Germinating cannabis seeds at home is far from the only way, but before going into details, it is worth answering: what is a seed? This is the germ of the future plant, which is in a state of deep sleep. Inside the protective shell of the marijuana seeds is a small embryo, consisting of:
- shoot tips;
- spine;
- primary leaves;
- cotyledons;
- root cap.
The seed contains fats, proteins and carbohydrates, as well as enzymes necessary for the absorption of nutrients.
How to germinate cannabis seeds?
Before you prepare everything you need for sprouting, it is important to wash your hands so that bacteria does not get on the cotton pad. Because of them, the opened cannabis seeds can die.
When germinating, it is worth taking a cotton swab, and not a sponge, as it will be sterile. If you use a sponge, then be sure to new and well washed with clean water. This is necessary to wash off the remnants of harmful substances that could get on the sponge during the production process.
Experienced growers can move germinated seeds into the ground with tweezers, but the seed is easily damaged this way. In order not to take risks, it is better to simply drop the seed from a cotton pad into a pre-dug hole no more than 0.5 cm deep.
The secret to successful cannabis germination lies in a combination of three points:
- It is important to use filtered or bottled water. Running water contains elements that can harm the seed.
- High air humidity.
- Warmth is optimally 25-30°C.
Also Read: Everything You Need To Know About Feminized Cannabis Seeds
Steps in germinating cannabis seeds
The first step in germinating cannabis seeds
First of all, you need to take cotton pads or two sponges for washing dishes. If such things were not at home, you can use dry clean napkins or toilet paper without dyes and flavors.
Napkins folded in several layers will retain moisture well. In addition, it is convenient to get open hemp seeds from them without damaging the roots.
Next, you need to find a food container with a lid, it is desirable that it closes tightly. If you take a container that has already been used, it is important to rinse it well. You can buy a similar container in any hypermarket. But for sprouting marijuana, a Zip-lock bag is also suitable.
It is also worth checking the salt content in the water (TDS). The optimal TDS level is 50-150 ppm, maximum 300 ppm. The pH level should be 5.0-5.5 if further planned growing cannabis in hydroponics . If the seed goes into the ground, the acidity should not exceed 6.0-6.5.
To measure these indicators, TDS and pH meters are used. If there is no such equipment, it is easiest to take bottled drinking water.
But the condition of the cannabis seed plays a key role. It is not so important whether it is an autoflower or a photoperiod variety, whether it is feminized or regular, the most important thing is the absence of external damage. To grow a rich crop, the grower should take seeds from proven seed banks.
Second step
In order for hemp seeds to germinate quickly, they need to be soaked. To do this, you need a glass or other container, as long as it is sterile. It should be filled with clean water, and then put the glass in a warm and dark place for 12-24 hours. After the cannabis seeds swell, it’s time to place them on cotton pads, sponges or paper.
Experienced growers advise adding root stimulants and other agents to the water to increase resistance, improve affinity and strengthen the immunity of marijuana.
You can use ordinary hydrogen peroxide: just a couple of drops in a glass of water will help kill pathogenic bacteria and enrich the water with atomic oxygen. In this case, the risk of infection or rotting of hemp seeds is significantly reduced.
Also Read: Best Places To Buy The Best Cannabis Seeds
Third step
Before starting germination, it is important to check that there is no chemical impregnation in the cotton pads. A hemp seed should be placed in the middle of a cotton pad, and a second disk is placed on top. The resulting “sandwich” is sent to the container, after which it is necessary to prepare water. It is heated to room temperature (28-32°C).
Then you need to pour cotton swabs, for this it is most convenient to use a medical syringe. After the discs are saturated with water, it is important to squeeze out excess moisture. It is enough if the discs are raw. The same can be done with a Zip-lock bag and sponges.
It is better to prefer cotton pads to sponges. There is a risk that the hemp seed will grow into a sponge or cotton swab, but softer cotton wool will make it easier to tear off the seed without damaging it.
The next step in the third step is to close the container and wrap it in a thick cloth or towel. The main thing is that light does not pass through the fabric. The container will need to be left in a warm place; in winter, the space under the battery is well suited. You can also place the container near the electric heater.
The ideal temperature for hemp seeds is 25-30°C. But under the battery it can be colder, and near the electric heater it can be warmer than the desired temperature. It is recommended to choose places closer to the ceiling: there are less temperature drops during ventilation. If there is a grow box with other plants, you can place a container with hemp there and carefully hang it from the ceiling.
Fourth step
Now that the packaged hemp seed is in the right conditions for germination, the only thing left to do is wait. Depending on the temperature, humidity and variety of marijuana, germination can take from 12 hours to several days. There are even cases when the seeds germinate after 2 weeks. During this period, many chemical processes will occur inside the shell.
If all the steps were followed correctly, the seed will swell and split. A white spine will stick out of the shell. Marijuana seeds may swell, but not burst for more than a day. “Babies” can be helped by filing the seed opening with a disinfected nail file.
When the root has hatched at least 0.5 cm long, you can transplant it. A longer root will tangle and be more easily damaged when planted. It is important to carry out the procedure as accurately as possible.
The spine must be set in the correct direction. Planting cannabis seeds upside down is a big mistake. It is better to place the germinated seed with the root to the side: it can break off on the ground when trying to lay the seed with the root down. It is enough to carefully push the seed from the cotton pad into the hole no deeper than 0.5-1 cm.
Auto flowering varieties can be planted immediately in the final soil, but the seeds of fotiks should first be moved to the “small” soil. At the forerunner stage, it will be time to transplant them into the “big” soil. For auto flowers, transplanting is stressful, so it’s best to plant these seeds right away in a large pot.
Must Read: Everything You Need To Know About Feminized Cannabis Seeds
Step five – growing cannabis seeds seedlings
The final stage of germinating cannabis seeds is forcing seedlings and the appearance of the first pairs of leaves. The seeds must be completely shed and rooted in the substrate without being damaged, then they can grow into healthy and strong marijuana bushes.
Crops can develop in various types of substrate: earth, mineral wool, coconut, peat tablets. At first, cannabis seedlings will need constant watering with a small amount of water and continuous lighting up to 24 hours a day. Such care is required before the appearance of the first two pairs of leaves.
In the second week of the life of the sprout, you can reduce the lighting to 18-20 hours. The easiest way to care for seedlings planted in the ground or peat tablets, as they have all the necessary nutrients. If the seed was sown in mineral wool or coconut, then it is recommended to add a little fertilizer to the water when watering.
Drying and waterlogging of the substrate should not be allowed: young shoots are extremely sensitive to soil moisture. When dried, small plants are quickly depleted and may die or develop much more slowly. Waterlogging threatens with infection by a fungus or rotting of the roots.
The distance to the lamp also matters. If the light source is too close to the cannabis sprouts, the temperature may be too high. A large distance to the lamp leads to excessive stretching of the plants, which should also be avoided.
In general, the whole germination procedure is not as complicated as it might seem. If you wish, you can practice on cheaper seeds, and only then take on the planting of elite varieties of marijuana.
