Thanks for the reply 4u2smoke...what about the light/dark thing? once i drop the seeds into the cubes and water them(well water) do they go straight under the lights or is there some dark time neede?
I`m following the guide at mandalaseeds.com....there sure is a lot of diff opinions on how to do this...
Soaking seeds in water/wet paper towels is a method which can be used for old seeds (3+ years) that are drying up and losing germination power; and for pure land race equatorial strains such as from Africa. Both factors do not apply to our seeds. Fresh seeds have a healthy embryo whose cells are filled with water. But excess water causes the cells to bloat, depletes oxygen and leads to the tissue rotting away before the seed embryo can germinate. Old seeds have lost water in the cell tissue, the embryo starts to shrivel, which is why germination rates drop the older the seeds are. Therefore, old seeds (ie. 3+ years) can soak up more water before adverse conditions cause them to rot. This is one of the main reasons why various seed stock reacts differently to pre-germination methods. Some growers make the mistake of soaking our seeds in water for up to 1-2 days because it may have worked in the past with other seeds. This does not mean, however, that this method can be used for all seeds. In fact, old stock or equatorial cannabis seeds should only be soaked in water for a few hours at the most. Always consult the web site of a seed bank for specific advice and instructions on how to germinate their seeds.
It is in a growers best interest to choose a germination method with the lowest risk of complications. Because we want customers to have the highest success rate possible we recommend the most convenient and safest method. This does not mean it is the only option. We simply believe it carries the lowest risk for germinating fresh seeds. Planting seeds directly in the substrate is also the most plant friendly method for any type of seed stock. The reasons are explained below in paragraph 2 & 3.
Placing healthy & fresh seeds in water/wet tissue can lead to the development of fungi or bacteria on the seed hull. Lack of oxygen and contaminating substances in the water/wet tissue promote fungal growth which can be transported to the substrate later on. Often the seed simply rots away if left for too long in a glass of water, or wrapped up in wet tissue.
Once the seed sprouts in a glass of water or paper tissue it already has the taproot growing out of the cracked seed hull. While transplanting the germinated seed it is very difficult, indeed impossible, to prevent damage to the delicate taproot. Many sprouted seedlings handled in this way show retarded development, or even simply fail to appear out of the substrate after transplantation. Handling seedlings this way can impair the health & vigour of the plant for the duration of its life cycle - especially if other disturbing factors occur during the early stages of growth.
Do not use jiffys/peat pellets: the acidic pH of pure peat can inhibit germination of cannabis seeds. Results are unreliable and depend on manufacturers, some add limestone to raise pH, some do not. Growers have also experienced problems using rapid rooter plugs (with various types of cannabis seeds). Any growing medium used for germination must also have the correct pH for cannabis seeds.
I don't feed seedlings anything until the "seed leaves"(cotyledons :ciao: Smoke) begin to yellow, then it is only very small amount(300ppm) for the first week, (450ppm) the second week, and so on as the plant shows vigorous growth until topping out in veg at 600-700ppm
