Broccoli sprouting funny

Zmoore 5/31/2016, 8:04 am

Well, first year trying Broccoli. Seeded straight in garden. Good news, all 4 plants came up, BUT it's almost like the root came out of the ground, ran along the ground a little then turned up a stem and leaves. I should have gotten a picture, sorry. Each little broccoli plant had this white thin filament that ran from what looked like to me should be the base of the plant about an inch along the ground and then down into the ground to where I assume the seed is.
Anybody seen this before and can tell me what I did wrong or what the problem is?
I have had some radishes do something similar, instead of forming a bulb in the ground it's like the "tap root" comes out of the ground and then the leaves grow up.
What's up?

countrynaturals 5/31/2016, 10:50 am

Zmoore wrote:Well, first year trying Broccoli. Seeded straight in garden. Good news, all 4 plants came up, BUT it's almost like the root came out of the ground, ran along the ground a little then turned up a stem and leaves. I should have gotten a picture, sorry. Each little broccoli plant had this white thin filament that ran from what looked like to me should be the base of the plant about an inch along the ground and then down into the ground to where I assume the seed is.
Anybody seen this before and can tell me what I did wrong or what the problem is?
I have had some radishes do something similar, instead of forming a bulb in the ground it's like the "tap root" comes out of the ground and then the leaves grow up.
What's up?

I've had the exact same thing happen with radishes and broccoli. I thought maybe I didn't plant the seeds deep enough. I'll be watching for the experts to check in and set us straight. thinking

**trolleydriver** 5/31/2016, 10:59 am

Same for me with radishes.

BeetlesPerSqFt 5/31/2016, 12:07 pm

I had some seeds this year, including broccoli, that seemed to germinate 'upsidedown' - root in the air, seed leaves mostly stuck in the dirt. I'm thinking the seed coat got 'caught' in the dirt and was too firm for leaves to sneak free AND I didn't plant deep enough, so instead of the root forcing the stem/leaves up, it ended up forcing itself up instead? Does that sound similar? idk

I had a number of seedlings that seemed to have a hard time getting free of their seed coat this year - it would get stuck on the seed leaf tips, wouldn't just brush off.

**Scorpio Rising** 5/31/2016, 11:40 pm

Your SFG is clearly possessed, call the priest right now!

lol!

Seriously, kidding.....

Honestly I have never experienced that. Sounds like what nurses would call an inborn error, just not meant to be, we will never know why! Strange, still.

Zmoore 6/2/2016, 11:51 am

+1 and update.
My "gut" told me to cover the exposed filament/root running across the ground to the base of the stem that appeared to be the broccoli plant. I checked yesterday and 3 of the 4 are now dead with the 4th looking very feeble.
So... that didn't work.
Haven't found anything yet to explain why the plants did that.

BeetlesPerSqFt 6/3/2016, 12:38 pm

Zmoore wrote:+1 and update.
My "gut" told me to cover the exposed filament/root running across the ground to the base of the stem that appeared to be the broccoli plant. I checked yesterday and 3 of the 4 are now dead with the 4th looking very feeble.
So... that didn't work.
Haven't found anything yet to explain why the plants did that.

Zmoore, since they are dead, could it have been damping off? Rereading your description, I can see it matching the second picture here:
http://www.gardenbetty.com/2015/03/what-is-damping-off-disease/

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