Master The Cannabis Seedling Stage
Cannabis seedlings can be difficult to keep alive, particularly for unskilled producers. However, with a strong grasp of seedlings and their requirements, the crucial seedling stage may be far less intimidating. In this article, you'll learn everything you need to know about the cannabis seedling stage.
Continue reading for three basic ways to cultivate healthy seedlings.
Step 1: Choose The Appropriate Genetics, Contenders, And Medium For Your Seedlings
When purchasing seeds, be sure to actively search for the best strain for you; your experience and ability as a grower, grow equipment, budget, taste and effect preferences, and whether you're growing indoors or outdoors will all affect which strain will provide the best results for you.
Growing on light, well-aerated, slightly acidic soil with a pH of 6.3-6.5 is always advised as the medium.
We recommend incorporating 20-50 percent perlite into your medium to aid in soil aeration and nutrient retention.
The more nutrients you wish to feed your plants, the more products you should add to the soil to improve drainage and prevent a nutrient lockout.
Remember to water your seedlings only until the soil is fully dry around the stem. Keep in mind that seedlings are extremely nutritionally sensitive.
Never place them in hot (nutrient-rich) soil, and wait until they have three or four sets of true leaves before feeding them.
We recommend the following approaches for selecting auto-flowering and feminized seedling pots.
Cannabis Seeds In The Right Pot
We recommend placing auto flowers straight into their final containers while growing them.
Since auto-flowering strains have such a brief life cycle, it's better to avoid putting them through any undue stress, including transplanting.
While the actual pot size you use may vary based on the strain and the size of your grow environment, most auto growers utilize pots ranging from 5 to 15 liters.
The Right Pots For Feminized Cannabis Seeds
Transplanting feminized seeds isn't as difficult because the plants have time to recuperate from the shock. You should transfer your seedlings just before they outgrow their beginning pots.
We usually recommend transferring them once they've developed sets of genuine leaves that cover the whole diameter of their present container.
Most indoor growers transfer their plants directly into 12l pots from here, but you may go higher or lower depending on your strain and grow setup.
Remember that you may (and should) up-pot feminized photoperiod plants several times to maximize development, which means you don't have to transplant your seedlings into a large pot straight immediately.
A Note On Cannabis Pots
Growers have a wide range of options for selecting the correct container for their cannabis plants, ranging from inexpensive nursery containers to sophisticated smart pots.
While it is feasible to produce amazing cannabis in inexpensive plastic propagation containers, there are a few factors to consider when selecting pots for your weed plants.
Drainage Holes
To protect your plants from fungal infections and root rot, make sure your pots drain adequately. If your pots don't already have holes, you'll need to make your own.
Air Circulation
The substrate of a plant serves as a place for air exchange between the roots and the surroundings.
Smart pots help in the respiration of your plant's roots by enabling more oxygen to reach them. This results in more rapid, stronger development, healthier plants, and a higher yield.
Size Of The Pot
Keeping young seedlings in large pots raises the danger of overwatering since the roots will be too little to take all of the water from the substrate.
Any water that remains in the substrate effectively drowns the roots while also attracting diseases and pests to your garden/grow room. harvest.
Step 2: Apply The Correct Germination Techniques
Cannabis seeds require four factors to germinate: moisture, darkness, temperature, and time. To guarantee healthy seedlings, germinate your seeds using one of the methods listed below.
The Paper Towel Technique
In a plastic jar with a lid, place your cannabis seeds between a couple of moist sheets of paper towels.
Place the container in a warm, dark location (temperatures between 20 and 25°C are ideal). Allow for fresh air circulation by leaving a small gap in the lid.
Method Of A Glass Of Water
Simply place your seeds in a glass of water and place them in a cupboard at 20-25°C for 24-48 hours.
When you notice the first traces of taproots developing from your seeds, it's time to plant them. If your seeds do not germinate after 48 hours in the water, try using a paper towel. If the seeds are soaked for more than 48 hours, they will rot.
When your seeds have split open and released a little, white taproot, they are ready to plant. Plant your germinated seedlings one knuckle deep, and taproot down. Your seedlings will not have to realign themselves as a result.
Step 3: Mastering The Seedling Stage
The true test begins now that your plants are in their soil. Cannabis seedlings are exceedingly vulnerable; armed with just flimsy roots and a small set of cotyledons, mild stresses can kill your seedlings in a matter of hours.
However, by taking the time to study your seedlings and their individual demands, you will naturally know how to optimize their surroundings and help them grow into powerful vegetative plants.
Temperature, Light, And Humidity Optimization For Cannabis Seedlings
Seedlings have highly specific requirements in terms of temperature, humidity, and illumination, and failing to meet these requirements can be disastrous for such little plants.
We recommend growing seedlings in a propagator, where you can quickly establish the ideal atmosphere for them to thrive.
Temperature
Cannabis seedlings like temperatures ranging from 20 to 25°C during the day and 4-5°C colder at night.
High temperatures can stress your seedlings and slow their growth, which might be lethal at this early stage. Heat stress can be identified by dry leaves with curled-up edges.
Your seedlings may acquire various signs over time, such as pale foliage and red or purple stems. Heat stress can also result in withering, drooping leaves with downward folding tips.
Cold temperatures can cause a seedling's cells to freeze, impairing its capacity to transport and utilize nutrients, water, and oxygen. If not treated appropriately, this will result in stunted growth and, finally, death.
Wilting foliage, weak development, and poor plant turgor are all symptoms that the temperature in your grows room or propagator is too low.
Humidity
Cannabis seedlings absorb water by osmosis in their leaves while their roots are still forming. It is critical to maintaining relative humidity values of 40-60% during this operation.
Humidity levels below 20% can severely restrict your seedlings' growth and may lead them to acquire symptoms comparable to nutritional shortages.
Humidity levels exceeding 60%, on the other hand, may generate damp areas on your plants, causing leaves to wilt or decay and attracting fungus and/or other diseases and pests. Once your seedlings reach the vegetative period, keep relative humidity at 50%.
Lights
Seedlings are light sensitive and will burn if exposed to high-intensity HID or LED lamps. When exposed to bright light, seedlings, like adult plants, acquire scorched, crinkled leaves.
Seedlings that do not receive enough light, on the other hand, will grow tall and lanky and collapse over.
For optimal results, cultivate your seedlings for the first 10-14 days under an 18/6 light cycle using CFL lights with a blue light spectrum.
You may start vegging them under brighter HID or LED lights once they've produced healthy true leaves and at least 2-3 nodes.
Seedlings Growing Outdoors
Outdoor growers, understandably, do not have the luxury of changing the temperature or humidity with the click of a button. Outdoor growers have three alternatives for dealing with the seedling stage:
- To safeguard their seedlings from the weather, most gardeners keep them indoors under CFL lights for the first two weeks.
- Alternatively, you may leave your seedlings outside during the day and simply bring them inside at night to protect them from the cold, rain, and other elements.
- Finally, you may keep your seedlings outside all year in a propagator, greenhouse, or polytunnel to give cover and allow you to control humidity and temperature.
Understanding The Cannabis Seedling Stage
Cannabis seeds contain all of the genetic material required to sprout and grow into large, lush plants inside their black, hard shell.
Seeds may absorb water from their surroundings when they are exposed to humidity and warmth. This is known as imbibition, and it is essential to the survival of all plants.
When water enters a seed, it activates specific enzymes that stimulate taproot development. This root begins to push further underground in quest of more water, whilst the seed sends up and out of the earth in search of light.
Cannabis seeds have two cotyledons that unwind and push the seed coat away from the stalk. Cannabis plants will produce their first genuine leaves once the cotyledons appear. These will sprout from the main stem and will only have one finger.
Cannabis seedlings obtain all of their energy from the seed throughout their early stages of life. Their leaves may absorb water as their roots grow.
When your plants acquire their first sets of true leaves, they are no longer considered seedlings and have begun to veg.
Remember, healthy seedlings have quick growth and brilliant green leaves.
How To Water Your Seedlings
There is no set routine for watering cannabis seedlings. Instead, you'll need to pay great attention to your plants and their medium.
We recommend putting your finger around 2.5cm (1 inch) into the soil and watering only when the earth is fully dry. Also, remember to water your plants towards the stem, where you know their roots are.
Finally, keep in mind that your pots must have drainage holes in the bottom so that excess water may flow.
Overwatering
One of the most typical newbie growing blunders is overwatering seedlings. Unfortunately, it's a simple crime to commit; fearful of letting their seedlings' soil dry up, unskilled growers frequently overwater their plants.
This effectively drowns the small root system of a seedling, depriving it of oxygen and causing it to droop.
Overwatering can also occur when the container for a plant is either large or too tiny. When growing a small seedling in a large pot, the surplus soil can store water for days in locations where the plant's roots are not present.
You're left with a large container full of moist soil, which not only deprives your plant of oxygen but also serves as a breeding ground for bacteria, fungus, and pests.
Under-potting can also be harmful to your plants. Root-bound plants absorb water fast, leading to overwatering.
Underwatering
Underwatering, while not as prevalent as overwatering, is a problem for some new growers.
The process through which cannabis plants lose moisture via their leaves is known as transpiration. As a result, it is critical that they have constant access to water from their soil.
Many of a plant's critical activities begin to slow down when it spends too long without water. Any roots that dry out entirely die off, stifling the plant's development or even killing it.
Unfortunately, the symptoms of underwatering are sometimes confused with those of overwatering. Your plants will drown if their soil is bone dry.
How To Avoid Damping Off
We've all been there: your seedlings appear to be perfectly healthy, then you notice them slumping over the edge of their pots. They shriveled and perished within 24 hours.
Fungi such as Botrytis, Pythium, and Fusarium create this condition, which is informally known as "damping off."
While these fungi can normally exist in soil, they develop and flourish under very damp circumstances. Some of the most prevalent reasons for damping off include overwatering and excessive humidity.
Unfortunately, there is little you can do to salvage your seedlings once they exhibit the first indications of damping off.
To avoid spreading the fungus, we recommend removing the afflicted seedlings from your grow room or propagator as soon as possible.
To minimize damping off, monitor the temperature and relative humidity in your grow environment and avoid overwatering your plants. Make sure your soil and containers both drain effectively.
Finally, to further reduce the possibility of a Botrytis, Pythium, or Fusarium infection, always use new soil or sterilize your soil by baking it in the oven until it reaches an internal temperature of 85°C.
How To Avoid Strong Seedlings
Stretching allows seedlings to come closer to their light source. Grow your seedlings beneath blue spectrum CFLs 5cm from the top of the plants to prevent them from producing unusually long, fragile stems.
Also, avoid leaving your seedlings in the dark for 24 hours after germination since the absence of light will cause your seedlings to stretch unnaturally.
When And How To Transplant Your Seedlings
Unfortunately, transplanting seedlings is not an exact science; instead of following a set timeline or program, it is all about paying attention to your plant and recognizing which signs to look for.
As previously indicated, seedlings should be transferred when their leaves reach the edge of their container.
After approximately a week, examine the roots of your seedlings. If you can completely remove a seedling and its soil, it is ready to transfer.
Remember to be careful when handling and transferring your seedlings. Any minor injury to their roots can cause a great deal of stress, which can take a long time to recover from in such young and vulnerable plants.
Conclusion
Cannabis growth is comprised of a variety of phases that plants go through during their lives. Each step of the cannabis production process has its own set of requirements, such as varying degrees of light, water, and nutrients.
Cultivating a cannabis plant might take anywhere from 4 to 8 months, depending on where you're growing. If you have an indoor grow space, your plant can blossom in a matter of weeks!
The quality of your plant is determined by your understanding of the cannabis growth phases and the lifetime of your plants.
START GROWING!
It's time to get your hands dirty now that you understand the science of cultivating healthy cannabis seedlings.