Two seedlings 1 having issues

I am having issues with 1 of my seedlings not breaking out of its shell yet. The stems getting a workout lifting it
Would it be advised to try to help it out of there or should I just let nature run its course and see what happens?

Any advice would be great, thanks.

Planted the one with the shell 2 days ago.
Planted the other one 3 days ago. (This one lifted out of the ground without the shell)

I always just let it go. It will be a bit behind the other one in the beginning but will catch up. I always think that messing with it could hurt the cotyledon leaves and that will spell a sure death of the tiny thing.

Hi Chodee,
Couldn't find the second one...but you're describing what we call helmet head. Often it works out with no intervention...but if you wish to proceed...mist it 3 or 4 times over a day and use something like a toothpick to gently lift the helmet off. If you fuck up a cotyledom...it can kill the plant...so steady and careful. Try a strong fan first.
JD

JohnDee said:

Hi Chodee,
Couldn't find the second one...but you're describing what we call helmet head. Often it works out with no intervention...but if you wish to proceed...mist it 3 or 4 times over a day and use something like a toothpick to gently lift the helmet off. If you fuck up a cotyledom...it can kill the plant...so steady and careful. Try a strong fan first.
JD

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I was wondering if I should keep a fan on that one or not, I'm going to put a fan on it and try to mist it more and give it a few days. Thanks for the advice.

Chodee said:

I was wondering if I should keep a fan on that one or not, I'm going to put a fan on it and try to mist it more and give it a few days. Thanks for the advice.

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Honestly, everytime I pop in seeds, at least 1 will do this "helmet head" thing. At first I would help them, then sometime I recall I ripped off the leaf will trying to help the plant so I would after that always leave it alone, and it always fall off on its own...

Maybe leaving it is the most practical advice for this sitauation.



before you know it you'll look at it and itll be gone. Best of luck.

RealGeezalio93 said:

Honestly, everytime I pop in seeds, at least 1 will do this "helmet head" thing. At first I would help them, then sometime I recall I ripped off the leaf will trying to help the plant so I would after that always leave it alone, and it always fall off on its own...

Maybe leaving it is the most practical advice for this sitauation.



before you know it you'll look at it and itll be gone. Best of luck.

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I agree. I usedto get impatient and rip of a cotleydon or the whole fucking thing off its stem. When they are having a little trouble like that, I put them under the humidity dome and spray with water to soften it up. More often times i just do nothing and they eventually break it off.

Chodee said:

I was wondering if I should keep a fan on that one or not, I'm going to put a fan on it and try to mist it more and give it a few days. Thanks for the advice.

Click to expand...

Don't put a fan on it yet. Moisture will help her shed the shell and I think the fan will counter-act that. Just spray for a day or two and if she's still having trouble, gently, try to get the shell off with a pin or something. The roots and stem are still tiny so i'd be careful.

Medicated Bonsai said:

Don't put a fan on it yet. Moisture will help her shed the shell and I think the fan will counter-act that. Just spray for a day or two and if she's still having trouble, gently, try to get the shell off with a pin or something. The roots and stem are still tiny so i'd be careful.

Click to expand...

Thanks Bonsai...the fan could be counter-productive. Moisture is the ticket...
JD

This happens to me when sprouting in winter (Low RH).... if your humidity is low make sure to mist like other said or help it off or it’ll die like that. Seed didn’t have enough humidity and shell stayed too hard for it to shed.

Not a big deal but will be if that thing doesn’t come off in 2 days max.

Edit: if u take it off and see membrane still on leaves don’t panic ...again just moisten the membrane and gently try and take it off

Using the cut off top of a water bottle as a humidity dome can help as well. The membrane gets pretty stiff and sticky when it's dry. The wetter it is the softer, and it's also less likely to stick to the shell.
Mist and humidity dome worked for me.

A little bit of tongue action usually helps with fussy ladies.