seedlings with severe "helmet head" syndrome

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jmc1987 Cascade, VA(Zone 7a) Mar 16, 2014

i have just noticed 2 of my german johnson tomato seedlings coming up, but both of them have "helmet head" as they call it (seed casing stuck on seed leaves), and quite severely, the seed casing isnt just stuck to the end of the seed leaves, its stuck on there so tightly that it looks more like someone stuck a match stick in the soil, lol. advice on working the seed pod loose? or just let it do its thing?

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Doug9345 Durhamville, NY(Zone 5b) Mar 16, 2014

I've let some do there thing and I've tried removing some. I've had some success and many failures. I've had more failures with peppers though. If the cotyledons will start growing I leave then be until the seed leaves are a half inch long or so and just break one leave tip so that they can spread out.


When I've felt the need to remove them I wet the helmet head but taking a pair of forceps, dipping them in water and then placing the drop of water on the plant. I then use an xacto knife to try to tease the seed coat apart.

I find it happens to me more when I buried the seed very shallow in a light weight mix. Letting the mix dry on top makes it worse.

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stephanietx Fort Worth, TX(Zone 8a) Mar 16, 2014

This happened to EVERY single of my bell pepper sprouts this year. So frustrating!

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