Successful germinating cannabis seeds
If you are an experienced marijuana grower you've already established all necessary information which is often derived from personal experience and stories of fellow growers who wish to transfer their knowledge. As a beginner it can be quite overwhelming because of the diverse amount of technical information available.
In this guide we try to set aside the overdose of technical information so both the experienced grower as well as the less experienced grower can use this information to start successfully.Cannabis cultivation and the associated knowledge must finally be accessible and understandable to everyone.
Germinating your cannabis seeds.
Cannabis seeds grow the same way as any other seed, place it in soil and if all goes well the seed will grow out to become a beautiful decoration in addition to your garden, balcony or window. The inside of cannabis seeds consist of a mix of nutrients and moisture that causes the seed to survive a period of time in your refrigerator or in some circumstances underneath the soil, the hard shell is to protect the inside of the seeds.
However it seems logical to plant your cannabis seed directly in soil but there are two other methods you can apply for a successful germination, with these methods it is easier to monitor the germination process because they're not hidden. The first method is to place the seed directly in soil, when you place the seed in garden soil make sure it no longer freezes at night because this can cause the seed to die or rot due to fluctuation of temperature and moist.
Place the cannabis seed at least 1 centimeter in the ground, carefully fill it up with soil and water it.
Not too much water because that could start up a rotting process.
After about 3 to 7 days (in some cases even longer) you can see something growing, it raises its head just above the soil, keep it moist.
This method requires patience because it seems to last longer compared to other methods, many beginners get frustrated because there are no quick results visible and are convinced there's something wrong with the seed while in fact there isn't. When you decide to use this method placing the seeds in pots make sure the pots at least content 20 liters, this avoids re-potting the plant risking to damage the roots, the root system is very important as the foundation of the whole plant.
The second method is to place the seed in a glass of water, avoid strong fluctuation of temperature, a constant 20 degrees is ideal. As long as the seeds do not germinate, it is advisable to refresh the water every other day, when you refresh handle the seed with extra care because soap or acid on your hands can influence the cannabis seed in a negative way.
After about 2 to 5 days, the little white root will show and when it is about 3 millimeters long they can be put into the ground, the little root downwards and the head of the seed just above soil. The third method is often the most effective one, place the seed between two damp to wet tissues leaving it on a plate or whatever you have.
Just take a paper towel and fold it, then drizzle it with clean water, place the seeds on one side and fold together. Make sure air reaches the seed, the combination of moist and fresh air has a positive effect on the germination process.
So whatever you do, don't strain the plate with plastic to make it air tight, this will only cause the seed to rot, it needs air, avoid the paper towel to dry out because when tissues dry out the root could get damaged when you try to remove the seed from it, especially when its longer than 4 millimeters. When the root is damaged a healthy plant can not be guaranteed !
Opinions about where to place the dish are often divided but in fact it does not matter, whether you place the dish in a dark or light spot, both spots work fine as long as the temperature doesn't fluctuate too much. When the root appears place it in soil and again, root down and head just above the soil is the best way.
Of course things can go wrong, even when you've practiced the best germination method with the best soil and equipment, cannabis seeds are a product of nature and unfortunately it is still not possible to check the inside of the seed. You can only tell for sure if a cannabis seed is successful when it has germinated. Just as well as poor looking seeds can grow out to be a big healthy plant.
After germination the seedling can be placed in the spot of your choice, don't wait too long providing the most optimal environment because when she is in need of light or water a successful process is being slowed down.
Make sure when you grow her indoors the lights are at the right distance to avoid stretching, stretching means the seedling is not developing but only getting taller in order to receive enough light. You'll see that the stem will get longer but she stays thin without growing any side leaves and can cause the plant to break and die.
Pre growing
Pre-growing gives your little seedling the change of a healthy indoor development without having to deal with bad weather or strong fluctuating weather conditions appearing at the end of winter. In a lot of countries spring still has freezing nights and lack of sun and specially for these situations pre-growing is almost a must ! By the time the weather improves the cannabis plant has strong roots, has developed a good set of leaves and is ready to be placed outdoors.
There are semi-professional set ups available in many grow stores but to be honest an energy saving light bulb of 20 watts (equals 100 watt light bulb) or TL-Lights with blue spectrum (white light) will do just fine for pre-growing and it prevents you from having to buy expensive equipment, the choice is yours !
Whatever you do make sure to hang the lamp at the right distance, compared to professional lights temperatures from saving bulbs and TL lights don't get as hot and won't burn the leaves easily so professional lights should be placed further away than TL or saving bulb. Pre-growing autoflowers won't demand special white light, they are fast growers who benefit from warm yellow lights immediately and have the tendency to grow into a compact little plant with a head stem of at least half a centimeter but again, lights and distance is very important.
