How to Thin Seedlings

[TillinWithMyPeeps]

I started some seeds (tomato, eggplant and ground cherry) and they are now starting to sprout. I planted 3-5 seeds in each Jiffy Pellet. How do I thin them? Just pick out the weaker plants and toss them, and keep the strongest plant in the pellet? How big should they be when I do this?

Thanks!!

 

[setter4]

I started some seeds (tomato, eggplant and ground cherry) and they are now starting to sprout. I planted 3-5 seeds in each Jiffy Pellet. How do I thin them? Just pick out the weaker plants and toss them, and keep the strongest plant in the pellet? How big should they be when I do this?

Thanks!!

Wait at least until they get their first set of REAL leaves.
Use a sharp pair of scissors or something so you are not disturbing the roots on the seedling you leave. Clip off the "sacrificial seedling" down at ground level.
You can use the sprouts of things like lettuce, broccolli, etc in salads and stuff if you have enough to make it worthwhile.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I haven't used Jiffy Pellets, so I'm not sure how my advice will apply to your situation . . . but if the medium (ie soil or whatever you are growing in) is loose enough . . . and getting it wet first will help . . . you can just pull out the seedlings to be thinned without hurting the ones you want to save. I suppose you could also just break them off at the soil level, although I personally would prefer to remove their roots as well. You can do that or wait until the seedlings are roughly proportional to the size of the Pellet and then transplant the seedlings up into a larger container and discard the ones you are "thinning" in the process. I hope that helps.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yes, I would definitely wait until you have at least one set of true leaves (the ones that follow the very first simple sprout leaves).

 

[patandchickens]

I just use my fingernail and go "schnopp!" and there ya go. Don't try to pull them out by the roots, it damages the roots of the one(s) that you're leaving.

Have fun,

Pat

 

[Purple Strawberry]

Thanks for the post Andy and all the responses. I needed this and was going to ask about it soon.

 

[inchworm]

Is there a way to determine which one should get the axe?

Inchy

 

[wifezilla]

smaller or more spindly ones.

A few times when I can pull the extras out of the root without messing up its neighbors, I have stuck those thinnings in some dirt. About half the time they grow too. I only do that with strong looking seedlings that just didn't grow as fast as the others in the pot...not the goofy looking ones.

(I hate wasting a perfectly good plant...and if you have room, why not? )

 

[vfem]

I used the jiffy seed starting mix for my tomatoes and once they were most I could thin them very easily. In fact, there was no damage to the root at all I transplanted some of my thinned tomatoes and they took completely in another pot of seed starter!

So you may be able to even save the thinned out sprouts! No guarantee on that, but mine worked and I didn't feel guilty about having to feed those to the chickens.

(P.s. - it only worked with my tomatoes!)

 

[vfem]

smaller or more spindly ones.

A few times when I can pull the extras out of the root without messing up its neighbors, I have stuck those thinnings in some dirt. About half the time they grow too. I only do that with strong looking seedlings that just didn't grow as fast as the others in the pot...not the goofy looking ones.

(I hate wasting a perfectly good plant...and if you have room, why not? )

JINX!