What it is
The seed goes in a glass of warm water (preferably chlorine-free: boiled and cooled water, or bottled) until the shell opens and the tip of the root peeks out.
What it's for
Water softens the shell faster than any other method. That is why it is used for hard or old seeds, which take forever in a paper towel. Many growers use it only as a 12 to 24 h soak and then continue in a paper towel or in soil.
How to do it
- Water at room temperature or just lukewarm (20 to 25 °C).
- The seed floats at first; as it absorbs water it sinks (not always: if it floats it doesn't mean it's bad).
- In the dark, for 12 to 36 hours.
- As soon as the root is seen poking out, it's moved to the soil carefully.
Watch out
Don't leave it in the water for more than 2 days: the seed needs oxygen and, if it stays submerged too long, it drowns and rots.
▲ Pros
- The fastest
- Helps hard seeds
- Nothing to do while it germinates
▼ Cons
- 90 out of 100 germinate (paper towel, 95)
- You also have to transplant: you can damage the root
🎮 Practice it in UnderGrow
The fastest: it sprouts in ~1.5 days (~1.5 real h) and 90 % germinate. You don't have to touch it: when the root shows, it moves to the pot by itself (1 time out of 7 the root gets damaged when transplanting). From then on it needs water and can take a wick. In the game it doesn't drown: no need to watch it.
▶ Play free