A cannabis seed is the first stage of life in developing a new cannabis seedling. Seeds are tiny, and their care should be part of your introduction to the world of plants. They are living things, and they need to be treated with care. Growing seeds indoors has many advantages over growing them outdoors, but there are some ways that you can mess up when starting. If you want to be successful, remember these three things:

Temperature

Germinating cannabis seeds requires a temperature between 68 and 77 degrees. If your seedling roots are not warm enough, they will not develop correctly. A hot spot of 80 degrees can be used for germination if the plants can also be kept cool, but under 70 degrees, the seeds will not germinate. The best temperature for germination is 70-75º F (21-24º C). Plants that are hot all the time will have long internodes and few branches. They will also grow tall and thin.

Nutrients and Soil

Growers often overlook soil's importance when germinating cannabis seeds or growing plants until they get to more advanced levels of growth. The soil you use for your seeds can make all the difference in how well your plants develop and how healthy your plants are.

A commercial potting mix is best for germinating cannabis seeds. You want the soil to be very light and filled with air. If you can squeeze the soil in your hand and break it apart rather easily, it is perfect. This will create a loose environment for your seeds and roots to grow in. If you are trying to save money by using only perlite or vermiculite as your soil, you should mix them with a commercial potting mix.

Light

The amount of light that your cannabis seeds receive when they are germinating directly affects how tall or short the plant will grow how many branches it will have, and even the leaves' color. If you want to grow a heavy yielding plant that is compact, give those 12-16 hours of light per day. Plants that receive 18-24 hours of light per day will be tall and lanky with few branches and thinner leaves and buds.

This is a very general guide, and you should experiment with the amount of light that you provide your plants for germination to determine how it affects the plant. More light will always produce taller, lankier plants with fewer branches, while less light will produce shorter, more compact plants with larger amounts of buds.

Bottom-line

It is good to prepare your seeds before planting them to encourage a high germination rate and healthy development. Once the seeds are prepared, they should be planted on their sides in pots that have been pre-moistened with a germination mix such as soil or perlite. Each seed should be about one inch apart. The smaller seeds need to be placed in higher concentrations, about 1-3 inches apart.

There must be water in the soil because seeds will not germinate if they are dry. Spray them with water twice a day until they have sprouted green shoots.