I just need some advice how do I start the seeds off. I was thinking of getting them going in the house ready for when the weather warms up to put them outside.

1. Straight into potting compost


OR


Sprout the seeds first and then put them into compost

I live in England and I am going to grow in the greenhouse as it helps with the pain of my illness.

thats what i do as long as the potting compost is suitable for seeds

Sorry, but that link is not working!? if you go to Knowledge base top of screen and type germination there is all the info that you will need.

Ben.

I always sprout the seeds then put into compost.

The germination process starts after the absorption of water.

So I always throw mine in a glass of water, until the seed casing splits, that way I can be sure that the germination process has started before planting them in the compost.

Same here. I used this westlands advanced for seeds at the moment. Get some perlite in there too, good idea. Temp and moisture is the key.

Thanks for the information

Thanks for the information but when do I start them off ?

Thanks for that but when do I plant them ? I know it is to cold for them to go in the greenhouse but I don't want to be late that is what happened last year.

so you soak yours in water first and then put them into damp tissue paper ?

As your growing in a green house you could start at the end of this month just keep an eye out for hard frosts if one is forecast just bring them in for that night (if your green house is not heated).

Thanks I will have a look

Thanks I was wondering when to start them but what way do you germinate the seeds ? and the other question is will I have to do the 12 hours day light and 12 hours of darkness and the other thing is would you put bubble plastic inside the green house. Hope you don't mind me asking all of the questions.

Thanks I was wondering when to start them but what way do you germinate the seeds ? and the other question is will I have to do the 12 hours day light and 12 hours of darkness and the other thing is would you put bubble plastic inside the green house. Hope you don't mind me asking all of the questions.

No, from glass of water straight into compost, at the point that I plant them the germination process has already begun. It avoids the risk of them drying out in tissue paper or damaging the taproot when they're transplanted.

Don't know the best time to start them off outside, but you could germ them and keep them under a CFL inside until they're ready, you'll get more yield that way.

Thanks for the information

I will germinate my seeds around the 11th april, as they germinate I will put them into jiffy pots with soil.
These will then be kept warm either on the window sill or in the greenhouse, (i have a heater for the greenhouse)
I will be using bubble plastic, only so that it is harder to see whats in the greenhouse.
You do not worry about 12/12 if growing outside as they will flower later on in the year.

Thanks for that it is the only thing that really helps with the pain that is related to my illness

alan Titchymarsh says to only soak seeds for 12hrs as this is as long as they can go for without air (book how to be a gardener). But then on a packet of morning glory seeds it says soak for 24hrs. Whats the general concensus for cannabis seeds how long can you soak them for?? Sorry for hijacking but my plan is to soak in water untill they crack and then plant em out at my guerrilla sites under glass.

Wakenbake

Well, I replace the water quite regularly in mine, and give them a bit of a stir to oxygenate the water. I also use slightly warm water to help the germination process. At that size they are not going to demand much oxygen, but I wouldn't leave them too long, especially after the seed husk has cracked. I find 24-36 hours work well for me, but like I said I replace the water. There is going to be a lot of oxygen disolved in the water for a small seed so should be fine.

Let's check with Alan see what he does with his:

Just my 2pence...

I always soak my seeds overnight in a bottle of solution (5ml of Nitrozyme : 1ltr of Water) then put into wet kitchen paper towels in 2 plates. I then leave the plates on top of my gas boiler for 2 nights till i get at least 1-2inches of root then place into a pot of soil.

I get a good almost 100% germination success rate this way

I dib a little hole with my finger and drop the seed in, cover and water.
Genius innit

i always used to germ the paper towel method without soaking them .. however for some reason this time i used a seed tray with compost that i watered and allowed to drain for a couple of hours .. i then took my seeds ( 20 in all ) and gently put them on the surface of the compo .. i then covered them ewith a light spirinkling of compo and finished by water the top layer thru a very fine watering can rose .. placed tray in heated prop with vents slightly open and 5 days later i have 100% success .. i shall prick them out when they have their 1st real leaves and transplant to pots .. good luck ..

Yeah I go for that rather extravagant process too . Always just put the seeds straight into the compst about 10mm deep maximum. Water them and voila ya end up with seedlings. I just think the paper towel metheod and the soaking in water method just means exta work and it seems it would be very easy to damage the tap root when planting into the compost.. Just remember in the wild there aint no paper towels or glasses of water so why do ya need them at home?

Yep - straight from the fridge into the compost is my way too. Did mine last week = they popped in 2 days - 100% - they are in greenhouse (inside a propagator) in small jiffy size pots. Small snail got in though and took the tops off 2 unfortunately - found it though - like to think it was so stoned it couldnt get back to hide

THis is my first year with purchased seeds - have only tried bagseed before and germination with them was not very good.

SL

Soaking, paper towels, and many other elaborate rituals beloved by canna growers are completely unnecessary. Just plant in mild compost, keep gently moist, and wait.