Problem starting seeds...

I put my seeds folded between wet paper towels and in ziplock baggies and let them sit for 7 days. Then I took the seeds that were busted open and showing a little "foot" root and put them in soil about the depth of the size of the seed (4 or 5 mm) and put about a mm of soil over them. Then I watered them and put the pots in black trays with clear hoods over the trays. The hoods are about two inches tall. I put the trays under 4 40 watt flourecent tubes about 2 or 3 inches above the clear hoods. There is a heating pad under the trays. While my garage is pretty cold, the air temp under the hoods is a steady 85 - 90 degrees C, abd the soil temp is about the same. The seeds have been in the soil now for 4 days and not one damn seed has sprouted above the dirt. What am I doing wrong, or what can I do to make these seeds sprout? The only other light that I have is a 1000w HPS, which I think will fry my seeds before they sprout. All help is greatly appreciated.

Damn man, that sucks. I switched from using paper towels this grow. The way I do it now is to drop the beans in a cup of water (not cold) overnight (most peeps say 24 hrs), then plant in Rapid Rooters. I got 7 up out of 10 beans this grow. You did put the root down, right? Anyway, could be too much dirt on top for them to pop. Why don't you dig around very carefully and see what's up with them? Can't hurt.

Sounds like you doing nothing wrong. The only difference is I let the seeds float in distilled water until I see the taproot. About 2 days or 3 at most and then plant. Maybe bad beans and make sure your not baking the seeds underneath with the heating pad. Best of luck.

I got 7 up out of 10 beans this grow

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Thats why I wait until a see a taproot before I remove them from the cup. 100% germination so far on about 60 seeds to date.

str8drop said:

Thats why I wait until a see a taproot before I remove them from the cup. 100% germination so far on about 60 seeds to date.

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Holy sheet dude! I'll try that on the next batch of seeds.

yeah, it looks like you aint doin nothin wrong at all man, other than - is your tray n hood ventilated?? thats pretty much the only thing i can think of. The paper towel method is triedand true, and works every single time, or it shoudl anyways. Ive got 98% success with germing seeds via the paper towel, so i personally cant complain. hmmmmmmm...wait, you said that they showed taproot before you planted them right?? n then straight into the room with the 4 40w flourescents?? --You may have that heating pad up too high, or better yet, your temps may be like 5 degrees too high. i killed a whiteberry, a bluecheese, and a northern soul sproutling just 2 days after taproot, because my tent was too hot.

It basically turned my taproots to mush, i squeezed the seed gently, to see if they were soft, n they werent. the contents of the seed just oozed out of the seed shell man, lol, fuckin sucky. The only thing i can really think of, would be to take your 1000w light and put it like 3 feet above the seedlings next time you germ them, dont use the dome or the heating pad. Just make sure the surface your putting your plants on arent freezing cold or anything, and if you can, get the temps to around 75-80 in between the lighting and the soil surface. I dont really know what else to say, other than try it the way that i do it regularly. It works everytime man, cept for the one time when temps were too high, lol.

in a day or two when youve given up on your current seeds, take them out of the soil, and see if theyve turned to mush. The taproot will still be the same length give or take 1 or 2 mm, and if you squeeze the seed itll ooze the contents right out, lol. I hope you figure it out man, i dont wanna see ya waste your seeds until you know somethin is gonna work for sure.

-K1

I cooked 30 Maui waui seeds about a month ago. I didn't have a seed mat and it was a little chilly so I got a small CFL (26w?) and put it a few inches below the paper towel, put some folded up paper towels over the light, checked on it the next day and the paper had almost caught fire. The seeds were toast. I tried it again with the light quite a bit further away and the same thing happened. It was just as well, MW is pure sativia and would not be the #1 choice for an indoor grow. Fortunately the seeds were given to me by a friend and I have a lot more. This spring I'll be "Johnny Potseed".

I appreciate your replies. I keep a close watch on the air temp under the hood and the temp of the soil. I never let it get over 90, but usually keep it aroung 84 - 86 degrees. I added some water to the dirt to keep them soaked. Yes, the taproots were out on every seed I planted. The only think that I can think of is Tuesday I turned off the heating pad and forgot to turn it back on over night and the temps dropped to the 50's under the hoods, so maybe they're just slow movin'. The hoods and trays are not ventilated to keep the humidity high. Maybe the garage being so cold has something to do with it, but the soil temp is good and the air temp under the hood is good, so I don't think the room temp should affect them.

Anyway, I'll keep you guys posted on my progress. When I actually get something going, I'll start a journal thread. I've always been a little nervous about posting pics and info, but fuck it, man. Keep the ideas coming. Info is a valuable commodity.