Germinating Cannabis Seeds: A Home Grower’s Guide

Yes, when you grow cannabis, you have to give your plants light, water, nutrients, and much more. However, before you can get to any of that, you first need to get that cannabis seed to sprout.

All of the ensuing plant matter is contained in that extremely tiny seed, and you first need to get it to crack open.

Therefore, getting the seed to sprout in the first place is arguably the most important part of the cannabis growing process, because if the seed doesn’t sprout, no plant will grow at all.

For the record, getting a cannabis seed to sprout, or any seed for that record is known as germination.

Proper cannabis seed germination is important for the overall health of the plant and the success of your growth operation.

Today, we’re going to provide you with an in-depth guide on germinating Canada seeds.

This is a home growers guide that contains everything you need to know about getting those cannabis seeds to germinate and sprout. Let’s get to it and teach you how to get those seeds to start growing.

What is Germinating Cannabis Seeds?

In scientific terms, the germination of cannabis seeds involved the process of encouraging or spurring on the seeds to sprout, which means to crack open and expose the initial tap root, which then takes hold in the soil or other growth medium, and eventually grows into seedlings.

Germination of a seed is the first step in the growth process of any plant, whether cannabis or otherwise, something that al cannabis cultivators need to master.

Ensuring that a successful seed germination process occurs will also lead to higher chances of the cannabis plant growing successfully later on down the line.

In simplest terms, the germination of a cannabis seed is involves using various methods at your disposal to get it to open up and start growing the first root and initial sprout, which will in a few days turn into the seedling, and eventually a full-fledged cannabis plant.

Do All Weed Seeds Have to Germinate?

Yes, in order for you to grow a cannabis plant, as all cannabis cultivators know, you must first germinate the seed. It is not biologically feasible or possible to grow any sort of plant without the seed first germinating.

If a seed does not germinate, which means that it does not open up a sprout, it is not viable for growth. In one way or another, there is something wrong with it.

Whether you caused the germination to occur yourself or not, this is a process that absolutely has to happen if you expect a plant to grow.

All cannabis seeds have to germinate, so getting this process right is absolutely essential to the rest of the cannabis growth process.

How Long Do Cannabis Plants Seeds Take to Germinate?

Many people are very impatient and often get worried when they don’t see their cannabis seed germinating by the end of the same day.

However, this is not realistic, because germination can take quite some time, up to seven days or even longer in some cases.

Exactly how long a cannabis seed takes to germinate depends on the quality of the seed, the strain of cannabis, and the method of germination that you are using.

If you have extremely high quality seeds, such as those bought from an official seed bank, you may see these sprout within 24 to 72 hours.

You should see a small white taproot coming from the seed casing. If you have regular cannabis seeds, or even fairly high-quality seeds, it may take up to three or five days for germination to occur.

If you have lower quality or older seeds, it may take up to seven days for them to germinate.

It is of course important for you to provide the seeds with a moist and warm environment during this process to maximize the chances of the seeds sprouting.

Also, try your best to not keep checking on the seeds every single day, and certainly don’t touch them.

Seeds that are in the process of germinating are very fragile, along with very delicate taproots. If you are even just a little bit too rough with them, you may cause irreversible damage.

How Long Do Cannabis Seeds Stay Viable For?

Before we talk about the termination process, let’s first talk about how long cannabis seeds stay viable for.

After all, you may have some cannabis seeds that you just found in your buds that have been laying around for several months.

Maybe you even bought some a couple of years ago, but just once again found them. In general, if you just have the cannabis seeds laying around, you can expect them to stay viable for germination for up to two or three months.

However, if the cannabis seeds are properly stored, which means keeping them in a relatively dry, dark, and cool place, the seeds may last for up to a full year.

That said, the very best way to store cannabis seeds is actually in the fridge, because the cool and dark will keep them viable for the longest period of time.

If properly stored in a refrigerator, and in a dark container, those cannabis seeds should stay viable for germination for up to a whopping 10 years. Viable seeds should look dark and in one piece. Dark seeds are good seeds and will likely result in a healthy plant.

How to Extend the Shelf Life of Cannabis Seeds

Extending the shelf life of cannabis seeds really has to do with proper storage. The simple reality is that the higher the temperature is the faster the seeds will degrade and become unusable.

This is why the most important factor here is keeping the cannabis seeds relatively cool.

You also want to keep your cannabis seeds away from light and humidity. A humidity level between 40% and 60% is best for preserving cannabis seeds for as long as possible.

Best is if you have a blacked-out Mason jar with a secure fitting lid that does not let any air or light in. You want to put this inside of the fridge where it is nice and cool, around 8 degrees Celsius.

As long as the temperature is between 4 degrees and eight degrees Celsius, this should be ideal for keeping cannabis seeds fresh.

You also may want to use a specialized humidity control pack to keep the humidity at the appropriate level within the container. How you store seeds is therefore very important.

Do Cracks and Damage Affect Weed Seed Germination?

The unfortunate reality is that if you have any damaged or cracked cannabis seeds, they will most likely not germinate. Once the interior DNA gets exposed to light and air, it will most likely become unusable.

What is the Average Germination Rate of Cannabis Seeds

If you have regular cannabis seeds, such as those that you take out of your low-quality buds, you can expect about half of them to germinate.

However, if you buy high-quality feminized cannabis seeds from a seed bank, you can expect anywhere between 90% and 100% of them to germinate. if you get high-quality auto-flowering cannabis seeds, you’re on the right track.

Choosing the Rights Kinds of Cannabis Seeds for Germinating

As mentioned above, a big part of getting your cannabis seeds to germinate successfully choosing the right ones in the first place.

Unfortunately, this means that those cannabis seeds that you take out of your buds and save for later are not the best options. Growing cannabis with these marijuana seeds is not recommended.

You really don’t know where these seeds came from, they are most likely not feminized, and they might also just be very old and have been exposed to poor conditions. The chances of these seeds sprouting are not the greatest.

However, if you go to an official seed bank, whether in person or online, you should be able to find extremely high-quality cannabis seeds.

These seeds should have been kept in the appropriate conditions as discussed above, so they should all still be viable.

Furthermore, you can get feminized seeds if you pay a bit extra. This means that these particular cannabis seeds are guaranteed to grow into female plants, which is of course, what you want. Always purchase seeds from a reliable source!

Required Conditions for Cannabis Seed Germination

There are a few requirements or conditions that weed seeds must meet or be kept in order for successful germination to occur, so let’s take a quick look at what these are.

Temperature

One of the most important factors for cannabis seed germination is temperature.

Generally speaking, for cannabis seed germination, the optimal range is between 20 and 30 degrees Celsius or between 70 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit.

This is when the metabolic processes of the seed are activated and when it is most likely to germinate. Keeping the seeds warm is very important.

Moisture

Cannabis seeds require a good bit of moisture to start the germination process, but it’s also very important to not overwater them.

Overwatering the weed seeds can lead to root rot.

This is why the best approach is to keep the germination medium somewhat moist, but not far too wet.

Light

As opposed to what you might think, even though plants themselves require light to grow, for cannabis seeds to germinate, it’s best if they are kept in the dark. To germinate marijuana seeds, keep them away from light.

pH

The pH level should be kept between 6.0 and 7.0 to germinate seeds.

Technically speaking, if you are just germinating your weed seeds in regular paper towel and water, this should be fine, but it’s still important to note nonetheless.

Airflow

Weed seeds require a bit of moisture to germinate, but they also require some oxygen, which is why you never want to seal the germination container totally.

A little bit of airflow goes a long way in helping your cannabis seeds properly germinate.

Six Ways to Germinate Cannabis Seeds

As far as cannabis seed germination is concerned, there are six main methods that you have at your disposal to germinate weed seeds and turn them into healthy cannabis plants.

These include using a glass of water, paper towel, planting the seed directly in soil, using stone wool, using soil plugs, and using a seedling dome.

Right now, we want to take a quick look at each of these six methods to figure out which one is best for you. Always purchase feminized cannabis seeds!

1. Glass of Water

Although this is not the best way to germinate cannabis seeds, and quite arguably, actually one of the least effective methods, it does still work from time to time.

Moreover, it’s also by far the easiest way to get the job done that requires the least effort.

To germinate a seed using a glass of water, simply fill a bowl or glass with water, about pathway, and it should be around 71 degrees Fahrenheit.

All you’re going to do here is place the seed right in the water, while ensuring that temperature remains stable.

You should see the seeds start to open within about three to five days, at which point the app route should appear.

Once the taproot is around 2 centimeters in length, very carefully transfer the germinated seed into the prepared soil of choice.

The reason why this is often considered the least effective method of germinating weed seeds is because you are literally submerging the seeds in water, which comes with a big chance of drowning the seed or causing root rot.

At the same time, controlling the temperature here is also somewhat difficult, unless the ambient temperature in your house is at the appropriate level.

Furthermore, this also exposes the seed to light, which is not the best, which is interesting seeing as cannabis plants love light.

2. The Paper Towel Method

One of the most popular methods to germinate cannabis seeds among newbie growers across the world is using the wet paper towel method.

Although it might seem like putting a seed inside of a wet paper towel, and then putting that inside of a plastic bag would not be the best method, it actually works quite well.

Some use cotton wool pads or very absorbent paper as opposed to paper towel, but as long as it can hold on to some water it should work just fine.

One reason why this method works so well is because you can easily wet the paper towel so that it’s relatively moist without soaking it.

If you wet the paper towel too much, simply place another layer or two on the outside to absorb some of the moisture. This method also makes it easy to control lighting, because you can put it inside of something opaque.

To use this method, simply moisten a piece of paper towel and lay it down on a flat surface, and then place your seeds about an inch apart, and then place a second piece of wet paper towel on top, or simply fold the first one over.

You should see the seeds starting to germinate within two to five days.

Just be sure that when you open the paper towel up that you aren’t too rough, so you don’t grab a hold of a seed or a root by accident. You can then take the germinated seed and put it in its growing medium.

3. Plant Seeds Directly in Soil

Another super popular method for germinating cannabis seeds is to plant the seed directly in your growing medium of choice.

This method to germinate cannabis seeds has one very big advantage, which is that you don’t have to translate a super fragile seedling from the germination area to the soil or growth medium.

This is when seeds are at their most fragile, and many people end up killing their plants before they ever get the chance to turn into seedlings because they damage the tap root or the rest of the seed.

Furthermore, this method is also rather ideal because soil is pretty good at maintaining a constant temperature.

This is unlike the above two methods, the glass of water and the paper towel, which are very prone to temperature fluctuations.

Furthermore, soil is also ideal for maintaining adequate moisture levels. It’s easy to mix in some more dry soil if you get it too wet, or to add some more water if it’s too dry. All you have to do here is to take a small pot or seedling tray and then add some premium quality potting soil, along with a root stimulator.

A root stimulator is a special liquid or powder that you can place in the soil which will help spur on the healthy growth of the root, thus allowing for strong seed sprouts.

Make a hole about 10 millimeters deep, put your seed in, and then loosely cover the seed with a bit of soil.

Just don’t compress the soil too much on top or else the sprouted seeds will struggle to grow through the soil, thus making it hard for cannabis plants to grow properly. You can then spray a bit of water on top, just enough to moisten the soil down to the seed.

4. Using Stone Wool

Using stone wool is somewhat similar to using soil as the germination medium, but most people would consider it to be a little bit better and in fact one of the best ways to germinate cannabis seeds.

The reason for this is because stone wool is ideal for moisture retention, temperature control, and more. It also helps keep the seed out of the light.

All you have to do is take some stone wool blocks, that you can purchase online or from any gardening center, soak them in water, put them in a plastic tray, and then place the seeds right in the stone wool blocks.

A good idea here is to also place this inside of a container that has a lid, preferably an opaque lid that does not let light in, at least in the beginning.

The lid will help keep moisture in and will also help with temperature regulation.

If you use this method and you do it properly, you should see the seeds germinating within just one or two days.

What is nice is that you can actually let the seedlings grow in the stone wool for up to about three weeks, until they are ready to transplant into a hydroponic system or into soil.

Once the root system starts to poke out of the bottom of the stone wool blocks, you can transplant them into their growing medium.

5. Soil Plugs

Another thing you can try doing to germinate cannabis seeds is using soil plugs, which are usually composed of coco coir and peat.

This is a fantastic substance to use for seed germination because it provides a fantastic balance of water retention and aeration, which helps to make sure that seeds don’t get too dry or too wet. It helps prevent diseases from occurring as well.

These soil plugs also provide optimal temperature control and lighting conditions.

What’s pretty cool is that many of these soil plugs that are specifically designed for cannabis seed generation also contain a variety of active biological substances that help establish a strong root system, beneficial organisms that keep pathogens at bay, as well as micronutrients that the seedlings will require for optimal development and growth.

What’s also nice about using soil plugs like this is that you also never have to transplant anything, which reduces the risks of damaging your young plant.

Once the roots start to grow through the bottom of the soil plug, take the cannabis plants and plant them right in your final growing medium.

All you have to do to use these soil plugs is place a single seed in each one, miss them with enough water to get them moist, and keep them in a sealed container to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels.

6. Using a Seedling Dome

The other method at your disposal is to use an actual seedling dome. These are special little seedling trays that can usually house anywhere between 4 and 48 seeds.

The fancy models will come with some kind of heating mat on the bottom to keep everything warm, as well as a lid on top to keep the moisture in.

These tend to be relatively expensive, but should also provide you with the best chances of having your seeds germinate.

Although this might be too much for someone just growing one or two plants, if you are a professional or someone who wants to grow a large number of plants, then this is a method to germinate cannabis seeds worth considering.

Conclusion

You should now have all of the information you need to germinate cannabis seeds successfully so they turn into big cannabis plants. Consider all of the methods listed above and choose the one that works best for you!