Pre-soaking seeds - "The Float Test"

Basic Growing Info
#58

Amazing! Thanks for the clarification uncle Johnny. :+1: :slightly_smiling_face:

#59

I’ll never soak again. It’s a big waist of time. I never did it before coming to the internet. I guess it looked like you where doing something. Straight dirt. Or the damp method. I can understand if your seeds are ten years old. Sand them. It’s easy. Soak seeds. Not for me. I have my way before I ever came here. @JohnnyPotseed way is close to mine. I got to say I think his and the towel is a container is fine. I dropped ten or so. Night before last or last night. They all have tails.

2 Likes
#60

So far my method seems to work, nothing fancy I just lightly sand them, stick them in a plastic bag with wet paper towel above the seed and put them in the range hood cabinet above the stove. I get atleast an 85 percent pop rate.

#61

I soak my seeds to start them.

I like to put them in a small tupperware container and set that on the wireless router. Holds it at around 90 degrees. Usually seeds that are viable split and show the creamy white tail within 24 hours. Once most seeds split I sow all of them. Ones that float usually never split, and rarely end up germinating IME. It has happened, I’ve been surprised occasionally, just a strong tendency not to.

2 Likes
#62

Hey I would like to try this worm casting method how exactly would I do it like put the worm castings in a small container and cover it? Also how does one go about scuffing a seed?

1 Like
#63

They make seed scuffer i think… google it… or just rub them gently on sandpaper preferably higher grit …

I use johnnypotseeds method… it’s on here have a look… very good description JohnnyPotseed’s Germination Technique

#64

put seeds on top put lid on container… I use regular spring water to wet them… wet them till Shiney then dry again with paper towel until not shiney… cover leave alone check daily

#65

I soak (for fun, not for efficient clever strategy or anything) in ~300 PPM tap water with chlorine and all, then paper towel (for fun, to watch the tap roots pop), then nestle the seeds with tap roots down in media (ProMix, stays wet-not-soaked, has initial charge of nutes that seem to play well with seedlings)… and then when they are ready for an up-pot to 1 gallon pots, I directly pop them into 7 gal pots because, why not. Sharing for balance.

1 Like
#66

What is your germination rate?

#67

I hesitate to tell the world 100% because we are all in the struggle together, but.

1 Like
#68

Yeah this method is best for older seeds… 10 plus years… otherwise just water and paper towel… maybe heat mat… . I like the worm castings because I don’t have to worry about them being there too long… all that happens is they start to root… take em out plant em lol… it’s been super good to me

1 Like
#69

Plus they get that miccorohizae or however u spell it… from the worm castings

1 Like
#70

seeds that dont germinate is gasoline are not fire.

1 Like
#71

Also… I’d hesitate to tell everyone to use tap… because everyone’s tap water is different… won’t help anyone unless they have your type of tap… say like where I’m from… lol… but again there’s many ways to skin a cat :cat2:

1 Like
#72

Awesome some of my beans are definitely old & were probably not kept at optimal conditions. I hope this will work for them thanks again for the info super appreciated

1 Like
#73

Anytime man… let me know how it goes… curiosity is piqued on yours

#74

I have a good feeling it will work

#75

Old beans
It’s best to sand lightly with a nail file , fine sand paper . Ect. Then if you soak do so with a splash of hydrogen peroxide added to tap water
Soak 12 hrs then on to worm castings method
I am trying let complicated ways

For the most part I no longer soak seeds except if there old ones

But moist and warm environment is what they like

So a heating mat and a dome to raise rh is a good thing but keep them in the dark until
you see tails

Now that said a good friend just puts them in coco with a dome and a little heat directly under a low watt light and it never fails
Lol

We do what we like
And what works for us

Paps

3 Likes
#76

Thank you paps I was going to mention a heat mat as well… and don’t forget to put a towel in between, those heat mats get friggin hot sometimes lol

2 Likes
#77

Cool. I’ve got some really high grit sandpaper so I’ll give em a light scuff. Might try to soak one and go straight to worm casting with another see what happens already got a box on a heating pad with towels so got that covered thanks again for the tips!

1 Like