From Paper Towel to Dirt - Some OG Help

If you can get beans to sprout and then have problems I can help. Most of the literature says that sprouted seeds should be placed in dirt so that the seedhead is about 1/2 inch under dirt - the seedcap being the highest point of the seedling. This works fine if you make sure the dirt between the seedcap and daylight is real fine and crumbly. The seedcap has to push through that dirt so it has to be easy going. Here's a better way - place the seedling in dirt so that the top of the plant is still visible. GENTLY press the soil around the 'ling to keep it stable. Now your plant doesn't have to push through any soil to get to the surface. Your success rate should be close to 100% with this technique. NOTE -- seedlings planted on the surface like this will need to be braced up as soon as they hit 2 inches or so. I always prop up new seedlings anyway so this is nothing extra, at least for me. I use large toothpicks and pipecleaners as props. Wrap the pipecleaner around the top of the brace and wrap it securely to the brace. You should have a pipecleaner tail sticking out sideways for 6-8 inches. Then you twist the pc so that it surrounds the main stem a couple inches above the soil level. This has been working for me for years. I just have to remember to brace the new seedlings from the moment they are tall enough to prop up, usually a couple inches. Works 4 me, BigSteve.