What it is
Planting the seed directly in its pot (or in the garden soil), without germinating it first. This is what happens in nature.
Why many people prefer it
The root grows right where it is and is never touched or moved. That avoids transplant stress and the plant takes off stronger. It is highly recommended for autoflowers, which have little time to recover from any setback.
How to do it
- Light, airy soil, damp but not muddy (when you squeeze it, it shouldn't drip).
- A little hole 1 cm deep (about one knuckle of your pinky).
- The seed inside, covered without pressing.
- Keep the surface damp with a sprayer or a gentle trickle, between 22 and 26 °C.
- In 3 to 7 days the little stem pops up with the first two round leaves (the cotyledons).
Common mistakes
- Burying it too deep: it uses all its energy before reaching the light.
- Watering hard: the stream unearths it or compacts the soil.
- Letting the surface dry out: the seed is right there, in the first centimeter.
▲ Pros
- Root intact: more vigor later
- Zero handling
▼ Cons
- You see nothing until it pops up
- 85 out of 100 germinate (paper towel, 95)
- If the topsoil stays dry too long, the seed dies
🎮 Practice it in UnderGrow
It sprouts in ~4 days (~4 real h) and germinates 85 %, a bit less than the others, but with no transplant and more vigor. While it germinates you only give it the splash, every time the top soil dries out: if it stays dry for a whole day (1 real h), it dies. The wick still doesn't work: it wets from below and the seed is on top.
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