Cannabis is a demanding plant that takes time and knowledge to cultivate. Research indicates that unfavorable conditions can prevent weed seed germination and plant growth. Nevertheless, indoor cannabis cultivation based on the methods and rigor of plant science helps achieve staggering results. If you are a small-scale grower, you will benefit significantly from learning about the best practices in indoor marijuana cultivation. This article focuses on the first stage of this process called seed germination.
What is seed germination exactly? It is the first phase of the growth cycle during which the inactive dry seed absorbs water. As a result, the seed coat cracks, allowing for the protrusion of the radicle. Once the radicle appears, the germinated weed seed is ready to be planted into the soil. So, if you are growing weed from seeds indoors, you need them to germinate to move to the next growth stage. Germinating marijuana seeds is not very difficult, but you need to know the main rules.
Where to Germinate?
There is no perfect method for seed germination, but you can choose one of the time-tested techniques that are well-suited for indoor cultivation. For example, you can germinate seeds in paper towel. This is one of the easiest and most popular methods among home growers. All you need to do is follow these steps:
- Wet a paper towel and place the seeds on it, evenly distributing them on the surface.
- Cover the weed seeds with another wet paper towel.
- Put the towel inside a plastic container or on a plate. If you choose the latter option, be sure to cover the seeds with another plate to reduce water evaporation.
- Although light is known to have an immense effect on cannabis growth, the germination stage typically occurs in the darkness. Therefore, you need to find a dark, warm place that is not dry enough. A cupboard is one of the preferred places for germinating weed seeds, but you can use any place meeting the environmental requirements for germination.
In addition to the wet paper towel method, you can use peat moss, coco perlite, rockwool, soil, or hydroponics. These methods differ by the medium for germinating seeds, but they all require similar environmental conditions.
How to Germinate?
Knowing how to germinate marijuana seeds means knowing the ideal humidity, light, temperature, and acidity. Let’s list the basic requirements:
- The temperature should be 23-26 Celsius (75-80 Fahrenheit)
- Water pH should be about 6.0-7.0
- Relative humidity (RH) should be between 65 and 70%
- Lighting should be dim, but the seeds will need more light to grow once the sprouts break the surface. However, it is recommended to avoid using HID light for the germination stage, as too much light and heat can damage the vulnerable seeds.
For indoor germination, marijuana seed is placed in carefully controlled conditions to monitor the listed parameters. For example, it would be a bad idea to germinate your seeds in a garage where the night temperatures go down significantly.
How Long to Germinate Pot Seeds?
If you maintain optimal environmental conditions, weed seeds germinate for 24-48 hours. Be patient and provide enough warmth and moisture until you see the first leaves. If you did not use the best way to germinate cannabis seeds in your conditions, seeds wouldn’t sprout. Other causes of the problem may include low-quality seed banks, seed dryness, wrong storage conditions, etc. Therefore, make sure you use healthy seeds from reliable sources.
Conclusion
Indoor weed germination takes patience and care. However, if you follow all recommendations on how to germinate weed seeds at home, you won’t face any problems.