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Date Posted

are u suppose to let the shells fall? off or can you pull them off after you see leafs pop out of the soil.

5/10/2005 2:35:40 AM

[email protected]

It is usually best to let them fall off naturally. But if they're "stuck" you might have to carefully help them off. Extreme care is advised since I think more seedling damage has resulted from our intervention than from letting them alone. Most of the seedling mortality is from "grower kindness" run amok. LOL

5/10/2005 5:15:30 AM

Rhode Island

a m e n

5/10/2005 6:43:03 AM

Cologne / Germany

Never do it in an early stage when the endosperm is still moist and attached to the cots! It will leave you with "unfinished" seed leaves that will never grow out or turn green. It might even stop the complete seedling from growing.
So if you feel in need to remove the shells, wait till everything is dry and finished inside.
Better is planting the seed on its side so you probably won´t have this problem anyway :)

5/10/2005 7:30:09 AM

Utah

for future use: if you plant your seed flat in the soil it is more likely to shed its shell than if you plant it tip down.

5/10/2005 8:15:55 AM

Montoursville, PA

If the endosperm is attached, to the cotty leaves, it has missed it's designed moist underground release period, by at least four hours. It is in the drying out stage and will not always permit the cotty leaves to open.

The cotty leaves are designed, to open, as they break through the surface.

Picking at a the thin skin or endosperm may damage the cottys. However a soft artists brush and water may soften it enough that it can be easily and safely removed.

The cottys need, to get open quickly and turn green, to perform their purpose, in the process, of bringing on the first new leaf and supporting early new root development.

5/10/2005 10:00:20 AM

Puyallup, WA

A word of caution....do not be so eager to remove the seed shell. In my eagerness to pull off a shell, my finger slipped twisting the shell and sliced off one of the dicots.
.....on a 1016, non-the-less.

I should know better!

5/10/2005 2:25:03 PM

Montoursville, PA

Har har har........we... yes we do nearly all know better at some point along the way, on this silly trip, to the pumpkindom kudos arena. :)

5/10/2005 3:20:52 PM

Follansbee, Wv

My seeds always come up with the caot still attached, since I plant "point down". I usually wait until the day after they emerge then check the coat. If it's split well and loose, I gently slide it off. The cots underneath are still pale, but green up quickly. Usually, you can tell if it's ready because the edges of the cots that you can see will be green, and trying to spread.

5/10/2005 6:11:21 PM