applestar wrote:Oh. This type of seedling failure is usually culled. It IS a defective plant and your should be able to claim a refund or replacement.
For the last three years or so, I used to see at least 3 or 4 of these -- sometimes called "blind" seedlings because they have no "eyes" (please, no offense meant) -- most often happens in the seedleaf stage, when no growth buds develop and the poor plant pumps all its efforts into growing what its got -- so the seedleaves or the only trueleaves grow huge and thick and leathery.
I only had one of these this year though.
Since yours has grown to trueleaf stage, it *might* be possible to release it from the trapped state it's in by cutting off the top leaf. Another *maybe* technique is to injure it, by making a slit on the stem with a sharp razor.
The idea is to force the plant to generate a growth bud, if it is capable of doing so. Injury or cut on the stem ABOVE the seedleaf scars would initiate appropriate cell production IF it is capable of it.
Thank you very much for the information, I will try the techniques you have described and hope for the best.
Happy gardening,
Mark