If a seed opens up, is it a given that it will sprout?

[michaelpeg]

But to my point. There have been times when the bean wouldn't pop open....it swelled, but no white root.

I have had this happen to me a few times too, I came to my own conclusion that I had kept the seed too warm. as long as you see a tail like root coming out it is time to put it in. waiting for the root to grow to 1/4 inch barely makes a difference in sprout time and increases the chance of damaging the root. Just put it in right when you see the root.

Just be patient, I know how you feel, when i first started I impatiently poked around in the soil looking to see how my seed was doing only to end up killing it.