seeds won't germinate

Dorf

Member
Hello everybody! I still haven't had any seeds split using pH balanced r/o water. The napkin/baggie method just grow white fuzz and gets moldy(?). I put a rock wool mesh cup on the window sill, nothing. I started the potting soil method, 2-3 seeds per cup in an egg carton (closed) on top of my freezer, nothing. I recently soaked seeds for 15 mins looking for "sinkers" , none. 30 mins none.....waited 20 hours and with a gentle poke some seeds sank. planted them all in a cup of soil and am waiting....I'm afraid to order seeds as I might kill them too.
 
Hello everybody! I still haven't had any seeds split using pH balanced r/o water. The napkin/baggie method just grow white fuzz and gets moldy(?). I put a rock wool mesh cup on the window sill, nothing. I started the potting soil method, 2-3 seeds per cup in an egg carton (closed) on top of my freezer, nothing. I recently soaked seeds for 15 mins looking for "sinkers" , none. 30 mins none.....waited 20 hours and with a gentle poke some seeds sank. planted them all in a cup of soil and am waiting....I'm afraid to order seeds as I might kill them too.
Sounds like your seeds are old and bad. If I was you, (and I'm not expert), I would invest in some decent genetics. They will grow easier, better quality, better yield, and your germination rates should be wildly improved, etc. Take this as a learning experience so you don't kill good seeds going forward.

Don't forget to give them air, if you are enclosing them in a zip lock baggie they won't be able to breathe.
 
I germinate in paper towels inside of some open plastic baggies, place them on a heat mat with a dinner plate over them. Once they're long enough I place them directly into cloning collars and into my home-made cloner. I allow them to grow until the roots are long enough, then I put them in net pot bucket lids on 6.5 gallon buckets and away they go. I've tried Rock wool, that didn't work out so well.
 

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neonfree

Active Member
All i do and have ever done for years is soak the seeds in water till they sink, no more than 24hrs ever. Then put them right into soil, sometimes its dixie cup, sometimes its finishing pot if its an autoflower. If they dont sink oh well they still get put into soil. All methods work it just matters what works for you!!:))
 

burnbluntz12312

Well-Known Member
Sounds like bad seeds... I'm sure you're more than competent and with getting that many seeds wet even the most unlucky person would have one or two at least germinate. How does the saying go? Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once once in a while? Don't give up, sounds like bad/old seeds. Get some new and good genetics.
 

Dorf

Member
Weekly update: After changing untreated r/o water (pH of 7) after a 20 hour soak most all of 13 seeds sank, but none split or grew tails. I am determined to get at least a few to sprout using materials I've already purchased, rock/mesh or potting soil, preferably rock wool. One "seed site" said to soak for 70 hours (ILGM), another said not to soak at all. One said to use a hydrogen peroxide solution (tried and failed), one said to cut pH use white vinegar (tried and failed). Many said use napkin/ziploc all I grew was white fuzz and mold. I currently have an egg tray w/soil and pH bal r/o after a week, nothing. I have a cup of soil w/a 20 hour soak, nothing. I too suspect these older seeds are dead, but will keep trying until they run out. Then and only then will I invest in "guaranteed" germination. Hope you all are healthy and at least partially vaccinated, inputs are always appreciated.
 

olie4buds

New Member
I'm new to DWC as well...I had (2) Autoflower seeds. I chose Rockwool and to ph water between 5.8 - 6.3. (1) seed did germinate, however the first leaves have not shown. I started the process on 4/17 and still working on what needs to be done. Keep trying, you'll find your method. This is all therapy for me! Happy Growing..I really appreciate the knowledge on this forumIMG_2006.jpeg
 

thisbuds4u101

Well-Known Member
Brand new to DWC, and yes I've done a ton of research. Over the years I've saved seeds but can't get them to germinate in a rockwool/ mesh net setting. Using 1000w LED full spectrum, non oscillating fan, charcoal filter w/195 cfm fan, air intake is in planning stage. I'm using R/O water no nutes (yet). Plz advise!
I’d check my ph/ humidity levels you wanna be in the 65-70% humidity range and heat shouldn’t exceed 70-77 degrees. I start my seed germination in a vented dome Good luck
 

thisbuds4u101

Well-Known Member
Brand new to DWC, and yes I've done a ton of research. Over the years I've saved seeds but can't get them to germinate in a rockwool/ mesh net setting. Using 1000w LED full spectrum, non oscillating fan, charcoal filter w/195 cfm fan, air intake is in planning stage. I'm using R/O water no nutes (yet). Plz advise!
I’d also keep that ph as close to 6.3 as possible
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Weekly update: After changing untreated r/o water (pH of 7) after a 20 hour soak most all of 13 seeds sank, but none split or grew tails. I am determined to get at least a few to sprout using materials I've already purchased, rock/mesh or potting soil, preferably rock wool. One "seed site" said to soak for 70 hours (ILGM), another said not to soak at all. One said to use a hydrogen peroxide solution (tried and failed), one said to cut pH use white vinegar (tried and failed). Many said use napkin/ziploc all I grew was white fuzz and mold. I currently have an egg tray w/soil and pH bal r/o after a week, nothing. I have a cup of soil w/a 20 hour soak, nothing. I too suspect these older seeds are dead, but will keep trying until they run out. Then and only then will I invest in "guaranteed" germination. Hope you all are healthy and at least partially vaccinated, inputs are always appreciated.
Skip the DWC and skip all that crap about soaking, vinegar, etc... Plant the damn seed directly in some soil in a small pot. Water it in and wait. Do not water every day drowning the seed. Once plant sprouts and has grown for a couple weeks transplant into final pot of soil. Water and feed as needed.

Done.

You're making the simple task of growing a cannabis plant more complicated than putting a man on Mars.
 

Dorf

Member
Hello again ya'all! After trying almost everything under the sun to germinate my seeds, I've determined the seeds are dead (what a waste). I took advice and invested in 3 strains, soaked in r/o water and all 3 grew tails. All 3 are "planted" in rockwool/mesh. One has sprouted and sits happily on the window sill, waiting on the other 2. Once seeds grow tails do they always sprout? I'm putting the finishing touches on the grow room to accomodate 3-3.5gall food grade buckets. Must say I underestimated the number of outlets required for DWC. Nice to see another DWC newcomer in my forum!
 

bam0813

Well-Known Member
You can also get a pack of veggie seeds for like a dollar to practice your germination skills. Imo it's the easiest part of growing so if you can't get that down forget about the finish line
 

Lordhooha

Well-Known Member
Hello again ya'all! After trying almost everything under the sun to germinate my seeds, I've determined the seeds are dead (what a waste). I took advice and invested in 3 strains, soaked in r/o water and all 3 grew tails. All 3 are "planted" in rockwool/mesh. One has sprouted and sits happily on the window sill, waiting on the other 2. Once seeds grow tails do they always sprout? I'm putting the finishing touches on the grow room to accomodate 3-3.5gall food grade buckets. Must say I underestimated the number of outlets required for DWC. Nice to see another DWC newcomer in my forum!
Mid to late flower 3 to 3.5 gal buckets will drink fast as hell so watch them like a hawk. If it wasn't for the fact my old rdwc topped itself off as they drank I would have been I deep well shallow water lol. 50gal totes with one plant each would drink every in the course of a day or less.
 

Dorf

Member
You can also get a pack of veggie seeds for like a dollar to practice your germination skills. Imo it's the easiest part of growing so if you can't get that down forget about the finish line
I took advice and invested in 3 strains, soaked in r/o water and all 3 grew tails.
 

xtsho

Well-Known Member
Hello again ya'all! After trying almost everything under the sun to germinate my seeds, I've determined the seeds are dead (what a waste). I took advice and invested in 3 strains, soaked in r/o water and all 3 grew tails. All 3 are "planted" in rockwool/mesh. One has sprouted and sits happily on the window sill, waiting on the other 2. Once seeds grow tails do they always sprout? I'm putting the finishing touches on the grow room to accomodate 3-3.5gall food grade buckets. Must say I underestimated the number of outlets required for DWC. Nice to see another DWC newcomer in my forum!
Seeds that have grown tails have already sprouted.
 

Wastei

Well-Known Member
Don't use rockwool cubes. They're intended for flood and drain tables, not DWC IMO. Start a mom in soil and root cuttings or start seeds in peat /jiffy pucks before transplant.
 

thisbuds4u101

Well-Known Member
First of all after reading what you and everyone has posted it seems that the point is your overthinking the entire process. Just step back and keep it simple. I’ve been growing for over 35 years and have things such as technology have changed so much. Not every seed you plant will come up every time. I’ve never soaked a seed in anything other than a wet paper towel in all my growing years but to each their own. God Luck!
 

Dorf

Member
Don't use rockwool cubes. They're intended for flood and drain tables, not DWC IMO. Start a mom in soil and root cuttings or start seeds in peat /jiffy pucks before transplant.
I have many rock wool cubes and am setup for DWC. So far I have 5 of 5 seeds germinated, 3 sprouted. I was impatient when 2 of the 3 seeds didn't sprout after 4-5 days so I germinated 2 more (mistake) and am waiting for them to sprout as well. I use rockwool/mesh cups so I can just move them to the grow room directly w/o transplanting. How long after they sprout do I move them into the grow room?
 
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