Seed...What way up ?

[Nutter3]

Hi all,,,, Im wondering what way up you plant your seed , pointy end up or down?.....As i , crack the seed before planting, exposing the tap root, then plant it root down.

 

But according to an article ive read recently, thats wrong.......apparently the 1st thing the tap root does is take a u turn,  so if its planted down it has to go up , then down again,....but if planting the root facing up it only has 1 turn to make, the reason for the u turn , is to give itself leverage to push out of the soil, which does make a lot of sence.

 

The article goes on to say if you dig up a seed (planted down) before emerging you will see more of a s bend in the tap root, & can lead to poor germination , because of the extra work its done

 

So can any 1 shed sum light on this theory.

 

Nutter3

[Ozzy420]

I think the u turn they are talking about happens inside the husk before it cracks once the tap root shows it will all ways point down.

 

Have a look at a seedling when it 1st germs the root will be point down and so will the growing tip that is how it is folded in the husk once the husk is gone the seedling will straiten out the root will head down and the growin tip reaching for the light.

 

So once a seed has cracked and u can see the tap root plant root facing down and the plant will do the rest no need to play with it...

[MongyMan]

Sorry ozzy but I can't agree.......plant them pointy end up IMO.

 

Planting them pointy end down will result in alot more seedlings popping the surface with the seed husk still attached. The uturn the tap root does is part of how the seedling orientates itself to release the seed husk as it pushes to the surface. this is different to the u turn that happens inside the husk before it cracks.

 

MongyMan

[Ozzy420]

Sorry ozzy but I can't agree.......plant them pointy end up IMO.

 

Planting them pointy end down will result in alot more seedlings popping the surface with the seed husk still attached. The uturn the tap root does is part of how the seedling orientates itself to release the seed husk as it pushes to the surface. this is different to the u turn that happens inside the husk before it cracks.

 

MongyMan

Ok but i assume that would be just planting the seed with out the soak and germin 1st?

[MongyMan]

No they still need to be pointy end up to take advantage of the u turn removing the husk or alot will surface with the husk still attached. You get the same problem if you let the tap root grow to long befor you plant them if you presoak and germ because the u turn needs to start as the root first emerges from the seed for the u turn to work as it should at removing the seed husk. (If the tap root is already long I'd plant them root point down. If i presoak I plant them as soon as the white tip emerges from the seed.) It is actually the u turn in the root that pushes up to the surface not the seedling. Once it surfaces it begins to straighten up. This lifts the seedling out from the seedhusk leaving the seedhusk under the surface and the seedling above the surface ready to grow.

[Nutter3]

The jury is still out, but sum exellent points made, hoping to get more input

Thx guys

 

Nutter

[Adeloudsmoker]

I have to agree with mongy, there's been a few times were I have planted the seed pointy end down, and every time it has popped up with the husk on. If I just throw the seed in the ground I find it does it own thing, I haven't actually planted a seed the other way around mostly because I germinate my seeds first. But I will definitely do a little test next, I snapped a pic that might help a little as well, as to why it may benefit planting the seed pointy side up. Edited June 28, 2016 by Adeloudsmoker

[_Puff_Tough_]

Either, nature isnt picky.

[hermananian]

I have noticed that on my pre germinated rock wool seedlings, "thats how I start them" usually have to have the husk removed. I point the root down the hole and just make it tight with a toothpick, they sprout quick, you just have to be carefull removing the husk. I found if I spray them with a mister it comes off easy.