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Post by michaeljohnson on Mar 31, 2016 2:21:14 GMT -5
I have read over the years many various methods to get the stuck seed helmets off tomato seed that have germinated poorly, none of which are very successful except for my own invented best method developed by me, and it is so simple- it even cures really bad stuck helmets that are just little hard balls with no green showing at all ,but it works best on those that are half open with the helmet left stuck on the top. Method:- mix about half a teaspoon full of Miracle grow blue stuff general fertiliser available everywhere, into one litre of warm water, an empty soda pop one litre bottle is ideal, then dribble a few drops of the mixture around the roots of the problem sprouted seeds, and then just wait- perhaps about 3 to 5 days, the extra nitrogen and micro nutrients in the mix will cause the green seed leaves to suddenly start growing and either push off the helmet altogether or make the seed leaves longer and nice and green where you can just simply nip off the offending stuck seed helmet, it's as simple as that-works 100% every single time, all this comes from 50 odd years of tomato experience when you finally transplant the new young seedlings-transplant them back into seed mix compost rather than potting compost this will prevent any leggy plants.
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Post by zeedman on Apr 24, 2016 21:49:39 GMT -5
For small quantities, spraying or dripping water on the 'helmets' several times a day helps to loosen them too.
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Post by DarJones on May 6, 2016 10:32:02 GMT -5
Put a drop of saliva on the seed coat and watch it soften and come off.
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Post by michaeljohnson on May 8, 2016 0:03:14 GMT -5
With all other methods it is time consuming and labour intensive, which may work or not ?, with the method I have outlined above there is nothing further to do after you apply the first few drips of the blue stuff at the base of each seedling-from then on it is all natural and the plant pushes off it's own seed husk.
The only problem with all other methods is that you can often damage the seeds leaves in trying to help and remove the husk by hand,
With my method- you also have to remember when you transplant the seedlings when their first true leaves are showing-transplant them back into seed mix rather than into potting mix, this then prevents the little plants from becoming leggy and shooting up too fast as a result of the treatment with the blue stuff, -this then returns them to normal growth pattern.
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Post by Joseph Lofthouse on May 8, 2016 16:42:09 GMT -5
just wait [...] it's as simple as that-works 100% every single time I concur...
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