Bean in cotton wool

Week One

Exciting developments! The bean has started to sprout in the cotton wool after less than a week. Here is a picture of it.

There is definitely a green shoot coming out of one side. The bean seed must therefore be getting enough moisture from the cotton wool to be able to germinate! Because the bean has previously got starch within the seed (in the cotyledons), the bean seed doesn't need to get energy from anywhere else in order to germinate. The moisture from the cotton wool is therefore sufficient to allow the bean to grow. The seed has been able to germinate effectively in damp cotton wool. However; as it becomes a plant it needs to be able to gain nutrients from the soil in order to help the cells develop for photosynthesis. I'm not sure therefore how long my plant will keep up its continual growth without the soil containing the nutrients it may need!