For all us noobs out there growing in organic living soil… The easiest way to germ seeds. Ive been popping seeds (weed, veggies, fruits, etc) since the 80’s. The method is tried and true… the only thing that’s changed is we have better media and nutrients available to us now.
- 75% Promix hp, 25% high quality worm castings, microbial support. I then cover the seed in castings only.
- Mix your soil thoroughly adding small amounts of water at a time until the entire soil is equally moist.
- Add your soil to you starting containers (Something small like a 4" starter pod). Make sure to compress the soil lightly with your hands as you don’t want the seed washing away or sinking down.
- Drop your seed on the soil and press it in until you cannot see it (about 1/8-1/4")
- Thoroughly wetten with a spray bottle or spray. You want it wet! If its too wet it will drain out.
- Add mulch (barley straw cut up small) and lightly mist again. Add thick enough but where you can see the dirt through holes in the mulch.
- Check your mulch daily for mold starting and remove and replace if necessary. After three to five days the mulch can come off if you want.
- Put your seedlings under 24hrs light at 35%. This should keep your seeding tent perfectly in the mid 70s. If not, put a heater in there to maintain 78 degrees. ( I adjust to 18hrs when they go to flower tent)
- In 3-5 days you will have a beautiful seedling that pushed its ways naturally out of the dirt.
If you are planting directly to final pot, I would just cover heavy with mulch with no domes.
No need to waste time with paper towels and soaking. Just plant your seed properly and you will save two days and have a stronger seedling,
Once they pop… Take the dome off immediately and water only with a spray bottle until the time its transplanted. Transplant within 10 days for autos.
Seed straight to pod and popped inside of 54hrs. NO soaking the seed. Just take it out the fridge and let it sit out a few hours.
Or go this route. Preferable but the soil build is slightly trickier. Trust me, I can pop em like this in three days even at 30% RH as long as the temps are right.
They will look like this within 10-14 days of dropping the seed.
And in 20-30 days they will look like the one in the middle getting ready to go to flower tent.