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seeds Don't you hate "helmet head" seedlings?

Yep, I hate helmet heads too. Being relatively new I haven't got the skills most on here have for removing them, so unfortuantely have killed a few plants while trying to remove the case. Though I have also been extremely lucky and had some pull through my hack job attempt at removing them, or they've shed the helmet by themselves. At $10-20 a seed though, I'd be mighty worried seeing a helmet head!
 
I have recently had quite a few helmet heads -  so decided to do a little test. I left half of them as helmet heads, and i intervened[SIZE=9pt] [/SIZE]and removed the other half of the helmets with small pliers.
 
I never had a single helmet head that failed to come off by itself. Even the ones that really looked to be "on there" and standing fully tall before the cotys even began to emerge - the coty's still pulled themselves out.
 
The ones where i intervened all survived and had slightly damaged or deformed cotys. The ones that i left be all have perfect non-damaged cotys and are in general doing well/ In fact better then the ones where i helped remove the seed case.
 
I actually went on to transfer the "runts" i.e. the ones with damaged cotys up into larger pots - whereas i left the non-damaged ones in pellets for longer to see if the "runts" would now catch up as they were transplanted earlier.
from now on i will not bother trying to remove helmet heads and will leave them be to do it themselves.
 
filmost said:
Also with helmet heads, I just gently cover them with more soil and let them work their way out of it.
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I tend to think that most helmet heads are caused by the seeds not being planted deep enough - as you state, they work their way out of it when there's enough soil to push against. Still, I've had a few that just refused to budge, and if the cotyledons are stuck together in there is, by my experience, the most common cause of plants dying from helmet head. It seems that if only one cotyledon is stuck the plant can handle it, though. The few times I've felt it was necessary to remove the helmet head, I soaked it thoroughly with water from a spray bottle to soften up the seed casing, then used tweezers to gently squeeze on the seam (thereby making the opening larger) and GENTLY tugging at it. If it doesn't come off easily, I wait another day and try again. 
 
Since I germ all my seed in paper towel I've had more than a few helmet heads. I tend to give them a bit of a squish on the seams with my fingers and brush them gently in the direction of the cotyledons. If it doesn't come off fairly easy I put it back under the heat dome with a drop or two of water on the casing. It eventually comes off.

Neil
 
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I'm really hoping my c. galapagoense sheds its helmet soon! I've been waiting for it to germinate for over a month. I've had some grow their cotyledons through the seed cap before! I find that wetting the seed caps helps them a bit to pull through.
 
I think depends on method you use. If you use a heat dome, inside will be more wet (water will condensate on the cover and remain inside). If simply put the seeds and have no cover, the moist will evaporate, and the helmet will be more dry than under heat dome. I also suggest as Blister sayd, to moist a bit the helmet, and put a cover, to keep moist, and give a bit time to helmet to suck the water. If is wet, will come out easier, and the edges are no more so sharp.
 
i have dealt with this quite a bit with manzano seeds as they are very hard and woody. i found putting a drop of water on the head with a turkey baster a few times a day help to soften them. so yeah keep them wet.
 
PMD i'm about an hour away.  i have some interesting f1 seeds.  pm me if you would like.
 
I hold the pre-soaked helmet with my left thumb/forefinger.  With my other hand, I take my moustache scissors, and make a very shallow snip along one side of the helmet.  Do not attempt this maneuver right after morning coffee.
 
I had quite a few this year. I had much better success pulling the seeds off by NOT grabbing on the edge of the seed. The ones I grabbed the front/back of seed all came off easily, I lost 3/4 of the ones I tried to save by grabbing the edges.
 
Blister said:
Since I germ all my seed in paper towel I've had more than a few helmet heads. I tend to give them a bit of a squish on the seams with my fingers and brush them gently in the direction of the cotyledons. If it doesn't come off fairly easy I put it back under the heat dome with a drop or two of water on the casing. It eventually comes off.

Neil
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I germinate between damp coffee filters (the weave is denser, reducing the chances of the roots getting embedded and then possibly torn when attempting to remove.) I try to move the seeds to the seed starting mix as soon as a tiny bit of root peeks out - this way they still have to push against the mix to come up.
 
geeme said:
I tend to think that most helmet heads are caused by the seeds not being planted deep enough - as you state, they work their way out of it when there's enough soil to push against.
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I sissy planted all the pepper seeds and had this issue, most threw them, but luckily read one of your posts about mist/tweezer pinch and it worked like a charm on the two clamshells.
 
Cannabis seeds are incredibly virulent (see: weed) and can be planted much deeper. Someone on the Mag or TSD (defunct) journaled a 2+ inch sow, claimed more vigor and no helmet head issues.
 
Seeds produce variety, cuts are always the same :) And half the time come covered in tiny little gifts waiting to hatch.
 
Helmet head is just a slight inconvenience. I just surgically remove the seed hull with a pair of tweezers and a scalple. 100% success rate to date on probably 10 patients.
 
HP22BH said:
Helmet head is just a slight inconvenience. I just surgically remove the seed hull with a pair of tweezers and a scalple. 100% success rate to date on probably 10 patients.
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Its just like playing operation as a child LOL.
 
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