Mephisto Genetics Mephisto genetics customer service/feedback thread!

[slowandeasy]

71F is not optimal. If seeds are older or harder or just certain strains...need 80F. If that is your average. It is too low, it is not my opinion. 80F will improve your whole process. Newer strains tend to pop faster and not need the heat as much. I keep stressing that it is WINTER. People need to be creative or modify things, average temps of 8OF will make some of your failures a success. If you need advice on how to increase your temps, let me know. Sometimes a cold streak in weather can slow things GS down more than you think. A Seed not above ground in a few days is behind a normal germ schedule. A week is too long and low temps are the cause.

Think of it like this. Your on Vacation in Florida. You go to the beach, it is 70F and you jump in the water. You get out and you are pretty cold and your towel is too. Next day you go back and it is 82F. Your towel, sand, and water are all WAY warmer feeling on a single 82F day. That is a significant difference, especially to older seeds or hard shells.

 

[lunarman]

71F is not optimal. If seeds are older or harder or just certain strains...need 80F. If that is your average. It is too low, it is not my opinion. 80F will improve your whole process. Newer strains tend to pop faster and not need the heat as much. I keep stressing that it is WINTER. People need to be creative or modify things, average temps of 8OF will make some of your failures a success. If you need advice on how to increase your temps, let me know. Sometimes a cold streak in weather can slow things GS down more than you think. A Seed not above ground in a few days is behind a normal germ schedule. A week is too long and low temps are the cause.

Think of it like this. Your on Vacation in Florida. You go to the beach, it is 70F and you jump in the water. You get out and you are pretty cold and your towel is too. Next day you go back and it is 82F. Your towel, sand, and water are all WAY warmer feeling on a single 82F day. That is a significant difference, especially to older seeds or hard shells.

Yeah slow what advice do you have for better heating during the winter for seedlings? Mine are in Solo cups with a heat mat underneath the tray and I'm measuring 20 degrees Celsius at the bottom of the cup and then my Ambient Air Temperature is like 24 degrees C. And they do seem just a little bit slower than usual

 

[Cali-Dream]

Just my two cents, I agree with @Prophetiko & @slowandeasy. I too use a drop or two of hydrogen peroxide in half a cup of distilled water in a glass, letting them soak 24 hours on a heating mat between 74-82 degrees F. on my kitchen counter. I then drain the glass and use a toothpick to place the seeds (whether they crack or not) one at a time in Root Riot plugs, place in a germinating tray with a dome, place the tray on the same mat, in two days three at max they sprout. I use this method winter and summer, I never change anything up, it’s my belief as with others temperature plays the most important role, like in nature, the warmth from the sun on the soil is what makes seeds sprout, age of the seed will delay germinatation only by a day or two.

 

[rydin4life]

Correct..just used tp as that's what Mephisto recommended

 

[Shaawing]

Correct..just used tp as that's what Mephisto recommended

 

[rydin4life]

Haha..

To those that use a heating mat, I only need to do like 2-8 seeds at a time so I don't want to buy a kit with a 72 slot tray. What's an easy way to germinate a few seeds say in starter cubes or just paper towels or something?

 

[Shaawing]

Haha..

To those that use a heating mat, I only need to do like 2-8 seeds at a time so I don't want to buy a kit with a 72 slot tray. What's an easy way to germinate a few seeds say in starter cubes or just paper towels or something?

Whether you're using paper towel, toilet paper, some kind of rooting plug or just sow the seed directly into the soil all you need to remember is the seed needs to be kept around 26c, 80ish in farenheit I think.

After that whatever starting medium you use needs to be well aerated and hold the temperature I said above. The soil has to be kept damp, not dry or wet.

The seed growing into a seedling needs the same heat and 50ish rh

Whatever you decide to start your seeds it doesnt really matter at all it's just personal preference. You just need to give the seed the proper climate inside the medium and outside when it pops up and also as it grows.. this is the [HASHTAG]#1[/HASHTAG] rule for growing in any stage of growth, proper climate. ( proper climate includes proper watering habits aswell )


I have been using the meph method cause why not. Only the SC has gave me and others problems so were blaming the SC. I keep the seeds in the right temperature and perfectly saturated paper towel until I get a taproot. Doesnt have to be big.. maybe as long as the shell at least.. then they get planted and if I have low humidity I will mulch right away leaving a circle around the seedling big enough to fit a clear plastic cup in for a humidity dome, works perfectly..

The dome has been taken off and I'm on to the spray bottle.

 

[lunarman]

Just my two cents, I agree with @Prophetiko & @slowandeasy. I too use a drop or two of hydrogen peroxide in half a cup of distilled water in a glass, letting them soak 24 hours on a heating mat between 74-82 degrees F. on my kitchen counter. I then drain the glass and use a toothpick to place the seeds (whether they crack or not) one at a time in Root Riot plugs, place in a germinating tray with a dome, place the tray on the same mat, in two days three at max they sprout. I use this method winter and summer, I never change anything up, it’s my belief as with others temperature plays the most important role, like in nature, the warmth from the sun on the soil is what makes seeds sprout, age of the seed will delay germinatation only by a day or two.

Yes, but you live in California. Not fair! LOL.

 

[lunarman]

Haha..

To those that use a heating mat, I only need to do like 2-8 seeds at a time so I don't want to buy a kit with a 72 slot tray. What's an easy way to germinate a few seeds say in starter cubes or just paper towels or something?

Not following you brother. Or maybe I am. Assuming you have a heat mat and only need to do a few beans at a time, that is easy. Trays and slots not required. Like was was already stressed above by shwingg its all about temp and moisture and pick your medium.

My rec is to use paper towels over plugs or direct in pot, to start with anyway. Reason is, its easy to see the tap root progression when in paper towels. Just open it up. Plugs can be sliced open but I prefer paper to start with. Once you have a viable tap root put it in a solo cup or direct to pot and it should be easy sailing from there.

Edit: Also its harder to over water in paper. I mean its easier to keep it damp without overwatering because if there was too much water in the paper you can see the excess water build up and how soaked the paper is. And you don't want it soaked. That kind of moisture level finessing is harder to do with plugs and pots for germination. Too much water when germinating is going to drown them. Paper is good for newbies because its easier to see what's happening!

 

[slowandeasy]

Yeah slow what advice do you have for better heating during the winter for seedlings? Mine are in Solo cups with a heat mat underneath the tray and I'm measuring 20 degrees Celsius at the bottom of the cup and then my Ambient Air Temperature is like 24 degrees C. And they do seem just a little bit slower than usual

I prefer to get the whole environment up to 80F. Seedling mats help, but whenever possible try to get the environment up, not just the bottoms. And there can be hot/cold spots on a beating mat. I have many
grow areas, so I am able to tweak things easily. But I can ghetto rig something for winter to help you guys. So, do you happen to have an extra plastic tub or 2 lying around? Like a storage tote? First throw your heating pad and monitor the temps with lid On/Off overnight. Hi/Lows. Now, is that close to 80F? If not, keep modifying, don't comprise too you have your temps steady. Add a little LED or CFL if you need some extra heat. This Chamber or whatever you do HAS to be steady NEAR 80F for 3-4 days minimum. Not 70F. The most important part is the consistent warmer environment. A paper towel at 70F will seem chilly. A paper towel at 80F will feel warmer, by a noticeable amount. Combine cold water and a wet towel and think of that Seinfeld episode! "I was in the pool, it is shrinkage"! Just sayin, it has to feel similar to a baby seed!