Germination of Cannabis Seeds – Meaning and Importance

The Cannabis germination phase of the seeds is the very first stage of growth of cannabis plants and all plants in general. It begins when placing the seeds in their ideal environment that will make them active. This is done by providing them with the three basic elements they need to wake up from their dormant phase:

Water, Oxygen, and a Temperature of 20°C–26°C.

The germination ends when the very first roots of our future cannabis/hemp plants can be spotted.

The germination phase can last, depending on the variety, from 24h to two weeks, and it is essential to monitor the state of our seeds every day.  It is equally important not to wait until the roots exceed 5-6 cm before moving the cannabis plants to pots.

The next step is to plant the seed. This is an important stage because it could affect the health of the plant in the future. Therefore, the seed should be handled as less as possible and with maximum hygiene.

If at the end of germination, we have tiny cannabis plants that are totally healthy and grown in their ideal environment, we will have a better chance of the plants performing at their best in the vegetative and flowering stages.

Germination technique

Cannabis seeds, unlike other types of seeds, are particularly delicate. Before planting them in
the soil, we must prepare them taking into account the important information previously mentioned.

There are several ways to germinate seeds and they are all valid. However, we will explain the method that has always worked for us, and the one we recommend using.

Water germination method

This is a faster method than soil germination; the seeds should start germinating in one or three days but could take up to a week. 

All you need to do is put the seeds in a glass, fill with room temperature water (about 22°C)
and leave it in a dark place such as the kitchen cupboard.

You need to keep the water clean, changing it every two days or so. Keep an eye on your seeds, as soon as you see them sprouting, wait until the small roots reach 3-4 centimeters and very gently transfer them to be placed between two moistened paper towels.

Once the ends of the napkins are closed, we place the bundle containing the seeds in a closed plastic bag or under a small glass or plastic case (any suitable container). Be sure to keep the paper towels/napkins sufficiently moist and place in the dark and away from temperature changes. In about a week the seeds should germinate, but it could happen as late as the third or fifth day.

The seeds should be kept under control because as soon as the roots begin to grow, they should be gently transplanted into pots.

For this step, it is necessary to obtain potting soil possibly free of fertilizers but rich in natural nutrients.
Fill the container with soil and then create a small hole of about 4 cm with your finger or a clean pencil. Place the seed with the root facing down and cover it with soil without compressing too much.

After water it with a spray and place it in a safe place protected from the current. It is important that the temperature is kept constant around 20° to 26° (temperature of 17°C at night, not below, and 23°C during the day).

The soil should be kept moist, but it is essential not to overwater. Within a week, you will see that the stem and leafs are growing. When they have reached about 7-9 cm, you can transplant your future cannabis plants into larger pots. At this very early stage of growth, it is best not to add any extra nutrients to the soil.

Environmental factors

Because considering the three different environmental factors is key, we will quickly make a summery about each of them:

– Temperature: it is essential to keep it constant throughout the germination phase. The ideal environment involves a temperature between 20 and 26°C, and both drafts and excessive exposure to heat should be avoided.

This does not mean that in an indoor situation air should not be changed, quite the contrary. Oxygenation promotes germination.

– Humidity: to ensure that our seeds germinate correctly, humidity should also be kept constant between 80 and 85 percent at least in the first few days after we have placed our seeds from the paper towel to the soil.

– Light: cannabis seeds do not need it in the very early stage of growth but only from the moment they start to grow.

At that point, in a timely manner, we will place our cannabis seeds in a well-lit place or use dim artificial light to help them best continue the growth phase.

It is important to monitor our cannabis seeds throughout the growth phase so that we can intervene if necessary. It might be helpful to keep a mist sprayer handy to keep humidity high in case of excessive dryness.

It is best to choose a sheltered location that is away from doors and windows to avoid sudden currents that could break them, as they will still be very fragile..

What could have happened if my cannabis/hemp seeds did not germinate? These are some of the most common mistakes:

• The pH of the water was either too high or too low. No matter what germination method you used, the pH value should always be between 5.5 and 6.5.
• Water temperature also needs to be considered, this being between 20° and 22°C. Colder or warmer temperature could negatively affect the germination.
• If your preferred germination method has been placing the seeds directly in the soil and they did not come out, it is possible that you watered them too much, that the soil was over fertilized or that the seed was pressed too deep into the soil.
• Another reason could be that the seeds were exposed to large temperature differences during their transportation when shipped to you, or the conditions in which you kept them since you got them until you germinated them. Seeds must be preserved in a cool and dry place, with an ideal temperature of 6° to 8° C.

If you have not committed any of the above-mentioned mistakes, but you still got a poor germination rate, then you should rather get your Cannabis Seeds from Pureinstinto in the future!

Meaning and Importance

Germination of Cannabis Seeds