# Which way up do I plant a germinated seed?

> Plant a germinated cannabis seed taproot (radicle) pointing down, 0.5–1.5 cm (¼–½ in) deep, in moist, light mix. Move it once the taproot is about 0.5–2 cm long, before it gets long and brittle. If you get it wrong, don't dig it up: the root turns down by itself. Handling and breaking the taproot does more harm than planting it sideways.

- Canonical: https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/answers/which-way-up-to-plant-a-seed.html
- Topic: Germination · Type: How-to
- Evidence: Grower practice · Status: Draft: awaiting expert review
- Full article: [Germination methods compared: soak, paper towel, plugs, direct sow](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/germination/germination-methods.md)
- Also asked as: Taproot down or up? | I planted my seed upside down, is it ruined? | How do I plant a sprouted seed? | How deep do I plant a germinated seed?
- Updated: 2026-10-31 · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/), attribute "GenetixBay Knowledge Base (genetixbay.com/knowledge)"

## Short answer

Plant a germinated [cannabis seed](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/achene.md) [taproot](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/taproot.md) down, 0.5–1.5 cm (¼–½ in) deep, ideally when the taproot is 0.5–2 cm long. If it went in sideways or upside down, leave it: the root turns down on its own. *Grower practice*.

## Why

The taproot ([radicle](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/radicle.md)) responds to gravity and grows down; the shoot grows up. A seed set the wrong way spends a little energy turning round, then carries on.

The real risk is handling. A long taproot is brittle and easily snapped when lifted from a towel, which is why lab protocols [germinate](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/germination.md) seeds in a tube and transfer them early [1].

Depth matters more than orientation. Too deep and the [seedling](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/seedling.md) spends its reserves climbing; too shallow and it dries out or emerges with the [shell](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/seed-coat.md) stuck on.

Warmth gets it up fast. Keep the medium around 22–27 °C (72–81 °F); [hemp](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/hemp.md) germination slows sharply in the cold [2].

## The numbers

| Item | Target |
|---|---|
| Orientation | Taproot down; sideways is fine |
| Planting depth | 0.5–1.5 cm (¼–½ in) |
| Taproot length at planting | 0.5–2 cm (¼–¾ in) |
| Medium temperature | 22–27 °C (72–81 °F) |
| Time to surface | Usually 1–3 days after planting |

## What to do

1. Pre-moisten a light seedling mix or plug so it holds together but doesn't drip.
2. Make a hole 0.5–1.5 cm deep with a pencil.
3. Lift the seed by the shell, not the root, with clean tweezers.
4. Drop it in taproot down, cover loosely, firm very lightly.
5. Keep it warm and just moist; don't flood it [3].

## Common mistakes

- Digging the seed up to check on it.
- Leaving the taproot in the towel until it is 5 cm long.
- Planting 3 cm deep "to be safe".
- Watering a fresh plant so hard the seed washes out.

## Related

- Full article: [Germination methods compared](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/germination/germination-methods.md)
- [What if the seed shell is stuck?](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/answers/seed-shell-stuck-on-seedling.md) · [Why won't my seeds germinate?](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/answers/why-wont-my-seeds-germinate.md)
- Terms: [taproot](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/taproot.md) · [radicle](https://genetixbay.com/knowledge/glossary/radicle.md)

## Follow-up questions

**What if I planted my seed upside down?** Leave it. A cannabis seed planted upside down or sideways usually corrects itself, because the taproot grows downward with gravity and the shoot grows up. It may surface a day or so later and with a slight bend in the stem. Digging it up to turn it risks snapping the fragile taproot, which does far more damage than the wrong orientation.

**How long should the taproot be before planting?** Plant a cannabis seed from a paper towel once the taproot is about 0.5–2 cm (¼–¾ in) long. Shorter is fine; longer taproots are brittle, may grow root hairs into the towel and break when you lift them. If one has grown long, lay it in a pre-made hole with the root pointing down and cover it gently rather than forcing it straight.

**Should the seed be covered completely?** Yes. Cover a germinated cannabis seed completely with 0.5–1.5 cm (¼–½ in) of light, moist mix, and firm it very lightly. A seed left on the surface can dry out, and a shallow seed often comes up with its shell still stuck on the leaves. Planting much deeper than about 1.5 cm wastes the seed's reserves on a long climb to the light.

## Sources

1. Sorokin A, Yadav NS, Gaudet D, Kovalchuk I, 2021. Development and standardization of rapid and efficient seed germination protocol for Cannabis sativa. Bio-protocol 11(1): e3875. https://doi.org/10.21769/BioProtoc.3875
2. Geneve RL, et al., 2022. Temperature limits for seed germination in industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.). Crops 2(4):415–427. https://doi.org/10.3390/crops2040029
3. University of Minnesota Extension. How to prevent seedling damping off. https://extension.umn.edu/solve-problem/how-prevent-seedling-damping