How To Plant "Thinly"

[digitS']

Hey ya, Smiles!

So Lucky won't mind .

I just figured out how to get back into my stretching exercises! Standing. What a relief to my back to be exercising again.

Bending has to be a part of it but I was having so much trouble with my stomach in October and then a month ago. October, the bending, as in bending & lifting, was part of the problem with the stomach. Still, I've gotta get back into this. A little at a time ...

I can take a stool out to the garden with me. It helps me be a little more precise and productive anyway.

Steve

 

[hoodat]

If you try planting seeds at the right spacing it's inevitable that some will fall victim to bugs, soil organisms or are just plain not viable, leaving gaps in your planting. I try to avoid that by spacing them but putting several seeds in each spot. Chances are at least one will sprout and if more than one does it reduces the thinning you have to do. BTW when you thin small seedlings it's better to use something like the needle point shears and snip the extras off at the ground rather than pull them. The roots will die and become part of the soil and it doesn't disturb the roots of the ones you keep.

 

[hoodat]

Steve, weakness in the lower back is a problem we inherited when we learned to walk on our hind legs. When we feel pain there the tendency is to walk sort of stooped over, which is the worst thing to do. Maybe we're instinctively trying to return to a four legged posture but that doesn't work for us anymore either. My method of relieving lower back pain sounds screwy but it works for me. Take a well made backpack (not a flimsy WalMart special) and put 15 or 20 pounds of weight in it; strap it on and walk a few miles wearing it while concentrating on keeping your back straight as you walk.I do my shopping wearing a mountain hikers backpack and let the groceries supply the weight. That way I kill two birds with one stone.

 

[ducks4you]

I don't do a lot of thinning. I practically never thin my beets and they turn out great. Just got a small crop of carrots and couldn't get enough time to thin THEM, but, everything non toxic goes to the chickens. Have you SEEN the price of chicken feed these days?!?!?!?!

 

[baymule]

C'mon over - I'm about as thin as a person can get. When I stand sideways I dissappear

Smiles, you need some good 'ol chicken fried round steak, rice and gravy, macaroni and cheese, and a big piece of pecan pie! That'll fatten you right back up! good to see you here!

 

[Jared77]

So will venison tenderloin fried with onions & mushrooms over an open fire in a cast iron skillet. Don't forget to make gravy! I'm good with the rest of the meal I love pie

 

[so lucky]

Steve, weakness in the lower back is a problem we inherited when we learned to walk on our hind legs. When we feel pain there the tendency is to walk sort of stooped over, which is the worst thing to do. Maybe we're instinctively trying to return to a four legged posture but that doesn't work for us anymore either. My method of relieving lower back pain sounds screwy but it works for me. Take a well made backpack (not a flimsy WalMart special) and put 15 or 20 pounds of weight in it; strap it on and walk a few miles wearing it while concentrating on keeping your back straight as you walk.I do my shopping wearing a mountain hikers backpack and let the groceries supply the weight. That way I kill two birds with one stone.

I do tend to try to bend backwards when my back starts hurting, just to stretch it out. I have never tried wearing a backpack, but it sounds like it should help, at least for a while. There are some yoga positions that are known for helping sore backs, too. I think we talked about "child's pose" on a different thread.

 

[Beekissed]

I would love to plant thinly this year.
Unfortunately I'm as chubby as ever.

Love it!!!!

I too want to plant thinly this year and I'm thinking of using seed tape for the first time. I can never seem to thin the way I want to and end up disturbing the roots of the seedlings nearby due to this heavy clay soil in the process.

How successful are the seed tapes one can buy for this? I'd be buying the tape and placing my own seeds accordingly.

 

[so lucky]

I think the problem with making your own, with tape, may be that the tape wouldn't disintegrate as needed. Just using strips of paper towels, a little water and seeds, and then planting immediately seems to work.

 

[Beekissed]

I've read about how to make one's own that will disintegrate and I may come to that, but right now I'm interested in how the commercial seed tapes perform, if they disintegrate, etc.

This is the one I've got my eye on....

http://www.superseeds.com/seed-tape.html

Or, rather...a little cheaper... http://www.amazon.com/Seed-Tape-Rol...49370&sr=8-1&keywords=biodegradable+seed+tape