Hi, I have put some sweetcorn onto kitchen roll to 'chit' which they have done - got quite a few with little tails!
Now my silly question is when I plant those do I plant them with the tail downwards?
Not really having a clue what you mean Tatty i would suggest that you put the roots ( that's the part that is still under the compost) into the ground and the top bit sticking out which will develop leaves sticking out of the ground
mmm maybe I have not explained myself very well!
I read on here about chitting sweetcorn on damp kitchen roll to see which ones were going to germinate
Then plant into compost the ones that develop little tails - now I am thinking that because they are called tails then you plant them with this part going down into the compost?
Or should I just lay them onto the top of the compost so they find their own way?
bury them a bit, tail down :)
Thank you!
I feel silly for asking but I seemed to have had a few things growing upside down! See told you it was silly!
My first pumkin seemed to have roots growing up and the leaves down, gave up and resowed some more seeds. Now I have some mangetout which looks like it has roots coming up?!
wierd, they usually right themselves, how deep did you plant your mangetout seeds?
I am not an experienced gardener but if I'm not sure which way up they go I plant them on their side.. hasn't failed yet
bit difficult with peas though, I only pre chit parsnips or old seed
Cannot remember - but wouldn't have been very deep - maybe 1/4 inch?
I only pre chitted the sweetcorn - mangetout was sowed as normal in cell tray
can't imagine then, unless the cells are full of roots?
A photo would probably solve this, how far are the peas developed they could be tendrills
Difficult for me to as i don,t pre chit any thing
Lay them flat on the compost so that you avoid breaking the tap root!(that would be curtains!)
Lightly cover with compost and the plant will do the rest.
i sown some sweetcorn in modules as i ran out of peat pot, and had to repot into peat pots once established,avoid any damage to the roots is the key as stated previous
best way i find is to sow straight into large peat pots,and plant the whole item out,saves disturbing the roots
Thank you for replies - I will try and get some pics of the mangetout tomorrow to show what they look like!
I have been using peat pots a lot lately as I like not having to disturb the plant as little as possible.
Quite a lot of seeds will send out a root first ( the tail)so that goes down.
I have just chitted a whole load of climbing french beans. They chit very quickly, with the root emerging within a day or two, then the top almost explodes as the shoot comes out the other way.
I think the quickest are things like squash, marrows and courgette - can be as quick as 24 hours. I always chit things like that and sweet corn. They go straight into pots and it means I don't waste compost on dead seeds and germination is more successful with chitting. With expensive seed like cucumber and melon I would not use any other technique.
Bury them in compost and don't worry about which way is down. Roots will automatically go down, and shoots up, whatever you do.
Quote from: Tatty on May 14, 2010, 20:46:55
Thank you!
I feel silly for asking but I seemed to have had a few things growing upside down! See told you it was silly!
My first pumkin seemed to have roots growing up and the leaves down, gave up and resowed some more seeds. Now I have some mangetout which looks like it has roots coming up?!
I expect that your seedlings will have shown their first leaves by now but I imagine what you you thought were roots coming up were the stems of the seedlings.
To break the soil, they come up with the stem bent over, a bit like you pushing something up with your back rather than your head. Once the soil is broken, the stem straightens up and the first leaves open. Proper leaves follow these first cotyledon (seedling) leaves.
I think all seeds send out roots first when they germinate and roots always go down; which ever way up the seed is planted.
Just for fun, make a roll of kitchen paper and put it into a glass jar. Place runner bean seeds between the paper and the glass, keep damp and watch how the seed germinates and how the roots always find 'down' which ever way up it is placed. Keep in the dark until it germinates. I remember as a child we had 'races' with these at school. These germinated beans can be popped into compost once germinated if you wish.
Sorry for the long post..... :o
Quote from: Tatty on May 14, 2010, 20:46:55
Thank you!
I feel silly for asking but I seemed to have had a few things growing upside down! See told you it was silly!
My first pumkin seemed to have roots growing up and the leaves down, gave up and resowed some more seeds. Now I have some mangetout which looks like it has roots coming up?!
It's true - can happen! I had a squash last year that I poked around a bit (to aerate the compost) because it seemed to have only partially germinated then frozen and it carried on growing after that upside down. I think I turned it over by accident.
I have never chitted anything other than potatos. Is there an advantage to chitting other things??? which seed can you chit? I might have a go next year if it is beneficial.