Need Help! Seed aren't Growing

The first try I bought 6 seeds from the single seed center. I followed some instructions I found online that said to soak the seeds in a cup of water for 24 hours or until they sink. Then plant them in soil and put them under light for 18 hours on and 6 hours off. I put them in a mini plastic green house and misted them with water for humidity. Nothing happened with any of the seeds. I waited about 14 days before I decided to dig them up to see if anything was happening. Every single one was still a seed. Nothing was happening at all. I'm just not sure what I'm doing wrong.

I'm trying again and this time I bought the 6 fem seeds pack from sannies seeds. It came with 2 free seeds so this time I've started with just the 2 free seeds so I don't waste them again. This time I put them between wet paper towels to germinate. One of them germinated first so I put that one in a small container with soil and I read on a different site to have them under light 24 hours a day to keep them warm so that is what i'm doing this time. They are in the basement and it is cold down there so I thought maybe when the lights were off for 6 hours on that cycle they got too cold but I don't really know. So it's been 2 days and no signs of life so I used a q-tip to move some of the soil and I didn't see anything. I actually couldn't find the seed at all even though i didn't put it very deep but I didn't want to disturb it too much so I didn't dig very deep. I just really don't know what I'm doing wrong. I've read so much conflicting advice online and don't know what I should really do. Any help would be appreciated.

I don't use a humidity dome to get my seeds to germ. I just pack some fresh soil into my tiny pots, get it moist, push the seed down into it and cover it up. I put those on a tiny heating pad (I don't know if that helps or not) and mist them with a squirt bottle when ever the soil starts to dry out a little. Out of the 10 seeds I've planted 8 have sprouted and grown up.

Also if you have a willow tree anywhere near you, I would strongly suggest making some willow water and using that to water your soil and seedlings with. The 3 I tried it on sprouted above the soil over night and grew much faster and stronger than the others. Maybe it was a coincidence, maybe not. Just thought I would pass that idea to you.

put them in a wet paper towel put this in a plastic baggie place in warm area they will germ then plant your seeds, i have a gas water heater i set mine on top of it they germ in 24-36 hours

I plop em into moist well drained mix with bottom heat. Soil temp about 75F and a humidity dome. They germ in two days if my grow room is like 80 for two days. Once I lost a seedling to Damping Off. I frigging hate that.

The germinating part doesn't seem to be the problem since I switched to doing it in the paper towel. Both seeds that I did it with this time got the little white root coming out of the bottom. The problem seems to be when I put the germinated seeds into soil and they don't grow.

Unfortunately I don't have any willow trees around so I can't try the willow water.
I may try just putting them straight into soil without germinating them like someone recommended. Although the first go round I soaked them in water until they sank and planted them so they weren't germinated when I planted them and nothing happened. I just still don't understand why, even once they've sprouted the tap root, they don't grow. Also I already tried on top of the water heater because I saw that online somewhere too but it's not warm on my water heater. It's actually cold for some reason. My whole house is cold which is why they are under lights. That's the only way they stay warm. I want to get a heating pad for under them but I'm on a tight budget with this project. I appreciate everyones suggestions it's just that I'm not having the problem germinating.

tristynhawk said:

put them in a wet paper towel put this in a plastic baggie place in warm area they will germ then plant your seeds, i have a gas water heater i set mine on top of it they germ in 24-36 hours

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That's what I did (minus the water heater)

xXOnyxXx said:

why not germ your seed the way nature designed them to be germed? plant em about a 1/2" deep and water once good and leave em be .. i have better luck that was than paper towel method, i don't like to disturb them once they start to do their thing.

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I still have six seeds left since I only used the 2 free ones this time so I'll try this with one of them and see if it works for me.

Also, is it hurting them that I have them under lights 24/7? I just need them to stay warm. Should I maybe cover them with a dark cloth?

I recently tried 3 methods out of curiosity. Outside of just paper towel and plate.

1 shot glass with water, seeds in there and a coffee mug over top. (8 for 8 split, started, and sprouted)

1 double paper plate and plastic bag method (1 for 1)

1 soaked and flushed RW cube, no prep, seed straight in (1 for 1)

I had a friend text me out of the blue in regards to starting to grow. He foolishly added 4-5 seeds a pot, watered and called it a day... Well needless to say I told him to dig them out and replant them in their own spaces. He had two pots, 9 seeds total, 8 ended up germinating the old fashion way (plant & water)

Everyone has their own method they swear by and says work, I personally like the shot glass with a coffee mug over the top. I think I may have used a paper towel as a filter and dumped the seeds and excess water into it after 24 hours and back under the mug they went.

Most people say, form what I read, that light isn't necessary until they pop out of the top.

......soil? dont pop seeds into shit like fox farm ocean forest ( I already hear people yelling "wait I've put seeds in fox farm its just fine!!!")

Ya....well I've seen perfectly germed seeds die so fast in FFOF its not funny.

so...the question is....what soil you poping them in?

..................if all else fails rub some fairy dust on them!

I usually put em in paper towel damp into plastic bag make sure it won't leak water out and set them on my tv to keep em warm till they pop then into there dirt home and back on tv till they are showing good growth then into veg room they go. Have always had great success doint it this way. Best of luck to you and your grow

I'm using Miracle Gro Potting Mix. Home Depot only had 2 brands and this was the only one I could find that wasn't for a specific type of plant (i.e cactus or orchid mix). Is that brand ok? Could it be the soil that is problem?

That soil is crap. Hardly soil at all mostly tree bark imo that shit is worse to grow in than playground sand. It contains slow release nutes that can burn the hell out of your girls and so I've read has tendencies to build up salts like crazy and lock out your plant and cause of the slow release nutes you pretty much can never actually flush your soil, if I were you I would find an actuall plant shop and get some real soil or else make my own coir coco is a great cheap medium to grow in as well

Coco ftw!!!

Thank you. Before I try any more of my seeds I'll get some different soil. Too bad I bought such a big bag of the miracle gro, but I'll just use it for regular plants instead. Thanks for the advice

No problem. Coco is a great medium to try and can get it very cheap like 3 dollard or so for a brick that when wet will expand to fill a 3 gallon bucket. It holds moisture well and also absorbs nutrients for your ladies. best of luck to you on your grow

If they have the Miracle Grow Seed Starting Soil I would go with that, it's great for germing seeds.

What kinda light are you using? If they are under CFL/t8/t5 then 24/7 is great for sprouting seedlings.

xXOnyxXx said:

why not germ your seed the way nature designed them to be germed? plant em about a 1/2" deep and water once good and leave em be .. i have better luck that was than paper towel method, i don't like to disturb them once they start to do their thing.

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This seems to work best for me too -- just don't let the soil completely dry out and don't over-water/suffocate the seeds.

Also avoid using a soil that is fertilizer rich, which may burn your seedling.