seed shell stuck on seedling

I have gone through almost 10 seeds with the same problem. First off, the strain is chemdog from G.H. The seeds germinate fine in a cup of R.O. water on a heat mat. When I put them into the rockwhool or coco pellets the come up but the shell wont fall from the top of the seedling. At first I tried to let them fall off on their own, but the top of the seedlings started to rot in the shell. Next I tried to pull the shell off after the seedling was 2 inches tall. That also failed. The tops of the seedlings were yellow when I pulled the shell off and in a couple days under my 125Watt Feliz CFL it too died. What am I doing wrong? Is it just these seeds from G.H.? This was my only time ordering from them. I have some new grape ape seeds on the way from Barneys Farm. Is Barneys better that Green house? Help would be awesome thanks

leave the shell fall off on it's own.
It will fall off as the plant grows.
Sometimes doing less is better than doing more.

It'll definitely come off on its own.

If you're willing to take the risk, you can use a sharp tooth pick and get under it (from the stem) and pull it off. If you do make sure the membrane comes off too, so that you're cotyledon leafs pop open.

You're risking tearing it off tho, but people do it all the time. I've done it 2 or 3 times

Top fuel is soooo right tho, less really is so much more with this plant. 90% of problems are caused from fucking with it too much.

Drop some a little bit of water on to the shell to losen it up, then very gently remove it, ive had to do this a few times. You can also try planting your seeds a little deeper if this is a regular thing, the seed being pushed up through the dirt is what normally takes the shell off

i would add i have killed more seedling than ive helped by doing that
just throwing it out there

Follow Mother Nature's plan and don't fuck with it.

This happens 80% of the time for me, use a toothpick. Wet it and pick a side, poke the middle of the closed leafs to remove the plastic looking thing.

Based on the question your experience is kind of obvious (as was mine when I asked close to the same) , so after I fucked up my seedling trying to pick the shell off and restarted with another and had the same thing happen I took a teaspoon of water and dripped it over the seedling until the shell was shed by itself. the next ones I simply planted deeper and haven't had the problem again HIH

It's fine, just leave it.

thanks for all of the tips everyone!!! Ya'll are a great help. I have had some good runs in the past and it seems like getting started is the hardest part for me. With my outdoor crop I just put the seeds directly in the pots and they all came up fine and are now flowering and looking good. With my grape ape I will plant deeper and try to just not mess it up.

my grape ape just popped ground. The shell was on both, needless to say I normaly have a seedling with the shell stuck on. I'll spray water on the seedling with a spray bottle. Let it sit for a bit then remove it with tweezers and if the cotyledon membrane is still on I'll carefully remove it with a razor. If you have a steady hand it's not hard.

I just germinated a chemdog from GH myself. Best to remove the seedcap yourself. If you feel comfortable leaning the seedling over it is easier to proceed. If not, stake the seedling up with a toothpick and a pipecleaner. (Pipecleasners are to growers like duct tape is for rednecks). Once the seedling is stable take 2 toothpicks and gently pry off the seedcap. Remember, the seedcap is designed to come off the top of the plant. So if you have to use a bit of force push the cap that way. I don't hardly have this problem anymore as I germinate in 6 soggy paper towels sealed in a big baggie. I leave the baggie alone and then open it at 48 hours to check them and turn the air inside the baggie over. At 48 hours there is about 1/2 inch of a tap root sticking out. I reseal the baggie for another 24 and then they are ready with 1 to 1 1/2 root exposed. That is when I pry off any remaining seedcaps while they are still laying down. Good luck, BigSteve.

I concur with bigsteve I am a noob but I have grown to certain lengths before just never flowered it, I find that I have this problem reduced either in occurrence or difficulty with removing the shell by cracking the shell open myself for germination. I do it because I am familiar with seeds and I feel confident, I use a razor to cut a hole in the shell exposing the seedling but without damaging it. Mind you I do bagseed so my seeds are free but I would still do it now with payed for ones, I guess practice on bagseed. Point is I can just pull the shell with my fingers if it doesn't fall off. If you choose to use this method hope this helped and to directly answer... if my seeds ever pop up with the shell,I remove the shell when I see it. Like opening a clam

Try using. 2 pins or something pointy. Simultainiously pry the two open ends away from it.

BarnBuster said:

Follow Mother Nature's plan and don't fuck with it.

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Mother Nature's plan was to let the seed break through the surface and scrape off the hull, but that didn't happen. The grower has assumed Mother Nature's job and must respond and correct accordingly or risk a dud egghead with not enough energy to break it open.

Softening the seed hull will help, I use two tooth picks to help pry the hull open enough, sometimes they fall right off, sometimes the membrane clings to it letting me know to let it stay. Force it and you might damage the stem, be gentle and patient.