Germinating Cannabis Seeds
During this course I will teach you exactly how to germinate your marijuana seeds.
Before you start growing, it’s nice to already have some basic knowledge on growing marijuana plants.
In the Introduction to growing marijuana section I’ll familiarize you with growing marijuana, I’ll tell you what different types of marijuana exist and what the needs of a marijuana plant are in order to nicely grow and flower.
I’ll also show you the equipment you need and how to install and use it.
I would advise you to take your time to read through those courses.
You can have a great start with that basic knowledge in your head.
But if you can’t wait and you want to start immediately, that’s also an option.
In this series, I’ll give you a step by step guide on what you have to do and what you have to pay attention to.
I took pictures of the progress of my plants every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and I’ll tell you about the things I’ve done.
In the meantime, I will provide you with all the knowledge you need in order to grow high quality marijuana.
All subjects are discussed when they become relevant and are accompanied by nice photos. In the first week I’ll teach you for instance how much you should water your plants.
And as soon as it’s time to transplant your plants, I’ll show you how it’s done through a series of photos with accompanying instructions.
If certain things aren’t clear, you have the possibility of asking your fellow growers on the forum.
Have fun with this course!
Happy growing,
Robert
Download my free marijuana grow guide and start growing high quality strains
How marijuana seeds work
Every marijuana plant starts out as a seed, and every seed needs water to germinate.
The seed already contains a complete plant with root, stem and leaves. The seed also contains the required backup food to survive the first days.
During germination, this backup food is converted into glucose the plant needs to grow.
Once a seed gets moist enough, it will swell up and crack open. The root comes out through the bud opening, and gravity causes it to grow downwards.
It therefore doesn’t matter how you place a seed in the soil, because the root will always grow down.
And the stem always grows upwards, against gravity.
There are many different ways to germinate your seeds, and I don’t think one method is better than another.
The goal is the same, and if the circumstances are correct – sufficient moisture and the right temperature – all methods are effective.
Of course I will explain all germination methods in this course, but I’ll use the method I’ve been successfully using for years as an example; first pre-germinate them in water and then keep germinating them in the soil.
Shopping list
Bergman’s Shopping List
What you need to germinate seeds
- Glass
- Seeds
- Small pots
- Seedling soil
- Plastic foil
- Lamp
Fill a glass with tap water and let it reach room temperature. Around 65 degrees is perfect to let the marijuana seeds germinate. The type of glass doesn’t matter.
I used feminized white widow seeds for this course. It’s a plant that’s easy to grow, so perfect for beginners.
In addition, it always produces a lot, and white widow is a real classic.
White widow is Indica dominant, so it won’t grow as fast and tall as a sativa.
I usually start with small 1/16 gallon pots.
You can also use 1/4 gallon pots or put them in a big pot straightaway.
I use small pots to keep myself from watering them too much. They also don’t use as much space.
Use soil that is specially made for cuttings and seedlings.
This soil is lightly fertilized and will provide the plant the first weeks with sufficient nutrients.
Young plants can’t absorb as much nutrients yet, so don’t use soil for mature plants. I use Fox Farm Seed Starter.
I always cover the pots with plastic foil to create a good climate. This keeps the humidity nice and high and ensures a constant temperature. Transparent plastic wrap will do.
It’s best to put your seeds under a lamp to create a good climate. Use fluorescent lighting or MH or HPS grow lights.
I use a 400 watt MH grow light during the grow stage.
How to germinate
Don’t want to read? Watch our video
Step by Step Guide
- Put the seeds in a glass of tap water
- Let them sit at room temperature for 24 hours
- Place the seeds in seedling soil, ¼ inch deep
- Get the soil moist and cover pots with plastic wrap
- Put the pot at room temperature
Put the seeds in a glass of tap water
First, I put my seeds in the water. By putting them in the water for 24 hours, you make sure they’re moist enough to start the germinating process.
You don’t have to worry about your seeds absorbing too much water and drowning; this only happens after 7 days.
Let the seeds sit at room temperature for 24 hours
Fill a glass with water and put it in the living room for a couple of hours, so the water will reach room temperature.
You can use regular tap water and you don’t need to add additional nutrients, because this is already present inside the seed.
Stir the seeds a bit, so they get wet. It’s possible that your seeds haven’t cracked open yet after 24 hours. Don’t worry, the germinating process definitely started.
Place the seeds in seedling soil, ¼ inch deep
After 24 hours in the water, I always place the seeds in the soil. Use a lightly fertilized soil, specially made for cuttings and seedlings.
You can purchase this in a garden center and it will cost a couple of dollars per bag.
The plants are very vulnerable during this stage and can easily burn if they get too much nutrients.
Seedling soil contains enough nutrients for the first couple of weeks.
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Fill your pots to the rim with soil. You can use a pen to make a little ¼ inch deep hole in the soil. Use a different pot for every seed.
It doesn’t matter how you put the seed in the soil, because the root will always grow downwards, along with gravity.
Put a seed in every hole and cover it with some soil.
You don’t have to push on the soil, because this will happen naturally when you moisten it.
The seed will now further germinate and the plant will pop out of the soil within a few days.
Multiple branches will arise from the main root, creating a firm root system.
Get the soil moist and cover pots with plastic wrap
Water is life, which is true for all living organisms. Water is the most important element in the germination of the seeds.
It’s very important to give your plants the right amount of water; not too much, but also not too little.
If a plant doesn’t get enough water, it will be very economical with it, and won’t become too big.
This is a natural protection mechanism to optimize the chance of survival.
If a plant gets too much water, the roots won’t get enough oxygen and the plant could start to wilt and the roots could eventually rot.
In addition, the soil could get moldy and attract the wrong bacteria.
Water your plants until the water starts to come out of the bottom of the pot. This is enough for a couple of days.
The germ itself doesn’t use much water, but it evaporates quickly. You should therefore never put your pots on top of a radiator or on a window sill in the sunlight.
Put the pot at room temperature
Light is the second most important element that makes plants grow.
Plants use light to convert water and carbon dioxide into sugars the plant needs in order to grow. This process is called photosynthesis.
If a plant doesn’t get enough light, it won’t create as many branches and will mainly grow upwards.
In nature this is perfect to outreach its competition to eventually catch the most sunlight.
If a plant gets enough light, it can grow nice and wide as well, and develop many branches that will hold buds. And that’s what we want.
Keep the lamp on for 24 hours to create a constant temperature.
Put your pots under the lamp to create a nice climate. Fluorescent light is ideal to let your plants grow.
They use little electricity and generate little heat, so you can put the light very close to your plants.
Know how to perfectly time your harvest so you can maximize your yield. Download our free mini harvesting guide.
The plants actually don’t need light yet, but as soon as they stick their head out of the soil, they will get enough light and they can optimally develop themselves.
Keep the temperature around 72 degrees
Place your thermometer on the pots and make sure the temperature stays around 72 degrees. Put the lamp a bit higher if it gets too warm.
Now cover the pots with plastic foil, to keep it moist and to make sure not too much moisture is evaporated.
Your seeds are now chilling under the soil in a moist and muggy climate. Perfect circumstances for germination.
It will now take a number of days to a week before the first marijuana plants will stick their heads out of the soil.
Make sure you keep an eye on the temperature and experiment a bit with the height of the lamp to create the perfect temperature.
When you see your first plants stick out of the soil, you can continue with the next part of the course. Please contact our grow experts on forum if you have any questions.
