Seeds germed, then nothing. Help?

Shafto

Active Member
I think I may know why I goofed it, but I just wanted some feedback before I buy more seeds and try again.

I watched the gorge cervantes vids and he said tap water was good to germ seeds, but I wasn't thinking about the fact that I'm on a well when I did it. After I got a testing kit, I saw that the water was 8.0-8.5. I quickly bought some water, tested it, was 5.5, I added ph up to bring it to 6.5 and started watering with it.

The seeds all germed fine, 4 bubblegum and 2 fem AKs. They have been sitting now about 3 feet under a 250W Halide for a couple weeks... and nothing. I got 3 free road runners with the order, so I dismantled their peat pellets, and the seeds look exactly the same as when they germed, just a little tap root, no further growth.

How could I possibly have killed these if not the water? I've grown a couple times before with bagseed paying not near as much attention with no testing anything, and had no problem at all. That was with city water, not well water though.

I also have some 10-52-10 "seed treatment" Should I use any of this next time or no?

I guess I'm going to order some more serious seeds bubblegum and ak, and try again with proper water, I really hope that's what it was, I don't know what else it could be.
 

Howard Stern

Well-Known Member
Dude use distilled water to germinate! This is how I do it and have had 100% germination and they break the ground within two days of starting germination.

Soak in shot glass distilled water 80 degrees 7 hrs.
Then put them in paper towles and keep moist, in the dark 80 degrees. You can just put it on a plate and put a coffee cup uside down on them.
Once you see a tap root, for me 12-16 hrs from start, put in the soil 1/2 in down. cover them lightly with soil and put a bag over them or humidity dome.
Start them in a seedling soil mix, no nutes at all. and make sure you water it before you put them in and don't over water it! you shouldn't have to water again for 5-7 days. Once you put them in the dirt get them under some CFL's or in a window so they can grow to the light.
 

Spanishfly

Well-Known Member
All this messing with paper towels can cause problems - seeds need moisture and warmth to germinate - they will do that fine planted directly in soil. And no light is needed until sprouts appear.
 

Shafto

Active Member
Thanks for the replies. I have more bubblegum and AK47 on the way. I'll be using reverse osmosis water bought from the store this time. I guess it was my shitty well water that killed them.

Always had good luck before with paper towel method, but that link does make sense SIR SMOKER. Thanks for that. I guess I'll just be moistening some peat pellets, and putting the seeds directly into them.
 

SIR SMOKER

New Member
Thanks for the replies. I have more bubblegum and AK47 on the way. I'll be using reverse osmosis water bought from the store this time. I guess it was my shitty well water that killed them.

Always had good luck before with paper towel method, but that link does make sense SIR SMOKER. Thanks for that. I guess I'll just be moistening some peat pellets, and putting the seeds directly into them.
Just plant the seeds in pre soaked jiffys. Use spring water to soak the jiffys in as it has a neutral PH or test the ph of the water you are soaking the jiffys (soak them then squeeze then untill they are nice and moist and not to wet) in then simply plant the beans 5-7mm deep in the jiffys and stick them in a propogator using the right temp and a humidity dome. Lift the dome lid once a day just to get some fresh air in and check the jiffys are still nice and moist (if not then just mist them with water) and you will be sprouting viable seeds everytime. You will be surprised how easy it is and hassle/foolproof free.
(best of luck).
 

Shafto

Active Member
I guess it was the water!

Planted 6 serious seeds bubblgum and 1 fem AK47 a week ago in pre soaked jiffies with reverse osmosis water that originally measured at 5.5 PH. Put in a bit of PH up and brought it to 6.5

Fem AK popped up first, it's over 3 inches tall now. Pretty happy about that, since I just got one, looks like it was a good one. Two bubblegums came up soon after, they're about an inch and a half tall. Two other bubblegums followed up later, they're just starting to develope sarated leaves now. The other two haven't surfaced yet.

I have them about 3 feet under a 250W metal halide in a homemade fan cooled reflector hood on 18/6. I just removed the humidity dome because the AK is about to run into it.

When should I think about feeding?

As for transpalnting, I was thinking I would put the peat pellets into those red plastic beer cups with some sunhine mix 4, but I'm not sure exactly when I should do this. I also have some 6x7 inch pots for after the beer cups, and then I have some 5 gallon buckets I was thinking of using for the final pot. Is this too big? I have a 6'wide by 3.5' deep x 10' tall space for budding. I was thinking that I would like to put 4 large plants in that space. Planning on keeping the best bubblegum as a mom, as well as the AK47 as a mom, and taking clones. I'll look around for some more info on transplanting, but I would like some advice for my situation if someone is willing.

Thanks!

Pretty excited about my first indoor grow with good genetics.
 

SIR SMOKER

New Member
I guess it was the water!

Planted 6 serious seeds bubblgum and 1 fem AK47 a week ago in pre soaked jiffies with reverse osmosis water that originally measured at 5.5 PH. Put in a bit of PH up and brought it to 6.5

Fem AK popped up first, it's over 3 inches tall now. Pretty happy about that, since I just got one, looks like it was a good one. Two bubblegums came up soon after, they're about an inch and a half tall. Two other bubblegums followed up later, they're just starting to develope sarated leaves now. The other two haven't surfaced yet.

I have them about 3 feet under a 250W metal halide in a homemade fan cooled reflector hood on 18/6. I just removed the humidity dome because the AK is about to run into it.

When should I think about feeding?.

(not until they are at least 3 weeks old).


As for transpalnting, I was thinking I would put the peat pellets into those red plastic beer cups with some sunhine mix 4, but I'm not sure exactly when I should do this. I also have some 6x7 inch pots for after the beer cups, and then I have some 5 gallon buckets I was thinking of using for the final pot. Is this too big? I have a 6'wide by 3.5' deep x 10' tall space for budding. I was thinking that I would like to put 4 large plants in that space. Planning on keeping the best bubblegum as a mom, as well as the AK47 as a mom, and taking clones. I'll look around for some more info on transplanting, but I would like some advice for my situation if someone is willing.

As soon as they sprout from the jiffys transplant them into pots with soil asap. The rule of thumb is 1 gallon of soil per foot of plant but i can grow a nice 3ft plant in a 1/2 gallon pot. Just go from your first small pots in to thier final pots and transplant from the small pots when you see the roots through the pot drain holes. (its called potting up). Let them get a good few nodes before cloning them or wait untill they show sex and then clone as you can clone flowering plants.


Thanks!

Pretty excited about my first indoor grow with good genetics.

SIR SMOKER.............
 

Shafto

Active Member
Thanks.

In the Jorge Cervantes grow vid he was saying to wait until the roots start growing out so you can see them? Though he had rockwool not a peat pellet. I dunno what the difference would be?

I suppose it probably doesn't matter all that much, I just don't wanna screw anything up.
 

SIR SMOKER

New Member
Thanks.

In the Jorge Cervantes grow vid he was saying to wait until the roots start growing out so you can see them? Though he had rockwool not a peat pellet. I dunno what the difference would be?

I suppose it probably doesn't matter all that much, I just don't wanna screw anything up.
No difference. Once you see the seedling sprout the surface its time for pots.
(good luck).
 

Shafto

Active Member
Thanks,

Just trying to understand the reasoning behind all of it.

What's the point of smaller pots at all at first? Why not just put your seedling into it's pot you intend to finish it with?

Do people only not do this to maximize more room as the plants are smaller? Or is it because if you just put a small plant in a huge pot it will concentrate too much on root growth?
 

SIR SMOKER

New Member
View attachment 1146095
Thanks,

Just trying to understand the reasoning behind all of it.

What's the point of smaller pots at all at first? Why not just put your seedling into it's pot you intend to finish it with?

Do people only not do this to maximize more room as the plants are smaller? Or is it because if you just put a small plant in a huge pot it will concentrate too much on root growth?
If you start with a small pot roots will grow quicker and quickly fill the small pot giving you a good root base before transplanting in to bigger pots.
Kind of like this pic but on a smaller scale.



 

Spanishfly

Well-Known Member
I once had this, the seed cases cracked but the sprout grew no more. The seeds were too old, it happened. And sometimes seed banks are not fussy about what age seeds they dump on their customers.

And please don´t listen to that Cervantes - he is just another Spanish dick - lots of them round here. And it isn´t even his real name - he is just vaingloriously copying the ONLY author Spain has ever produced. And he blindly repeats EVERY Old Wives´ Tale going.
 
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