Tap root growing up through the surface!

darkdestruction420

Well-Known Member
Paper towel germinator for 13 years here, never a problem :-) Don't worry too much, nature will correct itself its really no big deal it happens sometimes especially when you're planting a number of seeds. It will be just fine :-)
we arent talking about nature here......he wants to intentionally point the tap root up when it germinates.
growtech,gogrow, fdd2blk.......one of u guys got any thoughts? i want to hear them:mrgreen:, time to bongsmilie be back soon lol
 

marley77

Member
yer man, y else wood it be called a tap ROOT, u plant it facing down so it can grow down(roots grow down) haha nuh it will correct itself good luck with the grow brobongsmilie
 

thelastpirate

Well-Known Member
no, you are very wrong. u want it pointing down! change directions isnt a problem if u plant them facing down because then it grows straight down.
You definitely need to plant the thing pointy end down. I find way too many "EXPERTS" on the 'net throwing out info they "heard" rather than what they have seen to be true. I had a lot of help screwing up my first grow.

I wish I had that jewel. I'd let it grow out just to see what happens. I'm betting that geotropism will kick in and sort things out.

I would have bet that it would have kicked in before tho... I had no idea it was even POSSIBLE for a plant to grow upside down, and stay pointed that way. I just really don't think it is possible.
 

lowryder666

Active Member
You definitely need to plant the thing pointy end down. I find way too many "EXPERTS" on the 'net throwing out info they "heard" rather than what they have seen to be true. I had a lot of help screwing up my first grow.

I wish I had that jewel. I'd let it grow out just to see what happens. I'm betting that geotropism will kick in and sort things out.

I would have bet that it would have kicked in before tho... I had no idea it was even POSSIBLE for a plant to grow upside down, and stay pointed that way. I just really don't think it is possible.

If you check out the link that I posted in post #14 you will have seen the results of a scientific experiment performed for both orientations. Performed in a transparent container to see the root and stem tracking for both cases. End result... it doesn't matter! Where do you get YOUR information from that says it must be planted pointy end down? So, by your own words, see it and believe it. You'll have to change your mind or call the experiment a lie!
 

cbtwohundread

Well-Known Member
thats odd the taproot should have automatically grew toward the pull of gravity,i would assume,,,ya know it pulls down toward the earth,,,but maybe thats jus the voice in my head speaking,,,but then again the voice in my head doeasnt lie....
 

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
sounds to me like the head of the sprout is coming up and it's just arched over. they do this all the time. as they push up thru the sol the head with the seed drags behind because it's bigger. the "tap root" bends and gets ahead of the head of the seedling. it breaks surface and is curled over. once it comes thru it straightens up.


these are not "real" babies. they are plants. they have been growing on their own for millions of years. there is NO little seed gnome that runs around in the wild turning all the little seeds right-side-up. :wink: bongsmilie
 

lowryder666

Active Member
sounds to me like the head of the sprout is coming up and it's just arched over. they do this all the time. as they push up thru the sol the head with the seed drags behind because it's bigger. the "tap root" bends and gets ahead of the head of the seedling. it breaks surface and is curled over. once it comes thru it straightens up.


these are not "real" babies. they are plants. they have been growing on their own for millions of years. there is NO little seed gnome that runs around in the wild turning all the little seeds right-side-up. :wink: bongsmilie
Can't be, otherwise it would have a head. It's the pointed end. Heads don't arch and grow back into the soil either and it all happened in the space of 24 hours.

She's MY baby dammit! And, on a familiar theme, you'll have to prove to me that seed gnomes DO NOT exist.
 

Jerry Garcia

Well-Known Member
there is NO little seed gnome that runs around in the wild turning all the little seeds right-side-up. :wink: bongsmilie
I think I recall someone else (CrackerJax?) referring to them as weed "fairies" who travel through the forest properly positioning seeds in nature...gnomes are good too (gnomes always remind me south park and the underpants gnomes...)

So why does anyone use the paper towel method in lieu of germinating directly in soil? The only reason I can gather is to test viability of the seeds so you aren't wasting a pot full of soil if the bean doesn't crack...
 

darkdestruction420

Well-Known Member
sounds to me like the head of the sprout is coming up and it's just arched over. they do this all the time. as they push up thru the sol the head with the seed drags behind because it's bigger. the "tap root" bends and gets ahead of the head of the seedling. it breaks surface and is curled over. once it comes thru it straightens up.


these are not "real" babies. they are plants. they have been growing on their own for millions of years. there is NO little seed gnome that runs around in the wild turning all the little seeds right-side-up. :wink: bongsmilie
dude, thats right i never even thought about it being the sprouts top w/o the beaner case cuz it is heds it in the soil is what he was saying. thanks for responding lol
 

fdd2blk

Well-Known Member
Can't be, otherwise it would have a head. It's the pointed end. Heads don't arch and grow back into the soil either and it all happened in the space of 24 hours.

She's MY baby dammit! And, on a familiar theme, you'll have to prove to me that seed gnomes DO NOT exist.


this is why i only fill my pots halfway when planting germed seeds. leaves me room to toss a little more soil on top if i need to.

i'd bury it with an inch of soil. bongsmilie
 

lowryder666

Active Member
Just to wrap this thread up.

My baby is fine. About and inch and a half tall now with the two round leaves and the first pair of serrated leaves. All this just three days since I STARTED germination in the paper towel. :-) :-)
 

Archness

Active Member
I think the point of major confusion is that the taproot first appears from the pointy end and naturally curls back towards the node. Basically taproot up or down can be dependent upon how far you allowed the taproot to grow in paper toweling.

It is just more consistent to say pointed end of the seed up.
 
I just had this happen, and I didn't germinate in paper towel. I put the seed straight into the jiffy pod. This morning the taproot is about a half inch tall growing straight up! I'm sure nature will work its course.

I also had a thought about planting with the taproot pointed up. When the root does indeed turn around, it will have more leverage in the soil to hel push the seed to the surface. Just a thought, don't know if it's true
 

Pauly.wants.a.cracker

Active Member
I've read that the tap root automatically changes direction once it's planted and then seeks to grow down. In fact the famous Mr Green video states that it must be planted pointy end up. If you plant pointy end down then it has to make two directional changes (the initial auto turn and then realising it's mistake another turn to grown straight down) and this wastes valuable energy at this stage. Hopefully it will sort itself out.
Yes pointy end up. The taproot grows out of the pointy end, does a u-turn and grows downward. What we mean by "taproot down" is the tip of the taproot should be pointed down in the direction that it needs to grow. If you place the entire taproot under the seed In the soil, it then has to change directions again and reorient itself, otherwise growing out of the soil or sideways. Although most seedlings will still be fine when planted improperly, this could stunt growth and extend flowering times.
 
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