Starting your seeds is the most important part of the plant cycle. If the seed never germinates, you will never have a plant in the first place. For this reason, you need to take special care to provide your seeds with an atmosphere where they can sprout roots
How do you start seedlings?
Once you have selected the genetics you are going to plant, you can sow your seeds. Some people will try and germinate seeds in a damp paper towel, but this strategy has low germination rates. We recommend using a seedling starter kit.
Seedling starter kits include everything you need to mass germinate seeds, other than nutrients. Included in these systems are:- Seedling tray
- Humidity dome
- Root plug insert tray
- Root plugs
- Heat mat
- Grow light (in some cases)
- Grow light timer (in some cases)
How do you use a seed starter kit?
Step one is preparing your rooting plug. To do this, pre-soak it to make sure it has plenty of moisture. Then, place seed(s) inside the plug, and place this inside the seedling tray. Some of these can hold up to 50 seedlings, so plant as many as possible to ensure you end up with enough plants! You will likely find that some of your seeds don't ever germinate, and that is alright.
Place your heat mat under your seedling tray, and place the humidity dome over the tray. At this point, your seedlings will be in an environment with ample temperature and humidity levels.
Finally, turn your light on and set your schedule for 18 hours of light followed by 6 hours of darkness.
When should I water my seedlings?
Make sure your seed starting plugs or seed bed is always moist. You do not want to soak your seeds and drown them, but they do need constant moisture to encourage the tap root to pop out. This type of grow medium is very difficult to work with once it dries out.
Do seeds germinate better in the dark?
Some growers insist that seeds only germinate in dark climates. While it is true that some plant varieties only germinate without light, that is not the case for the vast majority. The grow light will provide your seed with energy to expand its root system.
The best seedling and clone grow lights are fluorescent or LED. These provide ample light without burning the sensitive new growth, or heating up the system too much.
What soil is best for seedlings?
If you insist on planting seeds in a soil, make sure it is a garden soil specifically for seedlings. However, we will always recommend using seed starter plugs . These contain the seed safely, and allow for easy transplanting when the time comes. You can replant the seed starting plug directly into the new container and growing medium.
If you have any questions about these seed starting kits, give our expert growers a call today at 888-815-9763.
If you want to learn more about propagating plants, stop by our learning center and check out our definitive guide on germinating seeds. We can also help you pick the right kit by reading our year-end review of the best seed starter kits of the year, where we offer an option for every type of grower.
