Soaking Seeds

[Woozy]

I've always started my seeds in  a rock wool cube inside a propagator at 23 degrees and generally have 100% germination success rate. Decided to change as I wanted them to germinate in soil in their final pot (I generally grow auto's due to height restrictions), I tried soaking them in water for 24 hours and then put them in soil also at 21-24 degrees. First attempt and I got 50% germination, I think my soil needed to be damper but not 100%. Anyone got any advice on this method? when soaking the seeds should they be floating or completely under water? should I soak them for longer?

[Boojum]

I've always had problems popping seeds, I find the most reliable method for me is on wet paper towel in a sealed container in the grow room for warmth then into the pot once the tap root is showing (about 48 hours), I've had pretty much 100% with this method.

[GreenVision]

Plus one on kitchen paper. Soak for 12-24 hours, then leave them in moist kitchen paper until they crack open. Once they start to crack use a fine mist sprayer to spray them twice a day wit ha light mix of Root feed / seaweed or something else really light.

 

Usually get everything to germinate this way, you know what your putting into soil then as well, rather than just waiting for something to happen.

[geogeo]

in a glass warm water , wait till they sink , usual 24hrs or so , wet kitchen paper  , in a tupper ware box at 45' angle on top of

sky box , so they are not siting in water but damp , check every 12 hrs ,( but not to warm water ) just above room temp

[MidgeSmith]

I soak them in 2% Hydrogen peroxide for 12 hours, then plant them about 1cm deep in a fairly damp peat plug, under a dimmed LED light in the propagator tent. I mist the plug a little to fill in the lose soil around the seed.

The seedling usually breaks gound at 2-4 days after that.

As soon as the seedling has been above ground for a day or two, I plant that plug in a small pot of ecothrive.  The tip of the tap is usually just peeking through the plug by then.

I've had a close to perfect run doing that way.

[DeltaMelter]

I now do it in a shot glass - I keep them floating and don't sink them.

 

Tails should show in 72hrs if they are keen! Easy then - popped into soil buried up to their helmets and they are good to go. You know your germ rates and aren't wasting soil/time - probably handy with Autos!

 

[MidgeSmith]

Hey Delta, I never quite understood this.  You're not wasting soil if you plant and they don't come up really are you? You just reuse it. Are you concerned that keeping the soil wet depletes it or gets it algaefied - genuine question.

 

I am more scared of damaging the microroots - or even squeezing the seed and cutting the tap root, which is why I don't generally take this approach. How do you carefully move them from glass to pot or plug using this approach?  Also, when you put them in, do you put taproot up or down?

[DeltaMelter]

@MidgeSmith I guess its more for 'guaranteed' numbers really. I hate planting 9 seeds to only get 7 and then have to start more. At least when they don't show you aren't waiting a week for them to pop out of the soil. Granted you can always plant more than you need but some beans are real $$$ these days!

 

So its really just a way to get the numbers I want without having plants a week behind.

 

Also handy with older seeds if you are not sure and want to test germ rates, you can just stick a couple in a shot glass and see if they are viable before planting a whole pack and being disappointed.

 

I use a toothpick and make a hole in the soil just big enough for the tap root and the seedling 'head' it's very delicate though - I just drain the water from the shot glass then recover them with tweezers. Not great if you don't have a steady hand but I've never damaged one so far. You don't have to wait until they look like tadpoles either and can plant them as soon as the root tip appears which is more gentle.

 

If they sink right away they are duds in my experience but you have to careful to allow them to float on the surface tension and not knock them about. Keep them somewhere stable - I have them on top of my PC for the extra warmth too.

[MidgeSmith]

Thanks for the info

[Woozy]

@DeltaMelter cheers, going to give your method a go next time. I think transplanting them from rock wool cubes (my usual method), although it worked it, seemed they didn't do much for a few days afterwards, so wanted to try getting them straight into their final pot. Your method seems a good compromise.