Seed Trouble...

Ed of Somis · January 23, 2015

OK...so I thought my first attempt at seed growing was going well, then this. Several of my sprouts have these brown "helmets" on the top. I think I might have read about this...but my brain is mush. This looks bad to me. What is this...and what am I doing wrong???

Cole_Robbie · January 23, 2015

It's the outer coating of the seed hull. The leaves should push it off as they grow. You can help it along, as long as you don't pull too hard.

Ed of Somis · January 23, 2015

Did I do something wrong? Should I wet it first and pull...or will it resolve itself? I am nervous here...

Dutch · January 23, 2015

Ed, Don't do anything yet. There have been several good threads (discussions) here about that over the years. I'll locate them and post back shortly.
Dutch

Dutch · January 23, 2015

Ed, This may help. Check it out. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=helmet Here's another one. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=helmet
Dutch

travis · January 23, 2015

Use a spray bottle and spray the helmet heads with a solution of water with just a couple drops (and I mean just two or three DROPS) of liquid dish detergent in at least 1 quart of water.

The detergent acts as a 'slickering' agent (surfactant) to help the water cling to the seed hull and keep it moist and slick.

Don't drench the sprouts, just keep the seed hulls damp so they don't dry up and harden around the cotyledons ... which soon should push the seed hull off and away.

RobinB · January 23, 2015

Ed, this happens to all of us. You didn't do anything wrong. It's frustrating, and sometimes you lose the seedling, but most of the time you can just keep the cotyledon moist (I love Travis' idea above) and the leaves eventually emerge. If you pull, chances are you'll end up with just a stem and nothing else.

jmsieglaff · January 23, 2015

Ed, two pieces of advice, one have a beer and relax. Two always plant a couple extra seeds when you sow because helmet heads happen and not every seed will germinate. The links provided are good stuff.

Labradors2 · January 23, 2015

Dee's brilliant suggestion in the first referenced link worked for me! No more helmet heads around here with this technique {I hope!}.

Linda

January 23, 2015

Ed,

Your dilemma really is very common. Normally the cotyledons do push the helmet off as they expand. Sometimes the hull dries out too fast and the cotyledons can't push it off. Some good suggestions have been made, but I have always used a more direct approach. I some times use the pointed end of a tooth pick and gently separate the hull from the cotyledons. I have also gently retained the stem between my fingers and removed the hull with a pair of tweezers. The key word for both methods is "gently".

Ted

Ed of Somis · January 24, 2015

Well, after the great responses...I decided to take JM's advice and have a beer.

It makes sense to me to assure the cotyledons stay moist. Thanks Dutch. Thinking the beer is helping...

daninpd · January 24, 2015

I don't want to gross anyone out, but I have found that saliva works just fine. Put a blob of spit on the seed head and let it soak and soften the seed hull a couple of minutes and then gently pull on it with your fingers. Works about 95% of the time. If that seed hull is clamped on there so tight that no green is showing at all you may be out of luck for that seedling. I had one variety I tried to start last year that all of the sprouts were that way. Don't do this if you are a tobacco user.

Father'sDaughter · January 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by daninpd

I don't want to gross anyone out, but I have found that saliva works just fine. Put a blob of spit on the seed head and let it soak and soften the seed hull a couple of minutes and then gently pull on it with your fingers. Works about 95% of the time. If that seed hull is clamped on there so tight that no green is showing at all you may be out of luck for that seedling. I had one variety I tried to start last year that all of the sprouts were that way. Don't do this if you are a tobacco user.

There are a number of us here who use this technique. Just put a blob of spit on your finger and dab it onto the seed head. Then either use the plastic wrap trick included in the link posted above, or just re-apply saliva after a few minutes.

Hmmmm... I wonder what will happen if you apply saliva after drinking a beer?

Dutch · January 24, 2015

Quote:

Originally Posted by Father'sDaughter

There are a number of us here who use this technique. Just put a blob of spit on your finger and dab it onto the seed head. Then either use the plastic wrap trick included in the link posted above, or just re-apply saliva after a few minutes.

Hmmmm... I wonder what will happen if you apply saliva after drinking a beer?

Perhaps Ed can try that technique out for us and report back.

Dutch

Salsacharley · January 24, 2015

If only I had some helmet heads! I'd be happy to test this idea.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dutch

Perhaps Ed can try that technique out for us and report back.

Dutch

January 23, 2015	#1
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	Seed Trouble... OK...so I thought my first attempt at seed growing was going well, then this. Several of my sprouts have these brown "helmets" on the top. I think I might have read about this...but my brain is mush. This looks bad to me. What is this...and what am I doing wrong???

January 23, 2015	#4
Dutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: S.E. Wisconsin Zone 5b Posts: 1,831	Ed, Don't do anything yet. There have been several good threads (discussions) here about that over the years. I'll locate them and post back shortly. Dutch __________________ "Discretion is the better part of valor" Charles Churchill The intuitive mind is a gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. But we have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. (paraphrased) Albert Einstein I come from a long line of sod busters, spanning back several centuries. Last edited by Dutch; January 23, 2015 at 10:33 PM. Reason: Grammer Again

January 23, 2015	#5
Dutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: S.E. Wisconsin Zone 5b Posts: 1,831	Ed, This may help. Check it out. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=helmet Here's another one. http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ghlight=helmet Dutch __________________ "Discretion is the better part of valor" Charles Churchill The intuitive mind is a gift, and the rational mind is a faithful servant. But we have created a society that honors the servant and has forgotten the gift. (paraphrased) Albert Einstein I come from a long line of sod busters, spanning back several centuries. Last edited by Dutch; January 23, 2015 at 10:06 PM. Reason: Added additional link

January 24, 2015	#11
Ed of Somis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Somis, Ca Posts: 649	Well, after the great responses...I decided to take JM's advice and have a beer. It makes sense to me to assure the cotyledons stay moist. Thanks Dutch. Thinking the beer is helping... Last edited by Ed of Somis; January 24, 2015 at 01:00 AM.

January 24, 2015	#12
daninpd Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Prunedale, CA Posts: 134	I don't want to gross anyone out, but I have found that saliva works just fine. Put a blob of spit on the seed head and let it soak and soften the seed hull a couple of minutes and then gently pull on it with your fingers. Works about 95% of the time. If that seed hull is clamped on there so tight that no green is showing at all you may be out of luck for that seedling. I had one variety I tried to start last year that all of the sprouts were that way. Don't do this if you are a tobacco user. __________________ I started out with nothing and I've still got most of it left.

January 23, 2015	#2
Cole_Robbie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2012 Location: Illinois, zone 6 Posts: 8,407	It's the outer coating of the seed hull. The leaves should push it off as they grow. You can help it along, as long as you don't pull too hard.

January 23, 2015	#6
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	Use a spray bottle and spray the helmet heads with a solution of water with just a couple drops (and I mean just two or three DROPS) of liquid dish detergent in at least 1 quart of water. The detergent acts as a 'slickering' agent (surfactant) to help the water cling to the seed hull and keep it moist and slick. Don't drench the sprouts, just keep the seed hulls damp so they don't dry up and harden around the cotyledons ... which soon should push the seed hull off and away.

January 23, 2015	#7
RobinB Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Near Reno, NV Posts: 1,621	Ed, this happens to all of us. You didn't do anything wrong. It's frustrating, and sometimes you lose the seedling, but most of the time you can just keep the cotyledon moist (I love Travis' idea above) and the leaves eventually emerge. If you pull, chances are you'll end up with just a stem and nothing else.

January 23, 2015	#8
jmsieglaff Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Southern WI Posts: 2,742	Ed, two pieces of advice, one have a beer and relax. Two always plant a couple extra seeds when you sow because helmet heads happen and not every seed will germinate. The links provided are good stuff.

January 23, 2015	#9
Labradors2 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: Ontario Posts: 3,896	Dee's brilliant suggestion in the first referenced link worked for me! No more helmet heads around here with this technique {I hope!}. Linda

January 23, 2015	#10
tedln Guest Posts: n/a	Ed, Your dilemma really is very common. Normally the cotyledons do push the helmet off as they expand. Sometimes the hull dries out too fast and the cotyledons can't push it off. Some good suggestions have been made, but I have always used a more direct approach. I some times use the pointed end of a tooth pick and gently separate the hull from the cotyledons. I have also gently retained the stem between my fingers and removed the hull with a pair of tweezers. The key word for both methods is "gently". Ted