# seeds keep getting stunted, rapid rooter?



## teddy d (Jan 7, 2010)

every seed i germinate with a wet paper towel in a ziplock bag ends up dead. they always sprout a tap root but then they just stop and die. i picked up this rapid rooter seed starter with humidity dome and im keeping two cfl on it for heat and humidity. 

the Directions say to just drop the seed in the hole but they dont say to cover it or anything... so im thinking if i keep it real humid the seeds will stay moist all around. I also keep black paper over the dome being only on day#2 of germination so it gets heat but not a whole lot of light.
look at the photos, you can see new tap roots. 

Do you think this is this an ok method? the dude at the store said its the best way cuz its already treated and PH'd and all i have to do is ad water


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## ozzydiodude (Jan 7, 2010)

IMO it should work fine. You are the first I have seen using it so your experences with it will help us all. 

I think Rapid rooter is peat moss based and would think you should gently close the hole after putting the seed in it


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## Locked (Jan 7, 2010)

I hve had nothing but bad experience using rapid rooter plugs to germ in...they work great for clones for me but I think I had 2 germ out of 12...


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## teddy d (Jan 7, 2010)

no it is not peat based, infact it contains none. it is made of some type of tree bark and is supposed to have the perfect air to soil mixture along with th proper nutes and ph adjusted, promoting fast growth ...


not sure i have so much confidence in it just yet though, maybe i have crap seeds, since its just bagseed.. i just want to grow i dont care what strain or how good it is at this point im just learning.


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## teddy d (Jan 7, 2010)

Hamster Lewis said:
			
		

> I hve had nothing but bad experience using rapid rooter plugs to germ in...they work great for clones for me but I think I had 2 germ out of 12...


so far 4 out of 5 are showing tap roots before i put them in the rapid rooter plugs. so it seems they should grow... 

I hope my experience will differ from yours hamster. thanks for the comment.


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## Locked (Jan 7, 2010)

teddy d said:
			
		

> no it is not peat based, infact it contains none. it is made of some type of tree bark and is supposed to have the perfect air to soil mixture along with th proper nutes and ph adjusted, promoting fast growth ...
> 
> 
> not sure i have so much confidence in it just yet though, maybe i have crap seeds, since its just bagseed.. i just want to grow i dont care what strain or how good it is at this point im just learning.



Are you going to be growing soil or hydro? I hve gone through so many different ways to try and germ seeds...the beginning of my current grow was a nightmare....I hve found what works best for me when germing seeds is too soak the seeds for 12 hours or so...then fill my solo cup up 3/4 of the way with my seed starting soil...then I mist the top of the soil with water that has a ph of 6.5...then place my seed on the soil, add about a 1/2 inch of soil then mist that really good....then pour ph'd water slowly through the cup till it runs out the holes in the bottom of the cup and then put it in my tent under the light but off to the side...I hve had a 100% germ rate with this...


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## ozzydiodude (Jan 7, 2010)

Good luck and green Mojo to help you get started.


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## Locked (Jan 7, 2010)

teddy d said:
			
		

> so far 4 out of 5 are showing tap roots before i put them in the rapid rooter plugs. so it seems they should grow...
> 
> I hope my experience will differ from yours hamster. thanks for the comment.



That was part of the problem...I first tried putting seeds with small tap roots into the plugs and then that didn't work so i put the seed into the plugs right away and watered and waited and i got one to pop...I finally gave up with them...except for clones..they kick butt for clones...I hope you hve better luck then me...the good thing is it is just bag seed...I actually practice different germing techniques with the bag seed I hve saved...


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## teddy d (Jan 7, 2010)

not much to loose, if the seeds are damaged and old taken from bad weed.. then owell. if they grow then cool.


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## Locked (Jan 7, 2010)

teddy d said:
			
		

> not much to loose, if the seeds are damaged and old taken from bad weed.. then owell. if they grow then cool.



Well if these don't sprout for you and you hve more seeds laying around gve my method a try...everyone tends to take germination as a gimmie but sometimes it can be tough...I know..at the beginning of my current grow i had all kinds of problems...


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## Metro (Jan 8, 2010)

Rapid rooter plugs are great. This is how I do it.
You need to germ seeds in the dark. Just drop the seed in the rooter. Cover the hole with a little peat, dirt, or pinch a little piece of the plug off and stick it in the hole, something soft to block the light. The plant will pop out in a couple of days.

For clones, I poke a toothpick down into the rooter amost all the way.
Incert your clone. Push almost all the way to just before the bottom. 
Hope this helps.


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## teddy d (Jan 8, 2010)

i broke off little bits of the plug and covered 2 of the seeds gently. i have black paper over the whole dome to block light but i figgured i would try covering  a few to see if it makes a difference  either way. thanks for the input metro


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 8, 2010)

Metro said:
			
		

> Rapid rooter plugs are great. This is how I do it.
> You need to germ seeds in the dark. Just drop the seed in the rooter. Cover the hole with a little peat, dirt, or pinch a little piece of the plug off and stick it in the hole, something soft to block the light. The plant will pop out in a couple of days.
> 
> For clones, I poke a toothpick down into the rooter amost all the way.
> ...



:yeahthat:  I follow the exact same procedures and generally have grat luck with the rapid rooters.  Take the humidity dome off as soon as the seeds pop.  IMO, seedlings really don't need a dome.


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## teddy d (Jan 9, 2010)

So, im pretty sure 1 seed is no good cuz it wont even split open at all. 2 seeds are covered  and there are 2 i can see  are looking good the tap roots are growing and turning downward into the RR plugs.so 4 seeds are still making progress. I have a good feeling this time!


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## teddy d (Jan 9, 2010)

The Hemp Goddess said:
			
		

> :yeahthat:  I follow the exact same procedures and generally have grat luck with the rapid rooters.  Take the humidity dome off as soon as the seeds pop.  IMO, seedlings really don't need a dome.



 Im thinking one seed has to pop first, the first seedling to sprout will be ok under the dome as it waits for the other seeds to pop, right?


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## The Hemp Goddess (Jan 9, 2010)

teddy d said:
			
		

> Im thinking one seed has to pop first, the first seedling to sprout will be ok under the dome as it waits for the other seeds to pop, right?



IMO, no.  I do not use a humidity dome for seedlings at all.


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## teddy d (Jan 9, 2010)

so last night i was worried about how they looked and then about 4 hours later 2 of the seedlings were standing up 

the problem is, im not sure if one of them wan get out of its shell. i read about some seedlings needing help to split the seed. i tried to gently split the shell and its on there like a rock! {edit: i killed it trying to get the shell off}


i realy only want to grow one plant so im happy enough that one looks healthy. the tap root is coming out the bottom of the rr plug already!


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## ffsta (Feb 8, 2010)

Hello
I am having a lot of trouble getting my seeds to grow. I can get them to germinate quickly, but out of the last 25 I planted two weeks ago in Root Riot cubes, only six popped up. Two are about three inches long with only the top leaves. The other four are small, and stopped growing. I only add Thrive Alive to the water. They are in a propagation dome at about 76 degrees. I have a 200 watt CFL and 2-400 watt MH lights. 18 hours on and six off.. I am loosing a lot of seeds, but worse, I am loosing crops. I do clones the same way and have no trouble. I have lost close to 50 feminized seeds since last summer. I just ordered some more seeds and 4 of your germination kits to see if this makes a difference.
What am I doing wrong??


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## Droopy Dog (Feb 8, 2010)

For both of you:  LISTEN TO THG AND LOSE THE DOME!

Dome=too much humidity=root rot=dead seedling.

DD


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## legalize_freedom (Feb 10, 2010)

I agree I don't use a dome either...I do with clones for about 3 days, but never with seeds.


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## The Hemp Goddess (Feb 10, 2010)

teddy d said:
			
		

> so last night i was worried about how they looked and then about 4 hours later 2 of the seedlings were standing up
> 
> the problem is, im not sure if one of them wan get out of its shell. i read about some seedlings needing help to split the seed. i tried to gently split the shell and its on there like a rock! {edit: i killed it trying to get the shell off}
> 
> ...



When you have a seedling that does not drop the shell, wet the shell every 3 hours or so with _*a*_ _*drop*_ of water to help soften it.  The leaves opening will generally take care of shedding the shell if it is kept soft.  Do not attempt to take it off with your fingers.  

I would recommend growing more than 1 plant...what happens if it is a male?


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## leafminer (Feb 10, 2010)

Or you can buy my special shell removal tweezers. They are encrusted with zircons! Only $98.95 a pair at any good growshop.


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## Real78 (Feb 17, 2010)

I germ with white paper towel and zip lock bag 100% every time.


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## Greenhead (Mar 12, 2010)

Everything Hemp Godess said is the way I do it except I use RW Mini's. Loose the DOME! If they die after a while it is called (damping off) usally to wet, just moist is all it needs. I make sure to cover my bean with a small peice of media, they need darkness to germinate.


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## unlimitedblackx (Feb 29, 2012)

I have great results in rapid rooter's, it only took 4 day's from seed to RDWC !![/ATTACH][/ATTACH][/ATTACH]


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## unlimitedblackx (Feb 29, 2012)

sorry for that guy's, it's my first post and didn't quite worked the way i wanted it too 
i also just noticed this was a 2 year old thread !!


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## dman1234 (Feb 29, 2012)

Domes are for clones, you need a moist medium and thats it, i drop seeds in a cup of water for 24 hrs and then into the dirt, i think i have lost 2 of the last 85 attempts, many ways will work, you just gotta find your way.


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## dman1234 (Feb 29, 2012)

Yup you suckered me into an old thread too, LOL.


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