The seed coats should fall off after a week or two.

Atleas thats what I think.

I use a q-tip to dab a drop of water on the seed husk. Sometimes it takes two or three applications to soften it up. Then you can coax it off with tweezers but you have to be careful.

As Sundevil suggested just introduce moisture to the seed husk for several days and then gently lift the husk off, You may need to add more moisture to the husk. I use a small straw that I dip in water with my finger tip pressed against the top to hold the water in the straw. Next I place the straw end over the husk and hold for 1 minute then lift off. I do this each day for 3 days. By the third day I can usually lift the husk off that evening, otherwise I wet the husk again and try on the Fourth day.

George

LOL guys, none of those things worked. I even covered them back up with saran warp, and even tried wrapping them in a little soaked tissue paper and keeping that wet for days.

Their brothers and sisters are all on to their 3rd and 4th set of leaves already. These guys are still about one inch tall - did not grow any taller either - and sitting there with their little hats on.

It's like they grew one inch, and then froze completely still.

Corrie

corrie22

If after 4 days the seed husk won't come off, I'd start over again. Moto Get tough or die. Unless you no longer have replacement seeds. Then re moisten the husk daily until either the seedling dies .... see Moto...or the husk can be romoved. I had about 3 out of 24 seedlings that needed help with the seed husk. I'm nursing one today. How long has this seedling been above ground?

George

Try spitting on the seed coats, that's what I used to do. But since aiming spit at seed coats is not precise, actually I'd take my finger and put it in my mouth ( better then foot in mouth) then swab the saliva on the stuck seed coat.

And then leave it on for several hours and then spritz with water.

it's the enzymes in the saliva that help and since enzymes work best at warmer rather than cooler temps, don't do it with newly germinated seedings that are kept in a cool place. And then use the usual tweezers or just gentle pressure to remove it.

The three reasons I know of for stuck seed coats might include:

seeds are too old
lack of moisture in the seed germinating container
sowing seed too deeply

....and there can be a combination of any of the above three.

If the seed coat doesn't open up after about a week, after treatment or without, it's sometimes called a blind seedling and will never grow into a proper plant.

Carolyn

Sowing a seed not deep enough can also keep the seed coat from coming off. The seedling has to have some dirt to rub against to rub the seed coat off. I usually just grab the seed coat and pull it off when its stuck on. About half the time this works, and the other half of the time I rip the top of the plant off. Squeezing the seed coat along the edges will sometime spread it enough to loosen its grip.

Thanks guys

Carolyn, I forgot (old age) about spit, I'm going to try that.

I'm not worried about them, I have plenty more and these few won't matter. I'm actually more curious why they stopped getting any taller (growing), and stayed at one inch.

cal, it could also be not sowing them deep enough. The squirrels thought I had put out little containers for them to bury their nuts in. I just pushed the potting mix back around and some of the seeds ended up on top. That might be it exactly.

thanks again
Corrie