So, you’ve finally taken the leap and you’re ready to grow your own marijuana? If you’re here, you’ve probably even bought the seeds already… But let’s face it − if you don’t germinate seeds the right way, they’ll die. As simple as that. And let me tell you from experience, there’s nothing more frustrating than to spend a ton of money to buy 10+ seeds, only to see 1 or 2 germinate…
Fortunately, it’s not difficult to germinate cannabis seeds if you know what you’re doing. In this article, we’ll tell you how to germinate seeds in an almost foolproof way, including 3 different methods (with a paper towel, soil, or water). With our tips, you should be able to get germination rates of 80% or more, as long as you’ve bought viable cannabis seeds. Let’s get started.
WHAT EXACTLY IS GERMINATION?
Germination is the process of sprouting seeds and is considered the most crucial part of growing cannabis. This process begins after the dormancy period of the seed and is initiated when it starts to absorb water for the expansion of the embryo.
This is when your cannabis seeds turn into seedlings. It’s when the seedling comes out of the seed along with its primary root. In this period, the baby plant grows fast as it starts with its rapid cell division. It then continues to depend on the germinated seed until it becomes nutritionally-self independent.
In other words, germination is the process the cannabis seed needs to go through before you place it in the soil where it’ll fully grow and blossom.
TYPES OF CANNABIS SEEDS
The best germination method depends on the characteristics of your cannabis seed. Thus, it’s necessary to learn the different types of cannabis seeds that are suitable for your environment.
This will help you save effort and resources as you learn which type of cannabis seed works best for your setup.
AUTOFLOWERING SEEDS
Autoflowering seeds are one of the most recommended types for beginners. While they’re not particularly easier to germinate, they are much easier to grow afterward.
Why? Because autoflowering cannabis seeds don’t require any light cycle manipulation to start flowering. In other words, you won’t have to spend a fortune on light timers and you’ll also avoid making them blossom too soon or too late (which is a common mistake).
Finally, autoflowering seeds generally flower faster than photoperiods, and you can even pick Ruderalis strains to make the flowering period even shorter (down to 7 weeks).
PHOTOPERIOD SEEDS
Photoperiod seeds are what you should get if you want to experience the traditional and natural way of planting and growing (Not to mention higher yields overall). However, if you choose to grow this type of cannabis seeds indoors, you’ll have to switch the light cycle to 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness to initiate the flowering stage.
In other words, photoperiod seeds are a bit less “hands-free” than autoflowering seeds. Still, you can go for beginner-friendly strains which are easy enough for your first time. Finally, photoperiod plants can be pushed back into a vegetative stage at the end of your harvest, so you don’t need to plant new ones every time. You can just reuse the same plants over and over again.
FEMINIZED CANNABIS SEEDS
As you know, you only need female plants if you’re growing cannabis, as male plants don’t produce buds. That’s where feminized cannabis seeds come in. These seeds are designed to produce only female plants, which is why it’s the recommended option for beginners.
Not only will you avoid wasting 50% of your space on male plants, but you will also avoid males pollinating your females (which could cut your harvest by 80-90%). The cannabis germination process is the same for feminized seeds as for any other type of seed.
REGULAR SEEDS
Regular cannabis seeds are the most natural type of seeds. They produce viable seeds or plants and are mainly used by advanced growers to breed new strains. This type of cannabis seed is not recommended for beginners because of the pollination risk we mentioned above.
That said, they’re hardier and can tolerate stress well. They can also give explosive growth and great yields. Germinating regular seeds is easy. Successful seed germination takes 3-10 days when placed under the right condition. You can even do this process indoors. When they’re mature, you can plant seeds in your outdoor garden.
HOW TO GERMINATE CANNABIS SEEDS (PAPER TOWEL METHOD)
Germinating cannabis is the hardest and the easiest part of growing cannabis. What do we mean by that? Well, it’s the hardest because most beginners get it wrong, and this completely kills the plants before they’re even born.
But it’s also the easiest because when you follow the proper method, there’s no way to get it wrong (unlike stress training techniques, which we won’t talk about in this article). Anyway, one of the best ways of germinating seeds is to use the Paper Towel Method. Here’s how:
START YOUR MARIJUANA SEEDS INDOORS
Germinating cannabis seeds indoors is paramount as that’s the only way to control several factors like humidity, temperature, and light. The most important thing your seeds should have during germination is moisture. Once you have your seeds, place them on a paper towel.
Paper towels are ideal because they are thick and retain moisture. Position the paper towel with a few seeds in running water until it’s soaked and well moisturized. You can then place the wet paper towel in a small plastic container under 70-85 F since seeds need a warm temperature to germinate.
This is when the waiting game begins. Check your seeds daily until you see them grow into seedlings. This could take 3 to 10 days, so patience is key.
PLANT YOUR GERMINATED WEED SEEDS IN SMALL JIFFY PELLETS
Once the roots grow up to one-fourth or half an inch, your germinated seeds are ready to be planted in potting soil or small jiffy pellets.
Why jiffy pellets? Because they provide young plants with a substrate that is beneficial for their healthy growth. They’re also lightweight, compact, practical, and economical. Not to mention, they’re well-draining (very important to prevent root rot, which is the number one seedial killer).
Once planted, harden your young seedling by slowly introducing it to its environment, and remember to give it enough light and water.
TIPS BEFORE YOU START GERMINATING WEED SEEDS
Cannabis cultivation starts with the proper selection of healthy seeds suitable for your environment and climate (particularly if you’re growing outdoors).
To do that, you should read the product page before you buy cannabis seeds, as you’ll generally find everything you need to know about suitable climates, pest resistance, mold resistance, etc. However, if you intend to grow indoors, then any marijuana plant will do, as long as you have the proper setup.
Also, while this may seem obvious… we recommend reading a few guides on how to grow cannabis before you germinate your seeds. The truth is your plant could very easily die if you make newbie mistakes, so it’s better to be overprepared.
Most of the time, online sites where you can purchase seeds have guides you can read. You can also join grower communities to get more tips and advice on germinating seeds.
Source: ANNA MILLER – sacbee.com
Image: stocksy.com
