Buying quality cannabis seeds and having some theoretical knowledge about growing in general will not be enough to guarantee a successful harvest. Any crop starts with the germination of the seeds, and if this step is neglected, the crop cannot be grown successfully. Therefore, it is essential to start correctly to get the best out of your cannabis seeds. It is essential to know how to germinate cannabis seeds and to know exactly what you need to know to do this step successfully.
So, today we are going to give you all the information you need to know how to germinate cannabis seeds, and get the most out of this crucial stage of cannabis cultivation. The different techniques, the humidity and temperatures to respect, the main mistakes to avoid, learn everything and more in this article to find out how to germinate cannabis seeds !
What elements to take into account in order to know how to germinate cannabis seeds?
The first thing to do is to make sure of the quality of the cannabis seeds you want to germinate. Whether autoflowering, feminised or regular cannabis seeds, the seeds should generally be dark, brown and relatively round in shape.
However, it should be noted that some genetics may offer lighter coloured seeds with slightly different shapes. If you buy your seeds from a reputable seed bank, you will have no problems during germination. To ensure successful crops, all bulk seeds offered at Bulk Seeds are of the highest quality, for optimal germination!
Once a seed has been selected for germination, there are several ways to proceed and most of them are valid, as long as certain essential rules are respected. The seed can be placed directly in the soil, in a Jiffy bar, but also using kitchen paper or cotton pads, or even in a rockwool block. There won’t be one method that is really faster than another for how to germinate cannabis seeds. If the seed is in a dark, moist and warm environment, it will germinate in a few days.
So, as we have said above, to ensure good germination, and to know how to germinate cannabis seeds, it is important to respect certain essential points. Among them, good humidity will help the seeds to germinate quickly. Place the seeds in a place with 65-90 % humidity to facilitate the process.
Temperature is the second most crucial factor in the germination process. An average temperature of 22-25 °C should be maintained, and large temperature changes should be avoided. To be sure to monitor these two factors, we advise you to use a Digital Thermo-Hygrometer. Regular monitoring of the device will ensure good conditions for the germination of your cannabis seeds.
How to germinate cannabis seeds
The method we recommend to know how to germinate cannabis seeds is as follows:
To apply this method of how to germinate cannabis seeds you will need to
- Kitchen paper or cotton wool
- 2 potting dishes, or a plastic container
- Some water
- Jiffy or Root Riot
- Propagador (opcional)
- Place the seeds between two pieces of damp kitchen paper. It is not necessary for the paper to be wet, just dampen and wring it out before placing the seeds.
- Place the paper with the seeds between two potting dishes or in a plastic container so that they are in the dark, preferably on a warm surface Placing the seed dishes in a heated greenhouse will maintain good humidity and temperature. It is necessary to leave some ventilation.
- Generally, 24 to 72 hours later the seeds have germinated. The process of how to germinate cannabis seeds can take a little longer, especially if the seeds are several years old or have been poorly stored.
- Place the seeds in moist Jiffy tablets or directly in the soil in a small pot.
Congratulations! You have successfully completed the first step in cannabis cultivation! Perhaps the most difficult. Now you know how to germinate cannabis seeds and you are ready for a successful cannabis cultivation thanks to Bulk Seeds!
If you don’t want to handle the seeds during germination, you can skip the paper towel step and place the seed directly on moistened Jiffy tablets. Under the right conditions and after a few days, the first plants can be seen to emerge.
For growers of autoflowering cannabis seeds, the process is slightly different. In this particular case, the seed has to be placed directly on its final location after the germination phase on the paper. The seed can even be placed directly in its final location.
How to germinate cannabis seeds no longer holds any secrets for you, but there is still more information you may be interested in to ensure 100% germination.
Why is it generally not advisable to put seeds directly into the soil to germinate?
If a seed has a problem during the germination process, it will be more difficult to detect. By placing them on kitchen paper, you can easily see the stage of development of the seed, to make sure it is opening properly. Also, while it is true that seeds need humidity to germinate, too much water can lead to mould problems. It will be more difficult to provide the necessary humidity to the seed within a large volume of soil.
Top mistakes when it comes to germinating cannabis seeds
A common mistake when germinating marijuana seeds is to keep them in too cold an environment, for example by supplying them with water that is too cold. To ensure that the correct temperatures are maintained, we recommend using a heated mini-greenhouse such as the Growarm Propagator for example. Una vez que las semillas están en las pastillas Jiffy, o en el papel humedecido dentro de los platos o en el recipiente de plástico, colócalas directamente en el mini invernadero.
Lack of humidity during the germination process of marijuana seeds is also a common mistake made by beginner growers. If the paper towel, jiffy or substrate dries out during the germination process, this can be fatal for seed development. If a heated surface is used to help maintain temperature during germination, care should be taken to ensure that the humidity is kept high enough.
If you decide to place the seeds to germinate directly in the soil or through the Jiffy tablets, place one seed per Jiffy or per pot. Never place two seeds in the same space. The two plants will compete with each other and will not be able to perform at their best. Also, if a problem occurs, you will have to remove both plants, not just the one with the problem.
The last important point, once the seed has germinated, is to bring it close enough to the light source. The distance will depend on the type of lamp used, but if you notice that the plant stretches a lot during the first few days, it is looking for the light. You will need to bring the plant close to the light source. If the plant stretches too much, the stem may bend and you will lose your plant.
Does the moon influence how to germinate cannabis seeds?
In popular culture, it is customary to respect the lunar cycles when carrying out certain gardening tasks. It is often said that seed germination should take place during the full moon. During this period, the moon attracts water to the earth’s surface, which improves humidity for seed germination.
However, it is possible to germinate seeds regardless of the moon. Influence, if any, will be very small. Just make sure the temperature and humidity are right, and your seeds will germinate without any problems, whatever the time of year.
We hope that this article on how to germinate cannabis seeds successfully has helped you in this phase of cannabis cultivation.
See you soon! See you in future Bulk Seeds blog articles. We wish you great crops and good smokes! Thank you for following us and don’t hesitate to visit our bulk seeds shop, to ensure a good germination of your seeds, and future successful crops now that you know how to germinate cannabis seeds.