For novice growers, the seedling stage can pose a daunting challenge. Even inexperienced growers will be able to manage their cannabis seedlings easily with these three simple steps.
It can be difficult to keep cannabis seedlings alive, especially for novice growers. It is possible to make the crucial seedling stage less daunting if you have a good understanding of what seedlings are and how they work. Keep reading for three simple steps to growing healthy seedlings.
STEP 1; CHOOSE THE BEST GENETICS, CONTAINERS & MEDIUM FOR SEEDLINGS
It is important to actively search for the best seeds for you. Consider your skills and experience as a gardener, your budget, your grow equipment, and your preferences in taste and effects. Also, consider whether you will be growing indoors or out.
The medium should be light, well-aerated and slightly acidic with a pH range of 6.3 to6.5. To aid in soil aeration, and to retain nutrients, we recommend that you use 20-50% perlite. The more nutrients you plan to give your plants, the more perlite you should add to your soil to help with drainage and prevent nutrient lockout.
Water should be applied to the stem of the seedlings only, and only when the soil has dried completely. See the section on watering below for more details. Remember that seedlings, especially autoflowering varieties, are very sensitive to nutrients. They should never be planted in hot (nutrient-rich), and they shouldn't be fed until they grow 3-4 sets.
The following methods are recommended for selecting pots when autoflowering or feminizing seedlings are used.
THE RIGHT POTS AUTOFLOWERING CANNABIS SEEDS
Autoflowers should be planted directly in their final pots. It is best to avoid stressing autoflowering varieties, such as transplanting, because of their short lifespan. While the exact pot size you use will vary depending on the strain you're growing and the size of your grow space, most auto growers use pots between 5-15l.
THE RIGHT POTS FEMINIZED CAANNABIS SEEDS
When you grow feminized flowers, transplanting won't be as difficult because the plants have had time to recover. Easy Start germination pots can be used immediately to promote robust health. When your seedlings start to outgrow their starter pots, you will want them to be transplanted. We recommend that they are transplanted once they have established sets of true, full-circle leaves.
Indoor growers usually move their plants into 12l containers. However, you can adjust the size to fit your specific strain and grow set. Keep in mind that you can (and should) up-pot feminized photoperiod plants a few times to max-out development, meaning you don't need to transplant your seedlings into a giant pot right away.
CANNABIS POTS: A NOTICE
Growers have a wide range of options when it comes choosing the right container to cannabis-seeds-usa.org/cannabis-seedlings-stage-the-care-and-rearing-of-marijuana-seedlings/ grow their cannabis plants. You can grow great marijuana in inexpensive propagation containers. However, you will need to pay attention to a few things when selecting pots.
* Drainage holes
You can protect your plants from root rot and fungal pathogens by ensuring that pots drain well. If your pots don't already contain holes (or some other kind of mesh to allow runoff), you'll need to puncture them yourself.
* Aeration
One of the functions of a plant's substrate is to serve as a site for air exchange between the roots and the environment. RQS Fabric Pots, smart pots that allow more oxygen to reach your roots, help them breathe. This allows for faster growth and healthier plants.
* Pot size
Tiny seedlings should not be placed in large pots as they will struggle to extract water from their substrate. Any water that remains in the substrate will effectively drown your roots and attract pathogens or pests to your garden/growroom.
STEP 2 - USE THE RIGHT GERMINATION TECHNIQUES
Cannabis seeds require four things to germinate: time, moisture, warmth, darkness and time. You can ensure healthy seedlings by germinating your seeds using the following methods.
* Paper towel method
Place the cannabis seeds in a moist paper towel and then place them in a container with a cover. Keep the container in a cool, dark area (temperatures between 20-25 degC are best). To allow fresh air to circulate, leave a small crack in the lid.
* Method of glass of water
You can simply drop your seeds in a glass of water, and then let them rest in a cupboard for up to 24 hours at 20-25degC. You can plant your seeds once you see taproots emerging from your seed. If your seeds don’t germinate in 48 hours, you can switch to the paper towel approach. Don't keep the seeds submerged for more than 48 hours or they'll rot.
Once your seeds have cracked open and released small, white taproots, they are ready for planting. Plant your germinated seeds one knuckle (roughly 3-5 millimetres) deep with the taproot facing down. This will ensure that your seedlings don't need to reorient.
STEP 3 MASTERING A SEEDLING STAGE
The real challenge starts now that the seedlings have settled in their soil. Cannabis seedlings are very fragile. With only weak roots and a handful of cotyledons which are small, rectangular leaves, minor stressors may be enough to bring them down in just a few hours. It is possible to optimize your seedlings' environment and help them grow to strong vegetative plants by taking the time and understanding their specific needs.
THE BASICS. OPTIMISING CANNABIS SEAEDLINGS: TEMPERATURE, LUMINITY, AND LIGHT
Seedlings have specific needs in regards to temperature, humidity and lighting. If they don't meet these requirements, it can be fatal. For best results, we recommend growing seedlings in a propagator where you can easily create the perfect environment for them to flourish in.
* Temperature
Cannabis seedlings need daytime temperatures around 20-25degC, and nighttime temperatures about 4-5degC lower. High temperatures can damage your seedlings and cause them to stop growing. The sign of heat stress is dry, curled-up leaves. Other symptoms may appear over time such as pale or purple leaves, and stems that are reddish or purple. Additionally, heat stress can lead to weak, wilting leaf tips and possibly even downfolding.
Cold temperatures, however, can freeze seedlings' cells, reducing their ability to transport and use nutrients, liquids, and oxygen. If not addressed properly, this can cause stunted growth and even death. Low temperatures in your propagator or grow room can lead to poor plant turgor, wilting leaves, and slow growth.
Humidity
Cannabis seedlings absorb water from their leaves via osmosis even though they are still growing. Relative humidity levels should be kept between 40-60% to optimize this process.
Humidity levels below 20% will seriously stunt the growth of your seedlings and may cause them to develop symptoms similar to some nutrient deficiencies (yellow or spotted leaves). Humidity levels higher than 60% will lead to wet spots in your plants that can lead to leaf wilting or rot and attract pathogens and pests. When your seedlings reach vegetative, it is important to maintain 50% relative humidity.
* Lights
The sensitive nature of seedlings means that they will be sensitive to light. They can easily burn under powerful HID and LED bulbs. Light stress can cause seedlings to develop burnt and crinkled leaves. Or, seedlings that don’t get enough sunlight will grow taller and more lanky and fall over.
For best results, we recommend using 18/6 light cycles and CFL bulbs with the blue spectrum to grow your seedlings for the first 10-14days. Once they've grown healthy, true leaves with at minimum 2-3 nodes, then you can place them under stronger HID and LED lights to get started vegging.