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I'am somewhat new to growing pumpkins {2nd year} I start my seeds on a heat mat in a wet paper towel in a sandwich bag. Everything goes good once the seed gets a root on it {usually within 48 hours}I put it in a quart container of seedling soil and wet it. Within 3 to 4 days the seed is pushing through the soil. It sheds the shell or I will help it along if it seems it's unable to do so on it's own. The problem I'm having is the cotyledons are curling under but the true leaves have no problems growing. I didn;t have this problem last year any idea the reason for this and or will this hurt the plant?

5/11/2023 8:15:19 PM

New Castle, Indiana

Cots can be pretty curly sometimes. Do they look otherwise fine? There's all kinds of minor leaf anomalies that the plant will tend to grow out of. The only thing you want to be on the lookout for is if it starts throwing out two leaves at a time. If it doesn't grow out of that then you've got a much less viable situation.

5/11/2023 8:46:46 PM

Syracuse, NY

Pretty funny that I have an extreme example of leaf curl as of just now I posted it - I do not think the leaf curl will affect later growth, but may affect if one gets planted, lol:

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=337747

I'll always give a weird one a chance, lol---eg

5/12/2023 12:36:58 AM

Stanwood, Washington

Don't worry about the Cots. as long as the true leaves aren't inhibited by them in some way it will be fine.

5/12/2023 12:04:08 PM

Grittyville, WA

There could be a lot of factors in why they curl from moisture levels to nutrients to light intensity or even the seed itself... some of the Jutras squash seeds awhile ago had curly cots my squashkin (half Jutras squash) did too, so add genetics to the list as well?

5/12/2023 4:27:52 PM

Syracuse, NY

I do believe that the clear sheathing that is amazingly
on the outside of the seed inside the harvested pumpkin & just inside the pumpkin seed's shell and also between the seed leaves within the seed - If any of the second two remain on the cots I believe it inhibits proper exposure to the air and thusly can prevent that part of the seed leaf from growing, throwing off the normal growth of the leaf.
Gently remove it with tweezers any time you see it. eg

5/12/2023 9:19:55 PM

Kutztown, PA

Some folks say if you mess around with the seed coat, i.e. pull it off before it comes off naturally it can mess up the cots, don't know. I've done it before and it didn't hurt anything. I think a lot of people use the paper towel method because they're worried about what's goin on in the deep dark confines of starting mix and they just have to know if they're seed is germinating or being eaten by a monster. Some who use that method stick the root end of the seed/root end facing down when they plant them. There's something about laying them flat that seems more natural and of course germinating them in starting mix/soil is more natural. I think if you stick it in the ground pointing down the seed coat just become a helmet. When they're lad flat it seems like one side of the seed is pulled away as the seedling bends itself upward. May "All Natural" is the way to go. I've never been a big fan of abnormal or nursing plants.

5/15/2023 2:57:40 PM

Syracuse, NY

Just for YOU, Garwolf:
http://www.bigpumpkins.com/Diary/DiaryViewOne.asp?eid=337858

Oh, these OREO cookies are pretty scared after 'seeing' what I just posted. ...Like the guy next in line after Elaine of the 'Soup' episode of Seinfeld...OMG. Ha Ha eg

5/16/2023 2:57:43 AM