How to germinate cannabis seeds successfully

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. That's why it pays to know exactly how to germinate cannabis seeds the right way.

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 all that and more in this article on 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, feminized or regular cannabis seeds, the seeds should generally be dark, brown and relatively round in shape.

However, it should be noted that some strains may have lighter-colored 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 Genetics are top quality, for the best possible 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 go directly into soil or a Jiffy pellet, between paper towels or cotton pads, or even into a rockwool cube. 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. Keep an average temperature of 72-77 °F, and large temperature changes should be avoided. To be sure to monitor these two factors, we recommend 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 use this method, you will need:

• Paper towels or cotton pads
• 2 plates, or a plastic container
• Some water
• Jiffy pellets or Root Riot cubes
• Humidity dome or propagator (optional)

• Place the seeds between two damp paper towels. The paper shouldn't be soaking wet: just dampen it and wring it out before adding the seeds.
  
• Place the paper with the seeds between two plates or in a plastic container so they stay in the dark, ideally on a warm surface. Putting them under a heated humidity dome will keep humidity and temperature steady. Leave a little 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're ready for a successful grow with Bulk Genetics.

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 paper towels, 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 mold 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 propagator or a seedling heat mat with a humidity dome. Once the seeds are in the Jiffy pellets, or in the damp paper between the dishes or in the plastic container, place them directly in the mini greenhouse.

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 folk tradition, many people follow the lunar cycle for 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 in future Bulk Genetics blog articles. We wish you great harvests and good smokes! Thanks for following us, and feel free to visit our bulk seed store to ensure a good germination of your seeds, and future successful crops now that you know how to germinate cannabis seeds.