Potting-up & Cotyledons

michael4spoons · March 23, 2006

Hi guys!

A real newbie here with a real newbie kinda question: awhile back I "potted-up" to the point just below where the first true leaves were showing inside the cotyledons (had read various places where that was the thing to do). Now, some three weeks later, the cotyledons are a half inch above the soil line and the true leaves are branching out an inch above that (other branches have developed also). The cotyledons are still quite green. Question: Will the cotyledons ever wither and go away? If not, is there a certain point at which it's okay to cover them up with mix, or is it best just to leave them alone?

geol · March 24, 2006

Sounds like a very healthy seedling that doesn't need any "help", congratulations. They will wither away when they outlive their usefulness.

**carolyn137** · March 24, 2006

And the cotyledons outlive their usefulness after true leaves are formed since now the plant can make it's own energy via photosynthesis.

The cotyledons provide energy to the plant only for a very short period of time and actually it's almost completely associated with initial germination.

bcday · March 24, 2006

Eventually the cotyledons will dry up by themselves, but I usually find that they haven't gone yet by transplanting time. It's OK to cover them with mix or even remove them first if you want to plant the seedlings deeper.

Tomstrees · March 24, 2006

excellent - so I'm going to bury
then when I transplant ~

Tom

March 23, 2006	#1
michael4spoons Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chattanooga, TN Posts: 3	Potting-up & Cotyledons Hi guys! A real newbie here with a real newbie kinda question: awhile back I "potted-up" to the point just below where the first true leaves were showing inside the cotyledons (had read various places where that was the thing to do). Now, some three weeks later, the cotyledons are a half inch above the soil line and the true leaves are branching out an inch above that (other branches have developed also). The cotyledons are still quite green. Question: Will the cotyledons ever wither and go away? If not, is there a certain point at which it's okay to cover them up with mix, or is it best just to leave them alone?

March 24, 2006	#3
carolyn137 Moderator Emeritus Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Upstate NY, zone 4b/5a Posts: 21,169	And the cotyledons outlive their usefulness after true leaves are formed since now the plant can make it's own energy via photosynthesis. The cotyledons provide energy to the plant only for a very short period of time and actually it's almost completely associated with initial germination. __________________ Carolyn

March 24, 2006	#5
Tomstrees Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NJ Bayshore Posts: 3,848	excellent - so I'm going to bury then when I transplant ~ Tom __________________ My green thumb came only as a result of the mistakes I made while learning to see things from the plant's point of view. ~ H. Fred Ale

March 24, 2006	#2
geol Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: NJ - 6/7 Posts: 109	Sounds like a very healthy seedling that doesn't need any "help", congratulations. They will wither away when they outlive their usefulness.

March 24, 2006	#4
bcday Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: NY z5 Posts: 1,205	Eventually the cotyledons will dry up by themselves, but I usually find that they haven't gone yet by transplanting time. It's OK to cover them with mix or even remove them first if you want to plant the seedlings deeper.