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How to Germinate Cannabis Seeds Guide

Germinating cannabis seeds is the crucial first step to cultivate success for your own homegrown weed. No matter what strain or type of cannabis seed you choose to grow, if you don’t prepare and germinate your seeds correctly, it’s all going to be a huge waste of time and money.As a pretty seasoned traveler of both time and space, I’ve been able to see and interact with so many lifeforms. But as you can guess, the life of cannabis seeds really seems to interest me the most! I’ve seen several different ways to germinate cannabis seeds in the Multiverse, but let me share with you some sure-fire methods that I use to germinate all of my favorite varieties of weed seeds.

What is Cannabis Seed Germination?

Inside the shell of your cannabis seeds are dormant organisms that need to be “activated” in order to grow into the leafy and flower-packed cannabis plants we all know and love.

Cannabis seed germination requires the following elements in order to be successful:

Air
Distilled water or diluted hydrogen peroxide solution
Warm heat source (preferably in the 70-80°F range)
Darkness
A cup, seed tray, or 3-5 gallon pot (for autoflower seeds) full of high-quality, moistened soil to transplant taproot

How Do I Germinate Cannabis Seeds?

Germinating cannabis seeds can be performed in several different ways. Just like with almost every other step involved in cannabis seed cultivation, almost every humanoid grower and breeder seems to have their own particular method. However, here we will discuss the most proven, efficient, and easiest ways to do so.

Preparing Cannabis Seeds for Germination

Before actually germinating your cannabis seeds, it’s important to get them in a viable state beforehand. If your seeds were in a refrigerator, take them out a good 24 hours ahead of time.

If frozen, take the container holding your beans out of the freezer and place it on the kitchen table or other undisturbed surface in a room temperature environment. Keep them there for 24 hours, then open the lid to let some air in for another 12 hours or so.

If your seeds have been chilling out in a drawer or container because you just got them a few weeks to months ago, they should be good to use immediately once you are ready to germinate them.

Also, when germinating cannabis seeds, be sure to pick up a jug of distilled water from any grocery or drugstore. Distilled water has a neutral pH that will not adversely hurt germination. I don’t recommend using tap water to germinate, but if you do, be sure to check the pH level with a test strip or testing device beforehand. Tap water that’s too acidic or alkaline has the potential to affect germination.

Paper Towel Method of Germinating Cannabis Seeds

The first method of germination that we will cover is the paper towel method of germination. This specific method is one that Uncle Paulie and myself don’t recommend to use, but we are including it here in case you want to use it yourself.

Materials needed:

1 roll paper towels
Distilled water
2 plates or plastic baggie
Drinking glass or shot glass
Tweezers (optional)

To begin, soak your already room temperature cannabis seeds in a small drinking glass or shot glass of distilled water for 12-24 hours ahead of time. This practice is good at softening the outer seed coating for more efficient germination. The seeds should eventually sink to the bottom. If they still continue to float after 12-24 hours, they may unfortunately prove to be duds.
Remove the seeds (with tweezers or fingers) from the glass after 12-24 hours and place them on top of two moist paper towels. It’s important that the paper towel be moist/damp rather than soaked. Continue to use distilled water for this step also.
Lay another layer of two moist paper towels over the first two.
Place between two plates – one upside-down, the other right-side up – to create an enclosed, dark environment. Some humanoids also place the paper towels into a plastic baggie sealed most of the way.
Keep your plates or baggie-enclosed cannabis seeds in a dark, moist environment that stays around 70-80°F to mimic spring-like environmental conditions. Dark environments have been scientifically shown to help with speedier, more efficient germination. [1]
Check the seeds regularly to ensure a moist environment is maintained. If not, gently apply distilled water to the paper towels via a spray bottle if absolutely necessary should your seeds now be dried out.
Typically, after about 5 days, a tiny taproot will emerge from the shell of the seed. You will then need to transfer your freshly germinated cannabis seed to a small plastic cup or seed tray full of slightly moist soil mix. Just make a ¼ inch hole with a pen or pencil and place the seed with the taproot facing down.
After about a week max, you should see the seedling sprout in the container. From here, you will need to transplant your seedlings into bigger pots just before the roots start to poke out of the perforations at the bottom. This is at about the 2-3 week mark.

1% Hydrogen Peroxide Method

Using a 1% diluted solution that consists of distilled water and hydrogen peroxide has been proven to germinate cannabis seeds faster. It also has shown in scientific studies to be able to help germinate seeds that are 5 years or older [2] [3]! Here we will detail how to proceed with this method at home.

How Do I Make My Own 1% Diluted Solution to Use?

According to the cultivation experts at DeBacco University, making your own 1% hydrogen peroxide solution doesn’t have to be difficult.

Purchase a 16 fl oz bottle of hydrogen peroxide from your local drug store or online.
You will need to make the solution 3x less strong by diluting it with 32 fl oz.
This will create 48 fl oz of 1% diluted solution to use for germination. [4] You may not need to use all the entire diluted solution once it’s created.

Check out a video demonstration here.

Once the solution is ready to go you will need to do the following:

Materials needed:

1% hydrogen peroxide/distilled water solution
1 roll paper towels
2 plates or plastic baggie
Drinking glass or shot glass
Tweezers (optional)

Soak seeds 12-18 hours overnight in the 1% solution in a glass or shot glass overnight in a dark, room temperature area.
Remove the seeds from the solution and rinse well with just distilled water.
From here, the method is very similar to the other paper towel method above. The main difference will be that the taproot should emerge somewhere sooner (24-72 hours), so be on the lookout for it!

Germinating Autoflower Seeds Directly into Soil

Autoflower seeds are a great way for anyone to cultivate cannabis at home. There is, however, one big difference when germinating autoflower seeds compared to photoperiod seeds.

Transplanting autoflower seeds into soil post-germination can all too often shock them unnecessarily. This can stunt their growth considerably, starting at the very beginning of their life!

To avoid shocking your autoflower seeds, just germinate them directly into the soil and pot they will be growing in during their entire lifespan as a best practice.

Materials needed:

Premium potting soil mix
Distilled water
3-5 gallon pot per each seed being germinated
Spray bottle
Measuring tape or ruler
Pencil
Marker or tape

Soak your autoflower seeds for 12 hours overnight in distilled water.
Fill your pots with premium soil mix and ensure they can drain well and are of a lighter consistency.
Be sure to not use any nutrients at this point in the seed/plant’s life cycle.
Take the measuring tape and marker or small piece of visible tape to mark on the pencil where a ½ inch is.
Use the pencil to make a small indentation in the soil up to where the ½ inch line you just marked on it is. This ensures you will not insert the seed too deep.
Insert the seed into the holes you have made and tuck them in slightly with soil all around once inserted.
Lightly mist the soil to ensure the top is moist and not soaked or muddy.
From this point on you can place the pots in the tents you’re going to be growing in to germinate. Anywhere else is fine, so long as they’re in an undisturbed, warm (70-80°F), and dark environment.
In about 2-7 days the seed should be germinated.
Try to not bother the germinating/germinated seed to let it establish itself with roots into the soil.
When the seedlings start to rise out of your soil with their first sets of tiny leaves, begin to expose them to the normal 18-20 hours of light they will need throughout their entire cultivation cycle.

How Can I Ensure My Cannabis Seeds Germinate Properly?

As mentioned, when dropping a nice chunk of humanoid change on cannabis seeds and growing equipment, it’s vital to conquer the very first phase the right way. Here are a few more tips to ensure your cannabis seeds germinate properly:

Select high-quality seeds from reliable, well-reviewed breeders and seed banks. Inferior seeds simply don’t have reliable genetics home growers can rely on.
Ensure your seeds are stored properly ahead of time to avoid damaging them before germination.
Germinate seeds sooner than later. Holding onto seeds for prolonged periods of time in excess of a year can begin to greatly degrade them unless stored properly.
Use distilled water to germinate instead of tap water. Distilled water features:
- Reduced amounts of impurities for a cleaner medium.
- Neutral pH level.
- No chlorine or other chemicals that can be harmful.
- Reduced chances of fungi or algae issues.
Keep your 1% hydrogen solution away from light in order to not degrade it.
Avoid handling the cannabis seeds until ready to begin the process of germination.
Maintain darkness during germination as much as possible.
Maintain a “springtime” environment (70-80°F). Some people use warming pads near the germinating seeds to boost the temperature if needed.
Always be delicate and use extreme care when transporting germinated seeds into soil containers or small perforated cups.

Once you perform the process of germination once, it eventually becomes second-nature, making all of your next home grows easier and easier. Abide by the processes and tips detailed above and you’ll be on your way to seeing those little beans you bought grow up to be vigorous and dank!

Contact Multiverse Beans for the Best Cannabis Seeds Online

Ready to start growing your own cannabis plants? Whether you’re a seasoned grower or just starting out, Multiverse Beans offers a wide selection of premium cannabis seeds to suit your needs. From indica to sativa, autoflowering to photoperiod, Multiverse Beans has you covered.

To get started, browse our online cannabis seed bank, or contact us directly. Our friendly team of experts is here to assist you with any questions you may have and to help you select the perfect seeds for your cultivation goals.

Don’t waste any more time and money on subpar cannabis seeds. Trust Multiverse Beans for the best cannabis seeds and start your growing journey today!

References

Washa, B. B. (2014). Potential of the Dark as a Factor Affecting Seed Germination. International Journal of AgriScience, 4, 478-485. [URL: https://api.semanticscholar.org/CorpusID:85680157]
Sorokin, A., Yadav, N. S., Gaudet, D., & Kovalchuk, I. (2021). Development and Standardization of Rapid and Efficient Seed Germination Protocol for Cannabis sativa. Bio Protoc, 11(1), e3875. doi:10.21769/BioProtoc.3875. [PMCID: PMC7952943] [PMID: 33732764]
Sorokin, A., Yadav, N. S., Gaudet, D., & Kovalchuk, I. (2020). Transient expression of the β-glucuronidase gene in Cannabis sativa varieties. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 15(8), Article ID. DOI: 10.1080/15592324.2020.1780037.
DeBaccoUniversity. (2022, July 20). Improved Cannabis Seed Germination with Hydrogen Peroxide.Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPzfZ_xFXtE&ab_channel=DeBaccoUniversity

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