Germination woe's

[Alasgun]

Being kinda new at this im inclined to vasilate still! Case in point, i read somewhere that the root riot cubes were the thing for seed germination and i bit! No real reason, just thinking it might be easier at transplant time i guess. Holy crap batman, over half of the beans didnt come up so i took a straight razor to the cubes to investigate. What i found was dissapointing, they are advertised as double milled sphagum peet yet there as tough as a seat coushion. Reminded me of latex foam.
Seeds were trying but really having to work at it. Nothing consistent about their growth either, some growing around in a circle and out the top, some heavily bent sideways. My conclusion is this material is entirely too tough for the intended purpose. Suppose to be the sheet for cloning as well but im sure i'll never try that.

So in order to keep from having seeds 3 weeks apart, i reseeded the offenders in a normal manor and am hoping for the best.

Lesson learned, when you have something good dont mess around with it. My normal germination practice is to place the seeds in small vials grouped by strain, add a teaspoon of water and 3 to 4 drops of Willards plant catylast to each vial. Come back tomorrow and the vast majority will have sprouted, and i plant them as usual. The remaining few are always ready latter that day!

 

[Hackerman]

I was reading the web site about Catalyst. Any idea what's in it?

 

[Alasgun]

Its been a while since i read it, found an article by the grandson who runs the firm now. Apparently their big into commercial cannibis production in the states and canada.

Been around for years. I just looked and the net is awash with these articles.
Google: Willard plant catylast for growing weed.
The first article from the 420 magazine forum, scroll down till you find the comments written,by the grandson. Interesting stuff.

 

[Locked]

I usually use one of two methods. Either in vials of water labeled or in wet paper towels in ziplock baggies labeled.

 

[Hackerman]

Most of my grows are from clones but when I do start seeds, I just put them in dirt in a solo cup.

 

[The Poet]

Alaskgun,


Hold on, I use Root Riot cubes and rockwool too and they both are great.
Sounds like you used them without soaking them in water and slinging them out a bit.
Don't squeeze them but just shake them, twice to rid them of excess water and put seed in just enough to get it out of sight. Cones... {clonex} and stick them all the way in but not sticking out the bottom.

Put them in a cloner with a top {sprayed with water on the inside of the lid} and that's it.
Every day check them and don't get the top of either 'root riot or rockwool' cubes wet,
but soak them in water by sitting them in a tray of water 1/2 - 2/3 the height of the cube for a minute. Shake them once or twice and put them back in the cloner.

Never spray water on the plants either but keep the top to the cloner damp. A 'little' water on the bottom of the cloner, under the plants helps.
The cloner is a clear plastic box with Mondi' written on top.
It has a gray, tray with a place for 50 root riot cubes.
I too used to have trouble cloning but have nearly 100% success now.


Lets git inert and go coon huntin...


Jack the Knife or...'The Poet'


..

 

[Alasgun]

Im sure my problems were due to my lack of experience but i’ll stay with what im familar with in the future.

I like uniformity early on which is easy using the pre-soak with all seeds responding within 24 hrs versus days.

While living in the Dakotas i ran English red tic hounds and usually sold between 50 and 60 coon hides a year. Not much running there, no trees! Instead we took them out of old buildings during the coldest parts of winter when they were grouped up.
I sold fur to Dominion Soudak in Canada most years and got $73.00 each for a pair of them one year.
Another one of them “100 years ago things”.