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Portland, CT

I would try using seed starting mix only. Where in New England are you?

1/16/2026 7:43:31 PM

New England

Central MA

1/16/2026 8:00:58 PM

Portland, CT

Nice! You have lots of good growers around you. But yeah as far as seed starting goes I would try seed starting mix and keeping the soil a little drier. Also idk how deep you buried it but you don't have to bury more than 1/2" in my opinion.

1/16/2026 8:22:52 PM

New England

Perhaps ill get a spot in the tent at Woodstock :-) thanks for advice, I thought growing medium was most likely culprit

1/16/2026 8:58:15 PM

What it looks like to me is that the seed's tips were stuck together or in some way took awhile to get out of the seed, as can be seen on the other tip as well and rotted just a bit. At least it sprouted, so, 100%! Yay! I believe that when it comes to sprouting anything in other than a clear plastic cup (16 oz.), the seed has a big job of sending down a very long tap root and has nothing interim (Oh, I have ideas, lol) to help push the seedling out of the shell and upper SS Mix. I am NOT disparaging seed-starting in other than clear plastic cups, lol. I like 'a lot of room and many'. I started 2 '25 seed types of mine literally weeks ago (Dec. 22nd or so) and those 6 plants, (3,3) in 5-gallon buckets (2), have just now reached the midpoint of the SS Mix surface and the bucket rim. I had my previous ones die on me (What?) so I'm being very careful with the spray-on fertilizer, which is not even yet NEEded, lol. I did not have any SS Mix, so, I used the other component of my usual SS method - Burpee Coir Bricks (add 5 quarts of H2O) and added Mycorrhizae, a beneficial fungus... My favorite poison is Jiffy Natural and Organic for Seed Starting; WalMart, 5-6-something a bag, 12 dry quarts. You don't wanna hear it all here, but if you're bored or something I can send you a long-winded, already-typed dissertation, lol, that I send to anyone I send bought-en seeds to and you've plenty of time to experiment, anyway. NO pressure! pumpkinpal@msn.com Perhaps the way you did it already will prove to be your method of choice, forever. Whatever works for ya! >>>Not a paid spokesperson, nor a Heavy Hitter, lol.<<< Oh, my other seedlings are doing very well, but these 5-gals are catching up! Later, and Good Luck!
eric gerry

1/16/2026 10:09:07 PM

New England

Ha, ok interesting. Part of the shell could have been lodged under heavier material given my choice of starter soil. I don't normally germinate veggie seeds that way but I was concerned I wouldn't even be able to get it to pop so I needed visual confirmation. I will note your contact info, ty. Enjoy the lake effect, spent 1997-2001 in Syracuse. I arrived to 144" of snow first year and a storm that leveled all the trees in the city. I was sooo happy with my choice :-)

1/16/2026 11:52:24 PM

Sunny Okanagan

I think pumpkinpal hit the nail on the head. The seed shell didn't pop off right away, which allowed the cotyledons to sit in stagnant moist conditions. I believe I've heard the term "pruning" (as in wrinkled like a prune?) used to describe the resulting brown areas on the seedling. All of the suggestions above are valid. I'm not sure whether you filed/sanded the seed edges, but that would be my only other suggestion.

1/17/2026 1:26:04 AM

New England

Wow this site is awesome, thanks for ALL the advice. Yes I did sandpaper edges and laid seed flat 1" deep. I think ill plant straight down in future. In the past, I just remove the shells from the cuke and zuke sprouts. Hopefully I can with these? I saw a video on YouTube and after soaking her seeds 6 hours she planted them in dry potting mix. They sprouted perfectly, which amazed me. Maybe ill try that? Is there any other way to get the harder shelled seeds to soften?

1/17/2026 2:12:38 AM

Pruning. Never thought of it as a condition or circumstance, just a verb that I don't do very much of! Yeah, we seem to be in the way of a lot of snow but I'm about 20 miles SouthEast and knock on wood, this past year any predictions have been for 'somewhere else' and I've always been able to get outta the driveway. 'Cept for that one Christmas Eve. Ahh, them kids'll be all right.
Ho, Ho, H... Still haven't seen Rudolph...
Ummm, you could also go to Grower Diaries in the Main Menu and pick any ~5 of them and see how they did everything in sequence, for years backward and meanwhile, yer little darlin' will grow, prosper and all that fun stuff! Not a Heavy Hitter, but I can sure sprout 'em, lol.

For fun, when doing the paper towel method, compress all the H2O out that you can in the sink with a pie plate or anything flat. Unfold/flatten/re-fold to what can be put in the ZipLoc bag. Place PT in ZL bag and tweezers-place seeds onto it,
NOT covering them up with the PT; (It's easy to end up with the ZL label in the way as well, lol!);
If bought seeds, Be SurE To MarK Them (Sharpie) as well as the ZL bag, regardless, with the date and time;
90%-close the ZL bag, leave a little opening and remember where it is; Hand or bath towel>>>Fold until just-larger than the ZLB; Place onto ZLB; Use pie plate/towel together to squeeze ALL of the air out whilst thumb-closing ZLB. This is to hold the seeds in place, give you an INSTANT view of the germinations and you can
place it on a living room door casing with a piece of tape---try to not run into it, SO excited to see activity!
*The processes in the ZL bag reduce the vacuum eventually and I AM CERTAIN that the seeds sprout better in a slight vacuum.
Higher = warmer. I've yet to check for the *F gradient; Roots'll grow DOWNward and some outward;
In one of my experiments, they've reached 27-28 inches long in a clear tube.
2-3 days 'til sprouts and life goes on!
Well, later and good luck to you both---eg

[Last edit: 01/17/26 3:49:56 AM]

1/17/2026 2:29:00 AM

Ha ha. Please note that I did not type the above in 17 minutes - more like 45, lol!
The movie can wait! Who ELSE is up at this hour researching and trying seed sprouting???
Oh, yeah, us seed nuts, lol.

Oh, yeah, Domino's, too, probably, butt they hid everything before I could catch 'em, lol.

I am very into seed-sprouting and there is so much to it ALL if one wants there to be, from here to pumpkin-sculpting at the not-so-bitter end.
Seed-soaking: H2O; Two shot glasses for a small order, lol, or just ANY glasses of the same size;
Fill one to 1/2, toss the luckiest seeds ever in there and add in the second glass, thereby fully-submerging the seeds; Tip a few (drinks) times and let the air bubbles out from below the first glass. Another* wise (I JUST SPELT ...whoops... 'wise' as 'wize', lol! ...and stared at it.)
Movie time!
Picked a BAD year to stop drinkin', lol. Lonnnnng way to '27...
...Ahem...grower* suggested putting a piece of paper towel over the seed(s) for water transfer and that just blew my mind, years ago. You will OFTEN see seeds simply floating on water. Okay for the porous, white seeds but for tan, brownish, etc., naahh, full submersion is more fun, said the fish.
Again, whatever works for anyone!
PS---Allow to soak for 4-6 hours & no more than a good night's sleep about it if it's REALLY bedtime.
PS2--I've been known to drain the water at that time and then, they're OK in the fridge 'til after work.
BOUGHT ones you'd be more attentive to, lol. (*_*)
Blah, Blah, Blah!
Well, HAND! (Have A Nice Day)!
eric g

[Last edit: 01/17/26 3:49:15 AM]

1/17/2026 2:51:38 AM

Thank you, Gardeneer.
The highest compliment to me is to be agreed with.
eg

1/17/2026 2:56:55 AM

Grittyville, WA

Too soggy & acidic? How old was the seed? Just curious. And curious about the ph of the potting mix.

1/17/2026 8:48:53 AM

New England

It was an extra seed thrown in with a purchase. They didn't remember the info on seed, could have been old most likely. Ya know, I didn't read ph at time of planting good point so I just stuck the probe in and it read 6.1. Ok there. I think it may have been a few aforementioned things

1/17/2026 9:29:02 AM