by Nebula Haze
Occasionally during cannabis seed germination, the seed shell (or a piece of membrane from in the shell) gets stuck to the leaves and prevents your seedling leaves from opening up. Here’s how to deal with this common issue (sometimes called “helmet head” or “bucket head” seedlings).
Is the shell stuck on your cannabis seedling?
Or are the leaves stuck together and unable to open up?
Today’s tutorial will show you exactly what to do. Free your leaves!
Valuable Tool: Pointy tweezers (though most tweezers will work in a pinch)
What to do if Your Cannabis Seedling Shell Gets Stuck (“Bucket Head” Seedlings)
Sometimes leaves get stuck in the shell of the cannabis seed. Here’s what to do.
Quick summary:
- Mist or put drops of water on the shell to help soften it up. Can be repeated.
- Give the seedling 24-48 hours to see if it pushes the shell off on its own.
- If the leaves can’t open up after this period, you need to do surgery. Continue to the next step.
- Get your tweezers.
- Close tweezers so they are as narrow as possible
- Put tweezers inside the crack where the root came out.
- Slowly allow tweezers to open, which will gently pry the shell apart without you having to put any force or tug on the seedling.
Now that you’ve read a quick summary of how to safely remove the shell, here’s more information with pictures.
It’s helpful to understand that a cannabis seedling’s first two leaves were already fully formed inside the shell. What you’re doing is trying to “free” the leaves so they can open up and get light. Until the leaves open up, the plant can’t start photosynthesizing from the light. Seedlings need open leaves so the plant can grow.
Your goal is to “free” the leaves so they can open up
Ignore stuck shells if the leaves are already free. The shell will fall off on its own. And even if it doesn’t, it’s not going to affect your plant at all.
This is fine because the seedling leaves are open. Just ignore the shell and it will fall off on its own.
Mist or add drops of water to the shell to help soften it along the crack. This step can be repeated throughout the day.
Before doing anything else, give the seedling 24-48 hours to see if it pushes the shell off on its own. Many seedlings just need a little extra time and don’t need your help. In the best-case scenario, you don’t have to get involved. Seedling surgery can be dangerous.
If you don’t see any progress and the leaves still seem trapped after a day or two, you may need to remove the shell to release the leaves contained inside. If leaves can’t break free and see the light, the seedling may die.
This cannabis seedling germinated 2 days ago and has roots growing out the bottom, but the seed shell is still totally stuck. This seedling needs help or it may die.
Close tweezers so they are as narrow as possible and put them inside the crack where the root came out. Then slowly allow tweezers to open, which will gently pry the shell apart.
Why not use your fingers?
I used to use my fingers to remove shells but it can be hard not to disturb the seedling. Then I learned that a pair of pointy tweezers can be inserted into the crack and allowed to gently open to pry the seed apart. Don’t tug or use any force whatsoever. Just gently and slowly release the leaves. The leaves may be stuck to the shell at first and it can take several seconds of gentle tugging for the leaves to slowly loosen and pull away from the shell. If you’re having trouble, add some water to the stuck part and wait a few minutes to help soften it up.
What if the leaves can’t open because part of the inside of the shell is holding them together?
If the seedling leaves aren’t opening up because they’re stuck inside the seed membrane, here’s what to do.
- Put drops of water on the membrane to help soften it up so it’s easier for the seedling to push off. Can be repeated.
- Give the seedling 24-48 hours to see if it escapes on its own.
- If the leaves can’t open up after this period, you need to do surgery. Continue to the next step.
- Wet the membrane one last time and give it a few minutes to soften up.
- Hold the stem gently but firmly between your fingers so you don’t pull the seedling out of the soil, which will break the roots.
- Use tweezers to gently remove the membrane while still holding the stem.
- In some cases, it’s easier to stick the tweezers inside and pry the leaves apart just like with a shell.
If leaves are stuck inside the shell membrane for more than a day or two, do this: Wet the membrane, wait a few minutes, then use tweezers to gently pry it away from leaves.
Once you can see the two individual leaves are separated, you’re good to go! They should open up within an hour or two.
Happy seedlings are the best seedlings
Read my tutorial on the easiest cannabis germination method!
