Cannabis germination is the process of getting your seeds to sprout, and you know sprouting has occurred when a little white tendril pops out of the seed.

The little white tendril that emerges from a cannabis seed during germination is your plant’s first root, known as a “taproot.” All other roots made by your cannabis plant in its lifetime will sprout from the taproot.

The taproot – and maybe a few tiny early offshoots of the taproot – will get longer and longer, pushing the seed up, and after the shell breaks through the surface of your growing medium, the first leaves (these first round leaves are known as “cotyledons”) will emerge from inside the cannabis seed.

• Line the bottom of a ceramic plate with a few layers of paper towels. Wet the towels and drain off the excess water from the plate.
• Place the seeds on top of the towels. Then, place another layer of towels on top of the seeds and first layer of towels. Wet this layer as well and drain off the excess water again.
• Place another ceramic plate on top of the first to create a “clamshell” with the two plates.
• This will create the perfect environment for the seeds to begin germinating. Make sure the towels stay moist, but are not in standing water.
• Place the plates in a warm area, away from direct light.
• Check your seeds every day.
• Sometime between 24-72 hours after making the clamshell, the seeds will begin to show their white root. Once the root sprouts from the seed, place it root facing down, into your preferred growing medium.
• Cover the seed with about a 1/4 inch of soil, but do not plant the seed too deep, as this will not allow access to light and will kill the seed.
• Make sure to keep the medium moist and do not let it dry out (this will kill the seeds quickly).
• Place a florescent type growing light with a “plant-growing” bulb at 6″ above the seed.