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PROPAGATION
AND GERMINATION
WHAT IS PROPAGATION?
Propagation: 1) The action of breeding or multiplying by natural processes:
procreation, generation, reproduction. 2) The action of spreading an idea,
practice, etc., from place to place. 3) Increase in amount or extent;
enlargement; extension in space or time.
Propagation is The Grow, however some growers treat propagation only as
the events that occur between the planting of the seed and the transplanting
of the seedling to the main grow environment. We will correctly treat
propagation as the entire process of growing from seed to harvest, including
the logistics of the grow: in short, propagation represents the events
that occur over the entire life cycle of the plant. This Chapter focuses
on the first stage, germination, but first we'll discuss propagation logistics.
You will hear the term propagation used to describe elements of the grow
that may be seen as one-time actions like seed towel propagation, but
we ask you to bear in mind that propagation is the continuous growing
process.
Propagation Logistics
So, what are you going to do? Are you going to buy a batch of 10 seeds
and grow them all in one go? Are you going to then kill the males and
just use the females? Are you going to keep the males and produce more
seeds from the females? How many seeds can a female plant produce? What
can you do to guarantee that all your seeds will grow? This is where propagation
logistics come into play. The answers to these questions depend largely
on the size of your grow area and your budget.
Let's say you have about $200 to spend on seeds. You can
buy an expensive strain, like a G13 cross, grow the G13 and produce more
seeds from it. You could get between 100 and 2000 seeds depending on plant
size and grow conditions. If you produce lots of seeds this season, you
may never need to buy seeds for this strain again.
There is something else you can do to prevent the need to ever buy or
grow from seeds again, called cloning. Cloning is a technique whereby
you grow a number of plants and select a quality female. You then take
cuttings from that female plant and grow these cuttings into new plants.
Clones always retain the same sex and vigor as the mother plant, so it
is possible to create a garden of plants through cloning that will last
for decades from a single mother plant. Cloning is described in detail
in Chapter 11.
For the new grower it is advised that you buy 10 seeds
and only germinate three the first time, followed by another three and
then the last four.This will allow you some degree of experimentation
as you may fail on your first attempt to germinate the seeds.
For people who have germinated seeds in the past, it is
advised that you germinate five followed by another five the next week.
Only if you are a long-time grower with a good amount of growing experience
should you germinate all the seeds at once. In this way, you can reduce
the risk of failing some, or all, of your seeds because of bad germination
methods.
During your plants' growth you may decide to pollinate only a few of your
females. You will need two grow areas to do this: one for growing all
your female plants; and another for growing one or more females mixed
in with males. As stated before, this depends on the size of your grow
space and your budget. It is important that your pollination room be kept
well away from your all-female grow room because pollen can travel by
air. Bees and other insects can spread pollen, and so can you. Always
wash your hands and face after handling a male plant to prevent pollen
from a male plant getting onto a female that you wish to keep for sinsemilla.
So,
now you nave 10 seeds and your goal is to achieve 100 percent germination
results. The following section on germination will help you achieve an
optimal success rate.
GERMINAT/ON TECHNIQUES
Seeds can be germinated a number of ways. Some guarantee more success
than others. It is recommended that you consider the rockwool SBS (single
block system) propagation tray method.
Seed
Soil Propagation
In this method, seeds are placed in moist soil about 3 mm, or the length
of the seed, from the surface. The soil is kept moist (not soaking wet),
by sprinkling water over it once a day. This has a moderate success rate:
out of 10 seeds you can expect 7 to 8 to germinate.
Germination Soil
There are many soils advertised as germination soils.* They are basically
the same as other soils except that they contain special blends of micronutrients
and are kept somewhat clean (the soil is sifted and no compost is added!.
Ordinary loam soil with apHof? and an NPK** of higher or equal amounts
of N than P or K is good for starting seeds. Even ratios of NPK of 5:1:1
or 8:4:1 are good. Just make sure that the N is equal to or higher than
each of the P and K factors on the label.
Seed Towel Propagation
Seeds are placed either on a damp towel or on damp cotton balls (cheesecloth
may also be used). Cover the seeds with more damp cotton balls or a damp
towel.
So,
now you have 10 seeds and your goal is to achieve 100 percent germination
results. The following section on germination will help you achieve an
optimal success rate.
GERMINATION TECHNIQUES
Seeds can be germinated a number of ways. Some guarantee more success
than others. It is recommended that you consider the rockwool SBS (single
block system) propagation tray method.
Seed
Soil Propagation
In this method, seeds are placed in moist soil about 3 mm, or the length
of the seed, from the surface. The soil is kept moist (not soaking wet),
by sprinkling water over it once a day. This has a moderate success rate:
out of 10 seeds you can expect 7 to 8 to germinate.
Germination Soil
There are many soils advertised as germination soils.* They are basically
the same as other soils except that they contain special blends of micronutrients
and are kept somewhat clean (the soil is sifted and no compost is added).
Ordinary loam soil with a pH of 7 and an NPK** of higher or equal amounts
of N than P or K is good for starting seeds. Even ratios of NPK of 5:1:1
or 8:4:4 are good. Just make sure that the N is equal to or higher than
each of the P and K factors on the label.
Seed Towel Propagation
Seeds are placed either on a damp towel or on damp cotton balls (cheesecloth
may also be used). Cover the seeds with more damp cotton balls or a damp
towel.
If
the material dries out it may damage the seeds, so keep it moist at all
times. Every day, check to see if the seeds have started to produce roots.
If they have, immediately transfer the seedlings to a grow medium, such
as soil, using a pair of tweezers. Do not touch the roots as this can
kill your seedlings. This method has a moderate-to-high success rate.
Out of 10 seeds 8 to 9 may germinate. The problem with this method is
that sometimes the transplant can cause the seedling to go into shock.
This can terminate the germination process, leaving you with nothing.
With practice you can get all your seeds to germinate using this method.
Propagation Kits
Seeds are germinated in small units inside a seed or clone propagator:
a tray of sorts, designed to help plants germinate. One such kit is called
a rockwool SBS propagation tray.* At the bottom of the tray is a small
area where water or germination hormone can be poured. Small grow cubes
called rockwool cubes are placed into slots in the tray, which automatically
dips the rockwool into the solution. The seeds are placed into tiny holes
in the cubes (the holes are filled with rockwool particles to prevent
the seeds from being directly exposed to air in the environment) and the
cover is replaced. Some propagation kits are even heated and look like
miniature greenhouses.
This method has a very high success rate, however a disadvantage
is the cost of the tray, rockwool and grow fertilizers. You should note
that, although some seedling fertilizers contain growth hormones mixed
into the nutrients in order to promote plant growth, it Is recommended
that you not use fertilizers or growth hormones with your seeds unless
you have experience. Even the slightest amount of overfeeding can kill
your seeds or bum your seedlings. In fact, you are better off just using
water in your propagation kit to germinate your seeds. I have yet to find
a cannabis strain that needed growth hormones or fertilizer to germinate
properly. The price of the tray is about $10, the rockwool cubes J5, the
grow fertilizers $5. If you have spent upwards of $50 on good seeds, why
not spend the extra $20 on getting a small kit like this together and
increase your chances of achieving a 100 percent success rate? The kits
offer the added advantage of serving two purposes: they can also be used
to root your clones.
Scuffing
Seeds
Most seeds that fail to germinate do so because their shells,
the testa, are too hard to break open and allow water to seep in. At the
end of your germination period you may have found that some seeds have
not managed to break open. You can help these seeds to grow by using a
method known as scuffing.
Simply get a small box, like a matchbox and line the inside of the box
with sandpaper. Place the seeds into the box, close and shake the box
for a few minutes. Now that the seeds have been scuffed, their outer shells
should break open more easily and they should germinate.
Dangers
when Germinating Seeds
During germination and transplantation, your plants are at their most
vulnerable. Here are some tips to help you protect your future crop during
germination.
Drafts are a killer and can stunt germination. Always make sure you keep
your germinating seeds away from any open windows or fans. Also ensure
that the room is warm. A cold room can inhibit your germination rates.*
Take care when using germination fertilizers or hormones to ensure that
your mixture is correct. Do not use high doses of fertilizers with seedlings.
Water is all seedlings really need. You do not need to add anything. Some
people use germination solutions, but these solution strengths should
be low. An incorrect mixture can burn your seedlings and cause them to
fail.
Leave your seeds alone to grow.** You may be tempted to check on your
seedlings and could run the risk of disturbing the soil.This is a bad
move as too much tampering and shifting of the seeds can break and damage
the young roots.
Some strains produce seedlings with weaker stems than others. In these
cases, the seedlings may tend to lean to the left or right. If you find
that your seedlings need support then use a small stick to brace your
seedling. Tie the stem to the stick using a piece of thread. Never tie
the thread above a growing shoot or the seedling will push up against
the thread and may rip itself. You may continue to use a stick to support
your plant as it grows. Never bring a stick from outdoors indoors as some
bugs, such as spider mites, can go undetected in their incubation nests
inside the wood. If your plant still has a weak stem during vegetative
growth it is recommended that you give the base of the stem a gentle shake
every morning and evening. This will help the plant to develop a more
solid stem. Outdoors the wind shakes a plant and causes it to develop
this solid stem. You can simulate the effect of the wind by doing this
mildly every morning for two or three seconds. Indoor fans also help and
are described in Chapter 6.
Seeds must be viable if they are going to germinate. Never use white seeds.
They are immature. Find seeds that have white and gray markings or another
color apart from white. Crushed seeds will not germinate. Old seeds may
have trouble germinating. Always try to use the best seeds you can find.
TRANSPLANTING
SEEDLINGS
During the stages between germination and vegetative growth the grower
may find that plants outgrow their pots. Transplanting to bigger pots
should be done as early as possible.
Here is an example. When your seedlings are ready, simply
lift them from the propagation tray along with the rockwool cube, and
place the cube and seedling into a bigger container full of another grow
medium, such as soil or a hydropon-ic setup (more about hydroponics can
be found in Chapter 9).There is not much of a problem when transferring
a cube and seedling to soil. Just dig a small hole in the soil for the
cube and place it in. Then cover the cube with soil. The cube will not
affect your plant's growth and will provide additional support as it grows
into its larger container.
Even if you have started your seedlings in soil, transferring
them to bigger pots need not be a complicated process.The problem you'll
encounter is that, in order to move the soil and roots from one pot to
another, the plant must be lifted out gently, with the soil in place.
The most important objective of any transplant is to keep the roots intact
while avoiding as much material spillage as possible. How is this done?
There are three basic ways:
The first way is to simply cut away the base of the smaller pot and place
it inside the bigger pot of soil.The roots will grow down through the
hole in the bottom of the smaller pot and into the larger one.
The second way involves making sure that the soil is very dry. Delay watering
your plant for a couple of days and let the soil settle until hard. Then
you can use a clean knife to cut around the inside edge of the pot. Cut
deep, but not so deeply that you risk damaging the roots. Then push your
fingers down into the sides and lift the plant and soil out. Some soil
will break away but this shouldn't affect your plant. Quickly place the
plant into the larger pot and cover with soil. Give your plant some water
so that it will take to the new soil. Although you can lift some plants
out of their pots by pulling on the stem, this can cause problems down
the line. You should always maintain a firm grip on the soil when transplanting.
If your soil is very compact, you may be able to turn the pot upside down
and gently tap the whole medium out as one solid mass. This transplanting
method — turning the pot upside down and tapping it out —
is a very professional way of transplanting but you should try it out
first on a plain pot of dry soil. A bit of practice will pay off in the
long run. Simply move your hand to cover as much of the top of the pot
as possible.The stem should be resting at the base between your fingers.
Lift the pot and plant up with the other hand. Turn the plant upside down
and use your free hand to pull the pot away from around the soil. You
can also use the remains of an indoor harvest (if the cut stem is still
in the soil in the pot) to practice this.
Transplant Shock
During some transplants the cannabis plant may go into shock, even if
your transplant was done cleanly and quickly. If your plant is otherwise
healthy, it should survive. If the plant hasn't been looked after it may
fail quickly. Transplant shock results in delayed or slowed growth and
is caused by damage to or a disturbance of the roots. This is why you
must always make sure to keep a firm hold of the soil during transplants.
Also refrain from feeding plants suffering from transplant shock for one
week if you can. The reason for not feeding the plant is because shocked
plants can not use fresh nutrients properly. The plant's poor health,
coupled with its inability to uptake and use the fresh nutrients, usually
results in plant burn, which can be fatal to a shocked plant.
Some growers like to clean down their roots before transplanting. Although
this can be done with some plants — cannabis does not like it unless
the root mass is small and undemanding. Cleaning cannabis roots is not
needed but should you wish to attempt it then it is best to do it between
the first and second weeks of vegetative growth. Root size and complexity
is very strain dependent. Since cannabis mostly produces a complex root
system, it is nearly impossible to avoid some root damage when cleaning
the roots and in most cases where root damage has occurred, plant growth
will be stunted. If the damage is severe, the plant could die.
There are some transplant feeding products available. One popular brand
of growth hormone called Superthrive is used extensively by cannabis growers
to help the plant through the transplant process and recovery from shock.
Superthrive contains the vitamin Bl better know as the hormone Wiamine'
— a proven root and growth hormone.
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