which were flimsy and could be crushed between my fingers. As long as you provide great marijuana germination conditions (as explained above), I've found that a lot of "weak" seeds germinate and produce amazingly hardy plants, and great buds.

I do not believe the health of the plant is directly tied to the apparant "health" of the seed. If the seed germinates, it's a good seed!

Remember! Most of the medical strains of marijuana we grow today (learn how to get seeds) have been bred over many years to produce plants that are easy to grow, and which produce potent, medicinal buds. These strains have not been selected for the toughness of the seeds they produce.

As long as a seed germinates, it's a good seed!

Common Cannabis Seed Germination Methods

• Method 1: Starter Cubes & Seedling Plugs (Recommended!)
• Method 2: Plant Directly in Growing Medium
• Method 3: Germination Station
• Method 4: Soak Seeds Overnight
• Method 5: Paper Towel Method

Taking Care of Marijuana Seedlings - The First Few Weeks

What size container to use?

Cannabis Transplanting Guide <-- When do I transplant? Do I need to transplant at all?

Remember, sharing is caring!

Jump to...

Teach me the basics of growing marijuana!

How long does it take from seed to harvest?

What nutrients should I use?

What grow lights are good for growing marijuana indoors?

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