Best Methods to Germinate Cannabis Seeds

The journey to outstanding cannabis plants begins with the the germination process. While it is relatively straight forward, there are some key steps to ensure healthy germination and a smooth transition to the seedling phase.

First things first, always buy your cannabis seeds from a trusted source which provides an assurance of quality (in the case of Paradise Seeds this is 96%). If that box on the checklist has been ticked, it’s time for the next stage!

The most popular ways to germinate cannabis seeds

As the cannabis industry has grown there is a whole range of equipment and hardware for every stage of the cannabis plant grow process. However, cannabis seed germination requires no investment in kit and uses items which are lying around the home.

Tissue paper (kitchen towel or toilet paper), a plate/saucer (or a glass for method 2) a warm, dark place for nature to are all you need to start germinating:

• Method 1: The Tissue paper method.
• Method 2: The glass of water method.
• Alternative methods explained.

Method 1: Germination using tissue paper

1. Take a plate or saucer and lay a layer of Cotton Pads or tissue paper down
2. Moisten the cotton pads or tissue paper by soaking the tissue (and running off the excess water)
3. Place your seeds on top of the first layer of moist cotton pad or tissue paper
4. Add another layer of moist cotton pad or tissue paper
5. 'Seal' the plate with another plate to make it harder for moisture to escape, and also simulate darkness
6. Place in a dark place at room temperature and make sure it remains moist
7. Your seeds should germinate between 1 and 3 days

Method 2: Germination using a glass of water

1. Pour a glass of water and place your Cannabis Seeds inside
2. The only thing you need to do is make sure the water is unchlorinated (so to be safe use bottled rather than tap water)
3. Place in a dark place at room temperature for 12 to 24 hours
4. If they have not germinated within 24hrs. we recommend to revert to the tissue paper method

*Some growers will add a couple of drops of H2O2 (Hydrogen Peroxide) to the water to help loosen up the seal of the seed (this is usually recommended when germinating seeds that may have been in storage for a while).

A visual guide to cannabis seed germination: Step by step

Both these techniques are Paradise’s recommended methods for cannabis seed germination and they are demonstrated in this video guide.

What are the best conditions for germinating cannabis seeds?

• Water – The essential ingredient for life itself, cannabis seeds should be damp/moist within their grow medium but not soaking/drowning
• Temperature – The ideal temperature range for germinating cannabis seeds is 21°C - 25°C
• Darkness – A dark cupboard is an ideal incubator for a seed to start developing its root
• Good handling – Seeds are fragile and should be touched minimally and not poked once in the germination medium

Put simply, any technique used to germinate cannabis seeds needs to provide the fundamentals for its germination i.e. a rapid and prolonged uptake of water to start the growth process (or if you want to get scientific rapid imbibition of water). This is why we keep repeating the mantra ‘Keep checking. Keep it moist’. If a seed dries out, it won’t germinate.

Another requisite for seeds to germinate quickly and without issue is getting the temperature correct. At room temperature should do nicely, and between 21°C and 25°C is the ideal temperature range. This can be an issue when starting seeds off in a cold house without a good consistently ‘warm’ space.

Alternative methods for germination

The old saying goes that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it, but if you are curious to know what other methods are out there, you are not alone. Here’s a guide to some other methods which may be used to germinate cannabis seeds if you feel like experimenting.

Directly in the soil

The soil method method is used by some growers who feel that it is healthier for a seed to stay in the same pot for the germination and seedling stage. To plant direct into soil, the medium should be specialist seed soil.

It needs to be moistened ahead of planting and the seed should be placed into a hole that is 1 cm deep and lightly covered i.e. don’t pack the soil down which may make it more difficult for the seed to break through.

To ensure it has a nice microclimate to help with germination, add a ‘roof’ in the form of  a plastic wrap (cling film) covering, poked through with a couple of air holes or a small water bottle with the base removed.

Directly in rockwool

Rockwool is a medium favored by hydroponics growers, but it can be used as a starter kit for germinating cannabis seeds. It is a manmade substance (but from natural materials basaltic rock and chalk) and is inert. Rockwool, which is presented in cubes, is a good medium because of its excellent moisture retention qualities.

Once planted with cannabis seeds, rockwool cubes are placed in a lidded container (ideally a heated propagation tray in a dark space). However, if you don’t do hydroponics, this is a method best left to those who do!

How long do cannabis seeds take to grow?

With photoperiod cannabis plants, the process of growing from seed to flower takes anywhere from 3 months to 8 months (depending on whether grown indoor or outdoor and when the light changes to 12/12 and the vegetative stage becomes the flowering stage).

This time is considerably less for autoflower seeds which take around 60 - 80 days.

Conclusion

Independent of your selected method, Cannabis Seeds require a moderate temperate (room temperature), a moist climate and a dark place in order to germinate.

Our preferred germinating method is the cotton pad or tissue paper.