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milford, CT,

Anyone have ideas how to get the seed coat off if it doesn't come out split at all. I have had some like this and have broken off the neck of other germinations like this. My 500 Beachemin looks like it is this way and if anyone has a better method of taking off the seed coat without damaging the cots that would be great. I usually use 2 pair of tweezers and gently seperate, but when there is no split it is tough to get the splitting of the two halves started . This is not usual for most of the germinations. I do file and soak the seeds prior to planting. Thanks, Mark

5/3/2006 9:31:31 PM

Simi valley, ca

I think useing fingers are better if you didnt just cut finger nails ? tweezers dont have much control & they could slip !

5/3/2006 11:36:13 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

Mark,

Mist the cot a little & let it sit before trying to pull it off. That or just be patient. I’ve never heard of a seedling dying from a stuck shell. But plenty have been destroyed by well intentioned growers trying to remove the shell.

Steve

5/4/2006 7:33:43 AM

Syracuse, NY

i had a bottle gourd seed recently do this....as long as the seed leaves have a START or a fighting CHANCE of outgrowing the shell, then yes, they will eventually
push the shell off,,,, but yes, a wet seed shell will be far more manageable than a dry one---maybe mist it frequently and good luck with it! eric g

5/4/2006 7:35:14 PM

milford, CT,

Thanks for the input. My other 4 plants shed their own shells but this one looked like it wasn't going to have the strength. I've made the mistake in the past of muscling the seed coat off and the results are usually a snapped stem. Good news though! Low and behold when I came home from school today the seed coat was split and it came off without a problem. Gotta keep taking those patience pills!!!! Nature knows what its doing but sometimes us growers don't want to trust her. Thanks again everyone! Mark

5/4/2006 9:09:23 PM

Puyallup, WA

You don't want to know how many times I have broken off a cot trying to remove the seed shell!! Be careful!!!

5/5/2006 12:13:28 AM

Deer Park WA

AG's are powerfull little things, let their roots develope and under intense light they will shed their seed coat. I have often thought that we try to "help" the seedlings along to much, kinda like playing God with Natural Selection. Anyhow the last few years we leave this stage of germination to Mother Nature, our 1420 is out of the soil now and she shed her seed coat on the way out. (Could have been that we now lay the seeds flat when sowing)....?

Best of luck to all, little mistakes at this stage = little punkins!

Gerry

5/5/2006 12:28:25 AM

ExtremeVegetables.com

It's been my experience that this is caused by low humidity.
Once the seeds are up a they should be misted with water a couple times a day.
Also, a humidity dome can be placed over the containers to help keep the plant moist.
Once the seed hull has dropped off the dome should be removed to prevent damping off.

12/22/2006 8:08:53 AM