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Paper Towel Germ Questions

OK, So I have had pretty good success. Many of my seeds have germinated and sprouted tails. I am keeping track of this in a spread sheet along with other details about my plants. Want to do a small data mining project on my plants.

Anyways, I see that many of them are getting stuck to the paper towels. What is my best bet for freeing them?

I was thinking that I would use a razor blade and just cut out the piece of paper towel that has the root in it. Then I will just plant the whole thing, paper towel and all.

Does that make sense? Any other suggestions?

thanks,
jj
 
JJBagoose said:
I am keeping track of this in a spread sheet along with other details about my plants. Want to do a small data mining project on my plants.
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I did that last year. Had graphs and charts that would make AJ jealous, and then I deleted it by accident one day. So this year ... meh. Just recording when the seeds were started and taking some pics with a date stamp. I'd love to see your data though.

JJBagoose said:
I was thinking that I would use a razor blade and just cut out the piece of paper towel that has the root in it. Then I will just plant the whole thing, paper towel and all.
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My only concern would be if the paper towel fragment caused some type of mold or fungus on the root later. I prefer to use (relatively) sterile cotton pads instead of paper towels that have who-knows-what chemicals in them from manufacture.
Otherwise, yeah, try your best not to damage the root, especially the grow tip. You can stunt a little fella from the get-go that way.
 
JJBagoose said:
OK, So I have had pretty good success.
Anyways, I see that many of them are getting stuck to the paper towels. What is my best bet for freeing them?

jj
Click to expand...


Actually to avoid this problem I just use coffee filters instead of paper towels. I've had peppers seeds shoot out 1 inch tap roots and I can freely pick it up and deposit it into some soil. The root does not get caught up in the filter at all.
 
JJBagoose said:
I was thinking that I would use a razor blade and just cut out the piece of paper towel that has the root in it. Then I will just plant the whole thing, paper towel and all.
Click to expand...

That's just what I do and have never lost a plant doing it.
 
When I transpant my little seedling, I push the root into the soil but leave the seed case exposed (if not leaved yet). Is this a problem? Should I put them into the further?
 
IMO, if you don't put the seed and sprout in the ground/soil whatever, there is nothing there to cause friction so the seed husk will come off...so I would bury it about 1/4-3/8"
 
It seems like I'm having issues with transplanting from paper towel into another medium. When I see the seed has germinated, I move it. However, a portion of the transplanted just peter out and die.

For those using the paper towel & ziplock method - is it good or bad to wait for it to develop a bit before transplanting? At what point do you make that transition?
 
I germ a lot of mine in tupperware containers rather than ziploc baggies, that way there is sufficient moisture to help get the seed off. After the seed leaves are open, I put put into some dirt and under the lights. There is a week to 10 days of no growth as the root gets re-established but after that all is good. Never lost one doing it that way.

When I did germ in baggies I always seemed to have some that after planting in dirt would not come up for some reason or another.
 
I plant them as soon as they sprout otherwise they grow into the paper towel
Don't think I've ever lost one with paper towel method
 
millworkman - I had a single species that broke out of the shell and put out leaves rather quickly. The others however are much slower to mature.

Potawie - I did switch from paper towel to large coffee filter to keep the seedlings from growing rooting into the paper. I had a Chiltepin that sprouted and put into dirt that doesn't seem to be doing much, very faintly colored and overall poor condition. This has happened several times with other types. I'm not sure what's happening.

To clarify, you do not wait until the seedling is completly out of the shell?
 
I wonder what is happening with mine then. You've had great success, mine is mediocre with some varieties. Do you cover the seeding entirely or leave the seed sticking up out of the medium?
 
I don't use the paper towel method much, I prefer rockwool now for the hard to starts or for just a couple seeds. Still use seedstarting mix for the bulk of the seeds. But with either one, when the taproot is about 1/4" long, I take them and plant them on their side about 1/4" - 3/8" deep in soil. Should take about 2 or 3 days to show themselves.

jacob
 
Interesting, planting them on their side. I plant the tap root downards with the seedcase at the surface. Are there advantages to placing them on their side? Could this be the issue with mine where they don't emerge?
 
Not sure if it caused your not to come up or not, but if you place them right on the surface, they may be drying out before they have the chance to emerge. I place them on their side so the taproot will come out, turn down and create the hook. Then when the hook starts to stand up, the friction of moving through the soil will push off the seed coat.

jacob
 
Good to see this year old thread still moving :)

I didn't have great success with the Paper Towels or coffee filters last year. I went with Jiffy Pellets for this season and have had better results. I just like the ease of starting them in the pellets and not needing to transplant them after germination.

Next year I think I want to just start straight from pro-mix or try Coir since that seems to be the "in" thing to do. Maybe it won't be next year :)
 
ultravista said:
millworkman - I had a single species that broke out of the shell and put out leaves rather quickly. The others however are much slower to mature.

Potawie - I did switch from paper towel to large coffee filter to keep the seedlings from growing rooting into the paper. I had a Chiltepin that sprouted and put into dirt that doesn't seem to be doing much, very faintly colored and overall poor condition. This has happened several times with other types. I'm not sure what's happening.

To clarify, you do not wait until the seedling is completly out of the shell?
Click to expand...

when you transplant these little delicate guys, your still using seed starter soil or a nuetral medium, right? Transplanting that young into "premium" soil, or anything with lots of nutrients could be too much for such a young seedling. I had a very similar problem last year, had 8 out of 12 seeds germinate and they all died shortly after germinating. Used "starter soil" and they did great
 
I've been using peat pots for the transplants, most take off while others dwindle and die. It doesn't appear to have any reason for it as the same species of plant is affected both ways. The Chiltepin is still small and imature while some of the other species are doing quite well. Maybe I'll try different medium next year. There are no nutes in the peat pots and since nearly killing the batch with a strong dose of Shultz, they are only getting water (sparingly).
 
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