Professional Marijuana Grower November-December 2018 Issue | Page 44

Young plants need to be housed in a greenhouse or hoop house
structure. This one is simple and cost effective with roll-up sides
for when the weather warms up.
important for good reasons. Seeds that were produced
in the same region where the grower lives will come
from plants that were bred in that same environment.
The resulting seeds will give life to plants that are more
genetically adapted to cultivation in the same regional
area. Seeds from respected local sources also tend
to be fresher or newer which will increase the rate of
germination (sprouting) when planting time comes. If
they are available locally, seeds that were saved from
the previous year’s crop are definitely preferred. Try to
avoid seeds that are over two years old because the
older the seeds, the less reliable they will be. Seeds
from foreign sources or from overseas tend to be older
and germination rates can be inconsistent, so stick with
local well-known seed sources and start the garden off
on the right foot.
For seeds to sprout properly they need favorable con-
ditions. The factors that account for such conditions are
moisture, temperature, and sometimes light. Cannabis
seeds are no exception and will sprout best in warmer,
more humid conditions. Starting the seeds indoors in
March ensures the plants are mature enough in devel-
opment and size to be planted outdoors come May. To
give the seeds a little jumpstart and to help decrease
44 • Professional Marijuana Grower
the time it takes to sprout (the germination period), soak
the seeds for 24-48 hours in a solution of sea kelp and
water. Sea kelp contains, among other things, naturally
occurring plant growth hormones that can help trigger
germination of the seed. The plant growth hormone
that this reaction is mostly attributed to is the growth
hormone called “auxins”. A normal, untreated cannabis
seed could take seven to 10 days to germinate and
sprout its first root, called the “radical”. Cannabis seeds
soaked in a solution of about one part sea kelp to 100
parts water will begin to sprout their initial radical root
in one or two days. Both concentrated liquid and water
soluble powdered sea kelp extracts will work effectively
to increase germination rates and times.
Once the seed coat, or shell, has split open and the
first root is beginning to emerge, the seed should be
sown into a peat seed-starting pellet. Other starting
mediums, such as rockwool and potting mix, will work
for this step but peat pellets are preferred. They have
the ability to hold relatively high amounts of both water
and oxygen when they expand, while still maintaining
excellent drainage, preventing them from becoming
waterlogged. Soak the peat starter-pellets in a warm
solution of sea kelp and water that is pH adjusted to
November/December 2018