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Post by 12540dumont on Apr 12, 2012 20:46:00 GMT -5
Dar, Joesph, other pumpkin folks... Today another farmer told me that I should plant my pumpkin seeds pointy side down, as that is the side the root comes from.
I have planted them flat for 20 years. I'm flabbergasted. Is this true?
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Apr 12, 2012 21:15:03 GMT -5
Today another farmer told me that I should plant my pumpkin seeds pointy side down, as that is the side the root comes from. I have planted them flat for 20 years. I'm flabbergasted. Is this true? I plant seeds willy-nilly. However they go into the ground is fine with me. I let them work it out for themselves how they are going to sprout: It appears to me that roots have some sort of gravity sensor in them, because they quickly orient themselves to grow downward regardless of how I plant them.
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Post by littleminnie on Apr 12, 2012 21:25:13 GMT -5
That could easily be checked by sprouting one inside...
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Post by oxbowfarm on Apr 13, 2012 11:39:04 GMT -5
To me that seems backwards, the seedling has to "hook" to push out of the soil. Pointy end down seems like that would be that much harder for the little buggers. Sounds like a great science fair experiment, anybody got a kid looking for a project?
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Post by steev on Apr 13, 2012 13:37:00 GMT -5
Which way does one plant them in the SH?
Actually, I suppose it could be seen as advantageous to plant point up, so as to facilitate slipping off the shell. How did anything survive before we took things in hand?
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Post by cortona on Apr 14, 2012 5:48:37 GMT -5
yep, the roots come from the pointy end, but as others tell you who care? if you have a decent soil that are not good only for briks.... the seeds are ok in all position
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Post by templeton on Apr 14, 2012 7:26:52 GMT -5
Which way does one plant them in the SH? depends on where the seed came from, and which year - Labour party in power, plant the seed leaning a little to the left, conservatives, leaning perhaps a tad more to the right Actually, I plant the seed on edge - hedging my bets because I never knew if there was a right way or a wrong way. Even tho its out of season, I'm sorely tempted to use some of my excess melon seed to run a trial in the greenhouse tomorrow T
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Post by bunkie on Apr 14, 2012 13:02:04 GMT -5
i'm with you holly, flat...and sometimes with joseph, willy nilly! ;D
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Post by keen101 (Biolumo / Andrew B.) on Apr 14, 2012 13:10:59 GMT -5
Yep, i always plant them on their side usually (at least if i can in really hard clay). The plant will always figure it out.
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Post by Drahkk on Apr 14, 2012 14:40:23 GMT -5
Gravity sends stems up and roots down. I just poke a hole, drop them in however they fall, and cover them up. Nature handles the rest. Got 100% on my zukes this year, and 70% on some 4 year old crookneck seed.
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Post by terracotta on Apr 14, 2012 21:36:55 GMT -5
always pointed side down. why? because otherwise the root decides to go horizontal and i have to cover it again or it dries itself up.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on Apr 14, 2012 21:51:11 GMT -5
always pointed side down. why? because otherwise the root decides to go horizontal and i have to cover it again or it dries itself up. I plant my seeds deep, and stomp them down vigorously. They are less likely to dry out that way, especially small seeds.
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Post by Drahkk on Apr 14, 2012 22:32:42 GMT -5
I didn't think about it, but though I plant however they fall, I do push them in a couple of inches and pack them. Otherwise they don't always pull out of the seed coat.
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Post by DarJones on Apr 15, 2012 19:04:10 GMT -5
Well, you have the anecdotal answers, here is the technical answer.
I plant curcurbits mostly with the pointed tip down if I am starting the seed in cell trays. The reason why is because the seed will emerge from the soil faster and will produce salable plants sooner. This is also tied to the way I plant the seed. I can quickly push 2 or 3 watermelon seed into a cell and have a tray ready to grow.
There is also an effect in very tight clay soils where a seed lying flat has more trouble breaking the soil crust.
With that said, you can plant them flat if you choose, just remember that it will slow down overall growth by about a day.
BTW, inquiring minds wonder what you look like when you are "flabbergasted". Is it something like what curly, larry, and moe look like when they get kicked in the rear?
DarJones
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Post by 12540dumont on Apr 15, 2012 19:17:27 GMT -5
Warning the following photo is disturbing. I'm flabbergasted. Thanks Dar, Squashes will be planted pointy side down. I'll do the melons the same way! Every day is important with long season squash. Attachments:
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