Soaking seeds - why do you guys do it

Basic Growing Info
#61

I don’t think survival of the fittest necessarily applies to seeds. Sometimes seeds have exceptionally thick hulls, and are just more difficult to germinate. If I had applied that logic to my Black Afghani seeds, I would have gotten 0/7 to germinate.

Instead, I applied scarification, soaking, paper towels and even manual cracking to get them to germinate. Now I have 7 plants and all but 1 are healthy and growing rapidly.

IMHO get them to germinate by any means possible, and evaluate whether to keep the plants during veg… Unless you’re starting from a huge supply and money is no longer a consideration. Ease of germination does not necessarily mean a weak plant.

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#62

I have always scarified them in a match box with a broken up nail file. Then soak overnight, then paper towel then sow. Why do I do it this way? Before original overgrow I learned everything from Jorge’s bible. Now I am a creature of habit. I must have 95 percent plus success rate. But I think I am going straight peat pellets next time. Why? BC you guys give me a complex hahah

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#63

Because that is what I have always done…

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#64

How do you guys crack them? I tried nibbing the end off a few old seeds I have with clippers but I think it hurt more than it helped.

#65

I’ve done it successfully with my teeth, but let’s just say that can go wrong…

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#66

I do it that way because you guys told me to! :wink: Seriously though lately I have been popping them that because I wanted to try it and it seems to work ok. I’ll likely go back to peat pods next run though.

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#67

Beacher, I’m pretty sure I saw a post where @MadScientist actually bought a seed cracker. He might be able to give you more info on that if I’m right?

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#68

Yup - third post in this thread :slight_smile:

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#69

From my admittedly limited experience …you get them up faster if you pre-soak.
I have done it most every way you can. I get that they will eventually come up if you plant directly into soil keep it warm. But I get them up faster by soaking until the seed sinks. As soon as it sinks though I plant it.

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#70

Hey there

Seed cracker works perfect.
Once you get the hang of it.

20190726_060110.jpg1000×1000 60.1 KB

@woodshed13 on IG

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#71

oh another thing with one exception …if a seed would not sink it would not germinate. Usually they are nice outside and hollow inside and pop if you squeeze them.

Frankly kind of seems unlikely anyone gets 100% germination …period.

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#72

Perhaps the reason for this stems from the days of clandestine growing where the seed viability and age was almost always unknown.

Otherwise this whole process seems like a elementary school science project. Many of us might recall germinating bean seeds this way in Kindergarten, but not all teachers instructed like so as I recall direct sowing also into our recycled milk containers.

Even with the hardest of shell observed in the modern bred types I am more prone to just cracking or scuffing the seeds as needed.

My only other thought about this being so popular is the fact that many people who sow directly have learned the hard way in regards to what damping off means. Its very easy to find yourself in this situation with unsterile potting soils and other mixes. I think a lot of people have become dependent upon this procedure and it works, so they don’t want to try to fix something that works in the first place.

I do think that if you are going to soak, that you should direct sow afterwards, this is actually common among common gardeners, but they don’t use paper towels and all that in general as they soak just to hydrate and speed up the germination. To each their own though, even though I prefer the better growth and resiliency I see in direct sowing in comparison with tired seedlings that spent a lot of unnecessary energy growing out the tap searching the void.

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#73

I soak mine for a good 24 hours plus, depending on freshness and how long to see tails.
From there in between the sheets they go and actually shed their shells.
Then into keg cups and under the lights.

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#74

I always have and always will, soak mine for 18 hours, then into medium. I have NEVER used paper towels to sprout seeds. Seem a wasted step to me, but see many do it.

Long as you are happy with your method, and it works for you…carry on!

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#75

Seeds will germ faster floating in water than they will in moist media. They’ll still sprout, but with soaking it’s usually a day faster, in my experience.

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#76

Seems like you wait forever just putting them in the medium, besides I like to know what’s going on with numbers.

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#77

Yeah that’s the biggest benefit. You know ahead of time what is and isn’t going to grow, so you don’t waste time wondering if that seed in the soil is going to sprout.

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#78

I don’t usually stick em in water ( i have on a couple of occasions.) , i have germed in paper-towels for the most part and have been doing great using this method …
As long as it works for you - no point changing it .!:+1:.
Gaz.

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#79

I germinate in rockwool cubes if I’m doing a lot of seeds. If it’s only a few I stick them directly into peat pots filled with coco and just let them do their thing.
In the past I’ve used the paper towel method with great results though :+1:

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#80

Why are you on here?

You’re on holiday ffs. :sweat_smile::sweat_smile::wink:

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