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When growing cannabis, the starting signal is always the germination of your carefully selected seeds. If you want to plant the cannabis plants outside after the Ice Saints to enjoy the summer sun, you usually start germinating in April. In this short article, we explain what you can do for the best survival chances for your cannabis seeds.
Nature at Work
Germinating cannabis seeds is a natural process. For this reason, we often hear that customers put the seeds directly into the soil upon receipt. After all, this is how it happens in nature. However, the natural way is not necessarily the best method. Cannabis plants produce hundreds of seeds for a reason: a large portion does not land optimally on the ground, causing most seeds to be carried away by wind, birds, or rain. But even if these cannabis seeds do germinate, they can end up upside down. Then the root curls around the seed, and it takes (too) long for the plant to gain a foothold in the ground. As a result, a young plant may still not survive.
That's why we recommend: don't do what nature does. But what should you do instead?
Germination Test: The Best Way to Germinate
In 2022, we put it to the test. We took 940 cannabis seeds from our stock. After 48 hours of germination, an average of 75% had germinated. After 72 hours, about 85%. The last seeds germinated after 144 hours, depending on the germination method. After that, we saw no more changes. Read the full germination test here. Or tl;dr: read the summary below.
The Best Germination Method
- Patience.
- Soak for 8 hours in a glass of water. Preferably spring water or soft tap water.
- Then place between a damp coffee filter, with the pointed end down.
- Put the coffee filter in a plastic (ziplock) bag, for example, back in the packaging.
- Let the bag hang for at least 2 days (48 hours), away from direct sunlight.
- Remove the seeds with a rootlet of 1.5 centimeters or longer in the meantime. Leave the rest for up to 6 full days.
- Rootlet 1.5 centimeters long? Then only plant with the root down into the soil, potting soil*, germination plug*, coconut, or rock wool.
*A germination plug or sponge pot is our preference because you can gently grow the young plant. Potting soil is often too rich. Learn more about growing strong seedlings and how to prevent them from stretching.
Damp cotton pads or paper towels also work, but the coffee filter method ensures that the rootlets grow straight down if you stick the coffee filter upright, for example, to your kitchen cabinet. Try to place the seeds in the coffee filter so that the pointed end is facing down.
Handy if your cannabis seed has germinated with the rootlet down. Then you can plant them better.
Germination Guarantee Dutch-Headshop Seeds
We believe in our private label cannabis seeds. That's why we offer a unique germination guarantee on all private label cannabis seeds from Dutch-Headshop. If you choose our private label seeds, you will receive a germination guarantee up to 30 days after receiving your order. Didn't they germinate? Then we will send you new private label cannabis seeds for free!
The conditions are simple. Follow our germination method advice. One or more seeds didn't germinate? Send an email within 30 days with:
- Your order number.
- Photos of each seed that did not germinate.
- A description of your germination method.
All private label seeds that did not germinate will be replaced by one type of seeds from our private label range of your choice (subject to availability).
Realistic Expectations
Set realistic expectations and remember that not every seed will sprout - and that's okay. Here are five things you can do to ensure a bountiful harvest.
- Buy private label cannabis seeds with germination guarantee.
- Buy 1 more seed than you need. If one does not germinate, you can still plant the desired number of plants outside or in the grow room.
- Germinate using the methods described in this blog.
- Grow seedlings indoors before they go outside or under that powerful lamp.
- Use simple growing techniques like topping and scrogging to increase yield. Even with fewer seeds.
It's about learning from each growing season and refining your techniques for the future. That's the charm of growing cannabis over and over again.