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Growing
Advanced Propagation Techniques
Part 2 by Jason Mispagel , contributing writer
Jason Mispagel is the co-owner and operator of Year-Round Garden , a grower ’ s supply center serving both home and commercial customers since 2016 . His extensive growing experience in hydroponics and soil dates to the early days of legalization in Colorado , where he served as one of the state ’ s early caregivers . Year-Round Garden . 1225 W 103rd St , Kansas City , MO . 816.216.6917 – FB : yrroundgarden ● IG : @ yrroundgarden
30 September 2022
In last month ’ s issue , we provided a primer on the two forms of propagation , sexual ( seeds ) and asexual ( clones ). We covered the fundamentals and basic principles behind successfully starting new plants , laying the foundation for a more advanced discussion on specific techniques . This month , everything we ’ ll discuss is 100 % optional and subject to personal preference . Under proper environmental conditions , seeds will germinate and cuttings will root without any of the steps we ’ re about to review . The question is whether the value they add during the propagation process is worth the time and effort involved for you , the grower .
Seeds ( Sexual )
Soaking Seeds : This is an extremely common practice among cannabis growers . Soaking seeds in water overnight for eight – 12 hours ( no more than 24 ) before planting can help improve germination rates in a few ways . As we discussed in last month ’ s article , seeds are triggered to germinate by a combination of moisture ( or humidity ) and temperature . Placing them directly in water eliminates any delay in the time it takes for moisture to reach the seeds from air , soil , or other grow media . It also softens the seed ’ s hard outer shell , assisting the young taproot and sprout in their escape .
Slightly warm ( not boiling ) water can speed things along even further , addressing the
temperature requirement for germination . Tap water is typically fine to use , but be sure it ’ s free of harmful contaminants , high levels of salts , or extremely high or low pH levels . If you ’ re uncertain of your water ’ s quality , distilled water can be used instead .
Scarifying Seeds : To aid moisture in penetrating the hard outer shell of a seed , lightly sanding , filing , or nicking the exterior can be beneficial before soaking or planting . The trick is to avoid damaging the interior of the seed during the process .
Hydrogen Peroxide : Including a small amount of hydrogen peroxide ( H2O2 ) in the water when you soak your seeds before planting offers two potential benefits . First , H2O2 can chemically scarify the seed ’ s outer shell , removing the risk of damaging its interior during manual scarification ( i . e ., sanding , filing , or nicking ). Second , H2O2 eliminates