# How do seeds sprout?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-seeds-sprout/240604>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [April 18, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-seeds-sprout/240604 "2004-04-18T00:49:29Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-seeds-sprout/240604/1 "2004-04-18T00:49:29Z")

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when a seed germinates, it pushes a shoot up,so it goes above ground, and a root down into the soil. But how does the seed know which direction is up and which is down?

Could gravity have anything to do with it?

Have astronaughts tried growing seeds in zero gravity? With what result?

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**Author:** ![Kaotic\_Newtral](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@Kaotic\_Newtral](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaotic_Newtral)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-seeds-sprout/240604/2 "2004-04-18T01:53:07Z")

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Seems simple, but it’s true…it’s mostly gravity and light.

[http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/quick/plantgravity.html](http://www.reachoutmichigan.org/funexperiments/quick/plantgravity.html)

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**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\
**Post date:** [April 18, 2004, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-seeds-sprout/240604/3 "2004-04-18T02:13:20Z")

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[Growing peas in microgravity.](http://science.nasa.gov/ppod/y2003/21apr_greenbubble.htm)  
[Almost time to harvest.](http://science.nasa.gov/ppod/y2003/24apr_greengenerations.htm)