I guess you have start to grow plants in your marijuana grow tent. It is quite economical to start seeds indoors, especially when the seedlings grow into robust plants. However, growing seeds indoors can be challenging. To significantly increase your chances of success, avoid these common seed-starting mistakes.
Getting seeds to germinate isn’t an exact science, but some general knowledge of the science helps to get seeds off to a great start.
Water, air, light
Seeds need to be moist to germinate. At planting time, water the seedbed, plant the seeds to the depth that is stated on the seed packet, and then tap the soil down lightly and water the bed.
According to an article in Growing For Market, most vegetables (unlike flowers) are indifferent to whether they have light or darkness when germinating. Celery and lettuce do better with more light, so should be sown at the surface with a very light cover of soil. All growers know that grow lights for indoor plants is important.
Seeds need oxygen to germinate so don’t let them drown in too much water. Well-drained soil will help prevent this. Organic matter in the soil will help keep soil well-drained and also from crusting. Crusted soil is difficult for seeds.
Watering after sowing should be shallow and frequent. Seeds should always be moist. Spraying the seeds with a fine mist will minimize soil disturbance.
Soaking
Seeds can be soaked before planting. This helps seeds absorb all the water they need. After the soaking seeds will need a smaller amount of water to sustain their moisture level. This pre-soaking works better for big seeds as the smaller ones tend to clump together when pre-soaked. Small seeds can be drained and mixed with a dry material like coffee grounds or oatmeal to reduce the clumping.
Soak seeds overnight if they are large seeds like beans and peas. Soak smaller seeds for a shorter amount of time. Legume seeds should not be soaked so long that their seed coat splits. They will lose nutrients and become more vulnerable to disease attacks.
Pre-sprouting
Seeds can be sprouted before they go into the ground. The advantages are that you can have much better control over the seed’s environment. After soaking the seeds as described above, drain off the water and put seeds on a piece of window screen or in a small sieve. Put them in a cool place and rinse them twice a day. An alternative for keeping them wet is to wrap them lightly in wet paper towels.
Sprout seeds just until they’ve germinated to avoid snapping off longer sprouts. If you aren’t ready to plant, you can put the seeds in the refrigerator to slow down the growth.
This pre-sprouting process can also be done to test whether or not old seeds are still viable. Just pre-sprout a few of the questionable seeds to see how they do.
Supplementary Heat
Most seeds will germinate without additional heat, but for faster, more robust growth, a heat mat is a marvelous invention. It especially works well if you’re germination station is in a cool room, basement or garage.
I have used this heat mat with great success. It gently and reliably warms the seeds. My seeds that like heat look fantastic with this additional heat. These include tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, squash, cucumbers, and melons. I find this particular mat to be well-made and durable. It only uses 45 watts of power to warm the root area 10 to 20 degrees over the ambient temperature. Being safety conscious, I like that this mat is UL listed and has a waterproof construction. I wish it had a power cord that is longer than its six feet.
When using a heat mat your seeds will germinate so fast that you’ll need to keep an eye on them to prevent them from getting leggy. Make sure you have your grow lights set up, because you are going to need them very quickly– possibly within 2-3 days depending on what you are planting.
Be seed-savvy. Obtain seed catalogs from several companies and compare their offering and prices. Some of the regional companies may carry varieties better suited to your area.
Make a list of what you’d like to grow. A good rule-of-thumb is to imagine your garden one-quarter the size that it really is. This allows for good spacing practices! See Vegetable Gardening for Beginners for popular beginner vegetables.
Prepare for some losses. Though it’s good not to plant too much for your garden space, it’s also good to assume that some of your seeds won’t germinate, or that they will inexplicably die off later. Plant a few extra, just in case.
Consider a grow light if you start in late winter. Most veggies need between 6 to 8 hours of direct sun (minimum), so it’s important to have a grow light if you are sowing your vegetable seeds indoors in late winter. A grow light will also keep your seedlings from getting too leggy. Learn more about using grow lights. Also, for a indoor grower, a full spectrum LED grow light is best recommended.
Team up with a neighbor and share seeds if you have leftovers!
Use clean containers. Most seed catalogs offer seedling flats, peat pots, and other growing containers, but egg cartons make good containers for the earliest stages of seed starting, too. Be sure to poke holes in the sides near the bottom of the containers you use in order to allow excess water to drain. Keep in mind that you might need to transplant your seedlings into larger containers at some point before moving them into the garden.
Label your containers now! There’s nothing more frustrating than forgetting what you planted, especially when you are testing out different varieties of the same plant.
How long does it take seeds to germinate indoors?
1 to 2 weeks
Germination speed mainly depends on the temperature of your room. The warmer the environment, the faster the germination. The best average temperature to grow your plants is 18 to 24'C (64 to 75'F). Usually it takes 1 to 2 weeks to germinate.
Conclusion
With all of these being said, you can see that knowing when your seeds will sprout is important. It's through this that you can better take care of your plants in the garden.
You are also increasing the chances of getting more yields as a result of the proper sustenance you give to your plants.
In short, the germination and sprouting process is vital to the overall welfare of your plant. It's where everything starts, so you want to make it as perfect as possible for your plant. What's more, if you want to choose a best light, quantum board led grow light also can be your good choice.