Marijuana (or cannabis) has become increasingly popular in recent years, with states all over the country passing losses to make it more legal and accessible every day. After years of protests and litigation issues, it’s now possible for you to germinate your very own marijuana seeds! But how are you supposed to do that?
This article is all about how to germinate marijuana seeds, from why you should do it to giving you a guide on recognizing good seeds to even taking you step by step on how to germinate marijuana seeds! Keep reading to find out all of that and much more!
Why Do We Germinate Our Marijuana Seeds?
This is an excellent question to start with since knowing the reason behind an action is the first step in starting any project. There are many reasons to germinate your marijuana seeds. According to the experts at High There, it’s all about control. “When we’re growing cannabis from seed, we want to control as much of the process as possible to limit any potential issues, starting with germination of our cannabis seeds.”
This is why marijuana companies germinate (or grow from seeds) their plants. It allows them to find the one in the bunch that has the perfect marijuana taste and effects!
Recognize The Good Cannabis Seeds
This is another crucial step in the germination process; you can’t start if you don’t know how to find good seeds! According to the experts at High Supplies, everything is as it appears when it comes to marijuana seeds. “The fertile ones usually appear dark brown, black, gray, or red-brown with a slight glow as though the peel has some wax. Seeds that look different with colors like light-green, yellow, or white may also germinate, but the color should tell you they’re not high quality.”
So, when you’re looking for the best marijuana seeds, you should go towards small oval-shaped ones with dark colors since it means they were harvested recently and will germinate well.
Selecting The Right Cultivation System
Alright, now that you have your seeds, how are you supposed to grow them? Well, it’s all about setting up the right cultivation system. To figure that out, it helps to ask yourself the following questions as you do your research:
- What kind of growth medium is available?
- Can you afford all the necessary components from your budget?
- How much time do you want to spend on your setup?
Answering these questions will help you narrow down the list of which germination methods you want to use.
How To Germinate Marijuana Seeds: Step By Step Guide
Well, now that you’ve got your seeds and you’ve decided on your method, here is a handy step-by-step guide on how to germinate marijuana seeds.
Preparation
This is the first and most crucial step to germinating your very own marijuana seeds. To prepare your seeds to be grown, there are several methods you can use. The first is making a germination station. A germination station is basically “a dedicated device with a growing space that ensures that cannabis seeds get optimal conditions for germination by allowing you to control the humidity and temperature fully.”
This station is made of a heating pad, a pot for your plants, and a humidity dome. The great advantage of building germination is that you can avoid many problems people encounter when germinating marijuana seeds. These problems are caused mainly by not controlling the temperature and, therefore, a medium that is either too hot, too dry, or too wet.
Marijuana seeds are like Goldilocks. You can’t just grow them in any conditions; they need to be just right. Another way to prepare a perfect space to grow your seeds is by setting up a petri dish with a towel and putting your seeds there. The towel will soak up enough moisture so that the seeds can grow properly.
Create Environment
If you’re going with the germination station, then you can complete this step just by building it! Set out all the materials you need and build your germination station in an area where you can adequately control factors like temperature and humidity.
Suppose you’re going for the paper towel method. In that case, completing this step is even easier! “moisten a couple of paper towels, wringing out any excess water. This will create a warm, moist and dark environment – perfect for sprouting cannabis seeds.”
Paper Towel Method
This method is one of the most straightforward and most accessible for growing your marijuana plants. It’s incredibly affordable since you only need a roll of one-ply paper towels (not the cloth-like kind since you don’t want the plants to grow inside the cloth,) some water, and a bowl or a plastic guide.
Here are the steps you need to take:
- Step 1: Spread a handful of seeds of a paper towel and place another paper towel over them to keep them protected
- Step 2: Spray the towels with a handheld water sprayer or with your hands if you don’t have one
- Step 3: put the towels between two plates with a bowl turned upside down on top of it. You can also use a plastic bag to protect it.
- Step 4: Keep the towels in a place where they can be about 72° Fahrenheit or 22° Celsius. Avoid putting them on a windowsill since they could fall or get heated up too much by the sun.
- Step 5: Check your seeds after two to five days, and you’ll see some roots start to pop out!
This method is perfect for home growers who need something more accessible than an expensive germination station.
Direct Plant System
This growing system can save you some time since it allows for growing the marijuana seeds in their resting place, meaning that they don’t have to suffer the shock of being transported.
This also means that your tiny marijuana seeds don’t have to adjust to any other environment, as they would have to if you were to use any of the other methods and transplant them.
To carry out this method, you’ll need:
- A place in which the seeds can both germinate and grow to their full potential, like a large area of soil
- Watering can or spray
- Gardening tools like shovels and shears
Here are the steps to carrying out this method:
- Step 1: Prepare your soil to be moist but not soaking wet
- Step 2: Make a knuckle-deep hole in the soil that’s about 0.5 to 1 inch or 1.3 cm to 2.5 cm.
- Step 3: Place your seeds in each hole and gently cover them with soil.
- Step 4: Using a heating pad or light, gently keep your setup warm
- Step 5: Check on your seeds after two days to check for germination.
And it doesn’t have to be soil! You can also use coco coir to grow them in or any other soilless medium. The important thing is that seeds don’t have to be moved and have enough room to grow to their full potential.
Stater Cubes And Seedling Plugs
This is one of the easiest and most innovative ways to grow marijuana seeds. Just place the seeds in the starter cubes or plugs, add moisture, and they will start to grow instantly! This method is excellent for people who are often clumsy since it leaves very little room for error. There are also many types of starter cubes to choose from, some of the best being:
- Rapid rooter grow plugs
- Rapid rooter matts
- Rockwool Starter Cubes
- Rapid Rooters
- Rapid Rooters Tray
So take your pick and start growing!
Overnight Soaking
This is a crucial step to any germination method. The essence of this step is to leave your seeds on lukewarm water overnight so that they can grow. This is an excellent method for reviving old or hard seeds that never managed to germinate.
It works by having the water soften the seed’s outer shell so that the taproot can breakthrough. It may take a while for seeds to sink to the bottom of the bowl, so don’t worry if they stay up there at first.
Germinate Station
As mentioned before, a germination station is perfect, although sometimes an expensive method to germinate your seeds. Here are the steps to building one:
- Step 1: Soak your seeds in lukewarm water for up to 24 hours
- Step 2: Collect and place the seeds in plastic containers and use a small medium to cover them.
- Step 3: Remember to place proper lighting over the germination station once the first leaves start to sprout.
Other Germination Methods Of Marijuana Seeds
Other ways to germinate marijuana include putting in regular plant pots and then transplanting them to larger areas to grow to their full potential or growing them on starter cubes or trays.
Transplanting Germinated Cannabis Seeds
Once your seeds have begun to sprout, waste no time and immediately take them to their growing place. Get a small pot, make some holes on the soil with a pencil, and then place your seeds there carefully using tweezers.
Conclusion
There are many methods for growing seeds out there, but those are within your budget and can suit your own particular needs. For example, suppose you don’t have much time or money to invest in the germination process. In that case, it’s best to avoid direct planting methods or building germination stations and go for the paper towel method or buy some starter cubes.
However, if you want a new gardening project that you can dedicate a lot of time to, the direct planting method could be for you! Regardless of which method you choose, the most important thing is to do it with care so that you end up with marijuana plants you’re proud of. Happy planting!
