How to Germinate Cannabis Seeds

This section might be vital for you if you are new to growing cannabis because some growers still do not know how to start germinating their autoflowering seeds.

The following is a simple guide on how to germinate your seed correctly:

1. Get a cup of water and place the seed (inside the bag) inside.
2. Stir it gently, without rubbing or touching the seeds directly.
3. Place it in bright light but not direct sunlight. A fluorescent lamp works excellent for germination like this. If you do not have any fluorescent lamps at home, then use your incandescent lamps instead.
4. Place a towel or a tissue on top of the cup so that it can absorb extra moisture from the seed if needed. We do not want too much water because this may cause mold to grow inside the cup. If you see any white powder on top of your seed, then it means there’s too much moisture.
5. Change the water every day so that it remains clean and fresh. After three days of changing water, you can now remove your seed from the cup.
6. Fill a new cup with fresh distilled or bottled water and place your seed inside for around 4-5 hours to let it absorb as much moisture as possible without causing it to float.
7. Finally, plant your seed in moist but not too wet soil because this may cause the seed to rot instead of germinating.

How to source for the best seeds

1. Look for a reputable seed bank online like i49. There are so many cannabis seed banks out there, but not all of them sell high-quality seeds.
2. Some “rogue” seed sellers on the Internet sell low-quality and poor-performing strains to dishonest people who do not know how to choose their seeds carefully. So be careful when dealing with such people, or if you are new to growing cannabis, then it is highly recommended that you buy from a reputable seed bank.
3. Whether you’re buying from an online seed bank or a local dispensary, always check their strain reviews and ask for a refund if the product does not perform well after several tries. And ask for a replacement if your product is still not performing as expected.
4. Make sure the strain you choose is autoflowering and has a short flowering period to save you time and effort. Remember, it doesn’t matter how good your cannabis strains are if they don’t perform well during their flowering stage because this will affect the quality of your weed at the end of the day.

How to germinate autoflowering seeds with Rockwool cubes

1. First, fill a bowl or a cup with distilled or bottled water. Distilled water is preferred because it has less electrical conductivity than tap water which affects your plant’s growth in small doses. However, if you do not have distilled water at home, tap water is acceptable as long as it is clean and fresh.
2. Then, place 4-5 Rockwool cubes in the water for about 15 minutes to absorb as much moisture as possible without causing them to float on top of the bowl. The cubes should be moist but not soaking wet.
3. Remove the cubes from the water and place them on top of a paper towel or tissue before cutting a small slit lengthwise through the middle of each cube. You can use a knife, but make sure that it is as clean as possible because you do not want mold to grow inside your cubes!
4. Get one seed from the bag and place it inside the slit of one Rockwool cube. There are two ways to do this, you can push your seed gently on top of the moistened area of the cubes with your index finger before placing it back inside the bag, or you can put them inside without removing them from their packaging. Both methods work, but it is best to use your finger because this will reduce the risk of damaging the fragile roots of the seed.
5. Place one moistened Rockwool cube inside a ziplock bag and sealed it properly from all sides before placing it in a warm, dark place for 24 hours. Do not over-mist or keep them wet because this will cause the cubes to rot instead of germinating.
6. Remove your Rockwool cubes from the bag and plant them in a pot filled with damp soil before placing them under moderate sunlight for about 5-6 hours every day or near an artificial light source like an LED or CFL grow lamp. If you prefer growing cannabis indoors, you can use a grow tent or any other sealed container because this will retain the moisture in your soil and prevent it from drying out during germination. 
7. After about two weeks, your seeds should have already taken root! Let them stay in your pot for another 4-5 weeks until they show signs of growing into healthy seedlings that are strong enough to grow into adult plants.
8. If you are growing cannabis outdoors, the next step is to harden your seedlings by gradually exposing them to direct sunlight for about 15 minutes every day until they get used to being outside in the daytime. Please do not rush this process because it may stress your seedlings and cause them to wilt and fail to germinate.
9. Once your seedlings have acclimated to their new environment, and then you can transfer them into the soil of your garden or plant pot before you start growing your plants like regular cannabis seeds! But make sure that they are not exposed to sunlight for more than 10 hours per day because this will prevent them from flowering correctly when the time comes.
10. If you are growing cannabis indoors, then check to see if your seedlings have formed their first set of true leaves after one or two weeks before starting your grow lights cycle! It means that you can start giving them 18 hours of light and 6 hours of darkness each day until they start budding.

And there you have it! These are all of the steps that you need to follow when germinating auto-flowering seeds with Rockwool cubes. Remember that stress can cause your seedlings to fail, so you must follow these instructions carefully.