My seedlings look like roots

[Lenny]

Hey guys,

First time grower in ontario Canada (yes it's legal here). I soaked my seeds in paper towel as most people suggest and dropped them in a soil mix after the roots start breaking through. I made a little hole and dropped them in and now some of my seedlings are just long pale things with a point and no leaves growing out of the soil and they curve downwards. They almost look like roots. Is it possible that I planted the seeds upside down? If so should I flip them around or is it better to let them fix themselves?

[Gingerbeard]

How's about a picture? It sounds like your seedlings are doing what seedlings do. Tap root first. The shell of the seed will poke through and your first cotyledons will appear.
Man, do we love pictures! Not so much family and cat pictures, though.

[dilvish]

They should have been planted with the seed side up. It was the taproot that comes out of the seed that gets planted down in the soil. seeds should have a taproot at least 1-1.5 inches in length before planting in soil.

[SoOrbudgal]

How interesting

[Gingerbeard]

Just wanted to share...
The first picture shows four examples of what came from the straws. Other straws were plugged like you see in the solo cup. The stalk grew out of the straw. Nary a danger of breaking a root and feeders are already going.

[JDU]

Now that's slick! Great hack 👍

[Gingerbeard]

I hacked something JDU? Crap! Yeah, me!

[Gingerbeard]

The picture I can't find is the one where I grew the taproot about seven inches long in a full straw. Same size sprout above soil. I was watering it three or four times a day because it dried out so fast and was rootbound. Then, one day, I only watered once. You can fill it in from there.

[Lenny]

Wow am I ever bad at giving updates. So i planted the seed upside down and it was in fact the taproot that came out of the soil. I flipped them over but they quickly died after. Although the cause of death was likely my overwatering since I felt guilty for planting my babies upside down. To make up for it I apparently drowned them. Ah well you live and learn. Thanks for the help guys. I'm having another go at it and I will definitely let the tap root grow longer this time! Someone told me it should be planted when it gets to 1/4 to 1/2 inch? I'll try letting it grow more and trust me I wont ever go seed first in the hole again 😂

[Rwise]

I plant mine as soon as the shell cracks, why? because my clumsy ass would (and have) crush(ed) the tap root. They are very delicate at this stage, me myself and I have better results planting sooner and not letting the tap root grow out..