seeds-germination Seed helmet?

[POTAWIE]

I prefer to take them off before damage occurs. You just have to have a steady hand and be slow and patient
To avoid helmets, plant seeds deeper

 

[PrairieChilihead]

I prefer to take them off before damage occurs. You just have to have a steady hand and be slow and patient
To avoid helmets, plant seeds deeper

This is exactly what I would say. I usually leave the seedling for a day or so to see what the plant will do on it's own. If the helmet is still there I dampen it thoroughly and then, grasping the plant as close to the husk as possible with my left hand, I gently start to apply a steady pressure on the husk with my right. It can take several minutes, but as long as you are patient, as Potawie says and don't use any sudden or erratic motions, you can be successful. It helps to dampen the husk, though. Just my two cents on a topic that haunts all of us.

If I see the husk while the plant is still looped, I often place more damp soil on top of it to give it another day or two surrounded by soil, and that seems to help.

 

[Joseph Stalin]

Leave them alone, they'll come off.

One sure way to kill a chile plant is to give them to much of this kind of attention.

I pulled them off willard, and every single one is doing great now! Even though some got the first leaves cut off, still thriving.

 

[Justaguy]

I decapitated a few this year. I pinch the seams together to crack it then gently pull. If no movement then they do their thing for a day or two more.

 

[Fremp]

This may sound really stupid,but I'd love to see a video. I'm currently batting 0-4 in getting the helmets off. Maybe I don't have the same hands I had 10 years ago during my O.R. Rotations, but I cant seem to get these damn things off properly.


Again this may sound really stupid...LOL

 

[Huskerfan47]

I just clipped off my seed case and there don't appear to be cotyledon leaves, or they are extremely tiny, is this a problem?