# Stalled seed germinating root development



## Leo27 (Feb 24, 2020)

I started a Fortune Cookies Auto seed in a shot glass of distilled water. After 16 hours, placed it in dish  & wet paper towel (Brawny brand) folded over the edges tucking the seed in real nice and covered it with another dish set askew a bit, set in a dark room. Temperature is 77 degrees in the house. Made sure that it was always moist in the dish. After about three days the seed sprouted and the root got to be about 1/16 of an inch long. After about 6 more days the root never got any longer.  I inspected the seed with a jeweler's loop and it looked good, nothing to indicate mold or rot. It's strange to me because I didn't have this issue previously with two White Widow Auto seeds, same procedure. Anyway, I planted the seed in organic soil today and I'll see what happens. Maybe this strain is sensitive to processing agents in the Brawny paper towel? Something that I read somewhere suggested using an un-bleached brown coffee filter as dish starting medium.


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## notthecops (Feb 24, 2020)

Perhaps you’re overthinking and over handling it. I would just put the seed in the soil and wait 3-4 days for it to sprout. Less handling the better.

If you are going to do the paper towel method, you should have put it in the soil after 3 days when you saw it sprout. Leaving it for 6 more probably killed it.


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## Leo27 (Feb 24, 2020)

Ah, thank you....


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## notthecops (Feb 24, 2020)

Leo27 said:


> Ah, thank you....


You’re welcome


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## The Hemp Goddess (Feb 25, 2020)

Actually, unless the seeds are old, there is no reason to soak them or germinate them in paper towels.  I am a big believer in just putting them into a rapid rooter or seed starter mix and let them do their thing.  Seriously, the less you handle a seed, the better it is--it is very easy to damage it or to pass on pathogens.


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## Leo27 (Feb 25, 2020)

Does one really know how old seeds are when they are purchased? I got these Fortune Cookies Autos from Pacific Seed Bank as freebies with a White Widow Auto purchase in December.


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## Lesso (Feb 25, 2020)

Leo27 said:


> Does one really know how old seeds are when they are purchased? I got these Fortune Cookies Autos from Pacific Seed Bank as freebies with a White Widow Auto purchase in December.


No one ever knows really


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## rr.123rr.12363 (Mar 1, 2020)

Where can you purchase good beans and not have to worry about getting ripped off


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## notthecops (Mar 1, 2020)

I buy all mine at Highgrade Seeds. For the last 20+ years...

https://www.highgrade-seeds.com/


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## 2RedEyes (Mar 1, 2020)

Leo27 said:


> Does one really know how old seeds are when they are purchased? I got these Fortune Cookies Autos from Pacific Seed Bank as freebies with a White Widow Auto purchase in December.


I am extremely suspect of the stuff coming from “pacific seed bank”...I’ve not had good luck growing their seeds and I don’t trust that they are what they say...just an opinion but based on seeds I’ve gotten from them...I won’t reorder....


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## Locked (Mar 1, 2020)

When I use the paper towel method I plant the seed as soon as it starts to pop. You don't want a long root. Once it pops and you see the white tip it is good to go into moist soil.


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## QBCrocket (Mar 1, 2020)

notthecops said:


> I buy all mine at Highgrade Seeds. For the last 20+ years...
> 
> https://www.highgrade-seeds.com/
> 
> View attachment 259302


Nice looking site , some killer strains makes me drool


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## Meddakotabis (Mar 1, 2020)

The Hemp Goddess is right on her assessment. 
 Not all seeds are created equal.  I generally start two Seeds of new genetics.  Then after one Seeds proves it's the stronger plant.  I cull the weakest plant.  I plant directly into final grow bags. Up potting is a waste of the plants energies recovering from stress. It's a waste of your time as well.  My friend has a saying. 
 No sense f...ing around if you know where you are going. 

 Another thing that helps seedlings is don't mix your amended soils and your starter mix. In you final grow bag or pot. Make a keg cup sized hole. Pack in your seedling soil and let the seedling grow into your amended soil mix. Even the manure biodegradable cups can bind the root system and cause stress.  
  This becomes even more beneficial if you are growing auto flowering genetics. 
Peace


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## Leo27 (Mar 3, 2020)

Well, I did not have a problem with Pacific Seed Bank. The only issue is that they don't accept charge card payments. It took about two weeks to get the seeds from the time I sent a money order. Shipping from California to Florida.

I did mess with the Fortune Cookies seed in the wet paper towel way too much while it was germinating and that's what killed it. Lesson learned!

I started another White Widow Auto in a shot glass of distilled water and it popped a bit after 15 hours. I never touched the seed with my fingers, used a little spoon. At that point I planted it directly in the organic soil (Compost, Peat Moss, Perlite, Vermiculite, Batt Guano) of a 3 gallon pot. It sprouted in 4 days and now looks great under 20/4 CFL at day 4.


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## stinkyattic (Mar 5, 2020)

Standard practice is to plant in small nursery pots. There are many reasons for this, the most important of which being the ease of soil management over time, as most commercially available soils are at least partially peat and acidify naturally over time.
If your technique is good, "transplant shock " is not a valid reason to pot in oversized pots. It is a non issue, and the availability of virgin soil for new root exploration is highly beneficial to overall growth. Plants managed correctly will show explosive growth about a week after a transplant. You're kinda shooting yourself in the foot by starting in 3 gallon containers.


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## Leo27 (Mar 5, 2020)

I don't understand how I'm shooting myself in the foot. Many growers recommend planting in the final growing container. My seedling is very robust and doing fine, day 6.

I started my first plant using a 4 inch peat pot. When it developed 4 nodes, I carefully made a few incisions in the pot to allow the roots to exit more freely and dropped the pot into the 3 gallon pot. The starting soil was the same organic mix, taken from the 3 gallon pot. It worked out fine. The plant, at the stage of first pre-flowers was destroyed when my light fixture fell onto it. Another story.


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## stinkyattic (Mar 5, 2020)

Right. You started in a small pot, and saved about 3 weeks of soil souring that would have been ticking in the larger pot. Also, the next step up from a 4" is usually a 6 or 7" pot, about 1/2-1 gallon. Unfortunately due to your light accident, you don't know how that story would have ended. That sucked, I remember that. Sorry. : /

All I can say at this point is be really careful to only water right around the base of the plant for a while,  and in a month or so, plan to run a soil pH runoff test. 

Is it possible to grow a plant to harvest starting in a big pot? Yes.
Is it ideal? No.


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## stinkyattic (Mar 5, 2020)

There's more discussion of this on my grow journal, p.4, post#61


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## Leo27 (Mar 5, 2020)

I have been watering lightly around the plant only, not drenching the whole pot.

Also, it's been said that Autoflowers should not be potted up to progressively larger containers?


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## stinkyattic (Mar 5, 2020)

Good. That is going to help you immensely.


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