Live Stoners Mephisto Disappointments

[dwizzlex]

Hi
Indoor tent grow in UK.
I've used Mephisto seeds for a few years, but have noticed germination rates going down over the past 18 months. I'm fed up. I used to have an 80%-90% success rate, but now it's down to 40%-50%. Really poor. I drop into a glass of water for 24 hours, before transferring to a wet paper towel in an old cd case and left on top of the LED for heat.
Also, the yield is poor - 18-28g per plant. I use Biobizz Light Mix and All Mix soils. I use Biotabs as my only nutrient. Advice please...
1. A UK supplier of seeds that might produce higher germination rates?
2. Any germination methods that might produce better results?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers

 

[Frankthetank]

Depending on the LED…. That could be a little on the warm side. I germinate almost the same as you, except I only soak for about 12 hours, and the wet paper towel is inside a small Tupperware type container, which sits on top of the soil the seed will end up in. I’ve found the heat from the light to be plenty to warm up the enclosed container…. Just my two cents….

 

[NORBY]

You could be possibly drowning the seeds,
Ive Stuggled and so have others with germination recently and I believe that too long in the water was the problem,
Try reduce the the water to 12 hours instead,

 

[Corum59]

Hi
Indoor tent grow in UK.
I've used Mephisto seeds for a few years, but have noticed germination rates going down over the past 18 months. I'm fed up. I used to have an 80%-90% success rate, but now it's down to 40%-50%. Really poor. I drop into a glass of water for 24 hours, before transferring to a wet paper towel in an old cd case and left on top of the LED for heat.
Also, the yield is poor - 18-28g per plant. I use Biobizz Light Mix and All Mix soils. I use Biotabs as my only nutrient. Advice please...
1. A UK supplier of seeds that might produce higher germination rates?
2. Any germination methods that might produce better results?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers

I can be wrong, but I thought that one soaked seeds only untill the seeds sink, then lay them on damp tissue, or straight into the medium.

I personally have experienced that Auto germination and seedling survival, from the seeds I have bought, have not been great compared to standard feminised seeds of photo's...

maybe you need to try and get your hands on some seeds from the cultivators here.

 

[blue]

Maybe it's time to experiment with a different method.

Here's 2 that i can think of.

1. (quite similar) The Paper Towel method, put your beans in the kitchen roll (paper towel) fold it over a few times, moisten it, pop it in a zip[ lock bag and put the bag in a small cardboard box. Put the box on a low heat source (like a tv (sky, virgin etc etc) box, or something thats on all the time and stays warm. Give it 2 days and check for tails.

2. Straight to the pot (my prefered method, you'll need your tent to be at around 80-85f for this to work conistently) - Fill up your pot with soil, give it a small amount of water (1 litre). Poke your little finger in the middle only fingernail need. Drop your seed in there, lightly cover with soil, pop a clear plastic cup over the top. And spray 10-15 sprays daily until it comes up.

Hope this helps

All the best
Blue

 

[Hotfire]

I never soak my seeds, straight out of the pack into a paper towel and zip lock bag or Tupperware, then into my closet for 2 days. I also don't use anything to heat my seed but it's also not freezing here, not sure where you're at.. Seeds are always ready to pop on day 2, once in a while they will take 3 days.
For the question on yield, what kind of light are you using and what size pot? Only time I get under 2 Oz is when I use 1 gal pots.

 

[Bill.de.Cat]

Hi
Indoor tent grow in UK.
I've used Mephisto seeds for a few years, but have noticed germination rates going down over the past 18 months. I'm fed up. I used to have an 80%-90% success rate, but now it's down to 40%-50%. Really poor. I drop into a glass of water for 24 hours, before transferring to a wet paper towel in an old cd case and left on top of the LED for heat.
Also, the yield is poor - 18-28g per plant. I use Biobizz Light Mix and All Mix soils. I use Biotabs as my only nutrient. Advice please...
1. A UK supplier of seeds that might produce higher germination rates?
2. Any germination methods that might produce better results?
I look forward to hearing from you.
Cheers

It might not be the seeds at all. The paper towel manufacturer might have switched the pulping method or the chemicals they use or some other process that is causing a decline in germ rate. I have never had any success with that method at all. I drop mine in a shotglass of water with a couple drops of H2O2 and put it on the sattelite receiver with a lil box over it for 1 to 4 days....whenever I get tails they get planted.

Edit: have you tried making your own seeds yet? Once you have a glut of them stored in the fridge you probably won't worry so much about non germs.

 

[DOA]

I've never gone wrong with Riot-it Cubes or Rockwool starter blocks for germination. I've had a nearly 99% success rate with these two methods. Fresh viable seeds are always a must to, good luck going forward.

 

[Trichome Jim]

@dwizzlex - I had some issues with seeds a while back with a very similar method to yours. I trimmed the soak to over night 8-12 hours and then into the paper towel inside an old DVD case then I wrap the case in a dish towel and place in my Tv cabinet beside not on top of my cable box. I find the towel lowers the intensity and keeps it in the sweet spot.

The issues I ran into were when I soaked longer and place the case not wrapped directly on the cable box.

Good luck hope this helps

 

[Bob's Auto's]

I hate these kind of threads. OP asks a question, everybody replies and no response anymore from the OP... *sigh*