Planting Weed Seeds Straight in Soil

Planting weed seeds straight in the soil will avoid the need to transplant your seedlings when they are at their most risk of damage. That root tap that first appears during the first few days has microscopic filaments that are easily broken. Although it is recommended that you use the cup full of water and moist paper towels method, planting in the soil is preferred in some circumstances.

If you do decide to plant your seeds straight in soil then make sure you use the correct soil, either gently fertilized potting soil or a seed starter that has been adjusted to have a pH level of approximately six (6). Once your soil has the correct pH level you can add your seed. Don’t add any nutrients during the first two weeks or you risk overfeeding and killing your seeds.

Start by filling your containers with starter soil or premium-quality specialty soil that has been soaked in water. Some growers will add root stimulators to the water to help with rooting speed.

Make a hole roughly 6-10 mm deep, this will be your seed’s germinating space. Remove the weed seeds from their protective packaging and place them into the pre-dug spaces. Loosely cover the seeds with soil, being careful not to compress the soil on top of the seed too much. The sapling will struggle to penetrate compressed soil, slowing plant growth. Lightly mist the top of the soil where you planted the seed so that your soil stays moist.

If you don’t want to saturate your soil you can just mist the holes and the direct area around the seed on a regular basis. With enough water surrounding your seed’s roots, you can still encourage a plant’s root system to develop.

Germination Temperature Plays A Crucial Role

Your growing containers containing you’re new seeds will need to be placed in the proper climate that is within the temperature range listed above. If you keep the moisture levels and temperature correct you should see a young cannabis seedling sprout after 4–10 days. Beneath the surface, the roots will have begun to develop and fill the container.

Temperature is one of the most critical things to monitor when planting weed seeds straight in soil. Here is a list of things to keep in mind when germinating seeds directly in soil.

1. The ideal temperature is between 23° C (74°F)
2. Your growing medium should be damp/moist, but never saturated wet.
3. Ideal relative humidity range is between 70% and 90%
4. Seeds favour fluorescent lighting (Cool White code 33)
5. Minimise the amount of seed handling you do
6. In Rockwool for hydroponics, the ideal PH value is 5.8

Do you need to germinate seeds before planting weed seeds straight in soil?

While many house plants and vegetables can be germinated in the ground, weed seeds are more fragile and you should germinate them before planting.

Once your seeds have a taproot started, they should be transferred to a growing medium. Make sure not to touch the newly formed root, placing it into your medium. Some growers swear that it should be inserted into the medium at a 45-degree angle but if nature is any example straight down will work just fine. Plant the seed with taproot about 1/4 inch deep in your growing medium, cover very lightly with loose soil. Allow about a week for the seed to poke through the surface of the soil. If the seed hasn’t started to poke through the surface by day seven, it likely didn’t survive.