Too many tomato seedlings in the starter pot.......

[boggybranch]

...and I really do hate thinning and losing seedlings. Just learned from a friend that you can cut the seedlings (even when they haven't gotten their first "true" leaves), stick em back into the starter mix and they will root. Knew you could "root" cuttings off the large plants but didn't think it would work with the fragile seedlings.....but it will.

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Depending on the seedling, you may also be able to separate them and repot them in another tray?

An old knife works pretty well, just place it in the soil as close to the seedling as possible and gently lift out. Put somewhere else and you're good to go. You'll get a fair amount of them to survive if you're careful.

 

[ducks4you]

I, too, heard about taking scissors to the weaker ones and cutting them. It's so simple, I can't believe I ever pulled them out in the past and risked damaging the roots of the one I left! :/

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Depending on the seedling, you may also be able to separate them and repot them in another tray?

An old knife works pretty well, just place it in the soil as close to the seedling as possible and gently lift out. Put somewhere else and you're good to go. You'll get a fair amount of them to survive if you're careful.

I have always done this. I am not big on waste and if it is a good seedling then I put it in it's own pot. I always end up with way more then I need this way and am forever trying to give them a way.

 

[silkiechicken]

For tomatoes, I usually just start them in flats, then separate them all out just before the first true leaves to their own labeled pots. Personally haven't found disturbing young plant roots on tomatoes to be detrimental to their growth. Wouldn't try it with peas/beans/cucumbers though.

 

[Lavender2]

...and I really do hate thinning and losing seedlings. Just learned from a friend that you can cut the seedlings (even when they haven't gotten their first "true" leaves), stick em back into the starter mix and they will root. Knew you could "root" cuttings off the large plants but didn't think it would work with the fragile seedlings.....but it will.

Interesting! I would not have considered to try this with seedlings.

I now start tomatoes - single seed in 6 pack starter trays.
Although, I have done many times as Oakland suggested... carefully lifting extras and replanting, with excellent results.
This also works fine with most herbs and flower seedlings, if you're a bit careful.
Could be why I always end up with WAY more than I intended ...

 

[HunkieDorie23]

...and I really do hate thinning and losing seedlings. Just learned from a friend that you can cut the seedlings (even when they haven't gotten their first "true" leaves), stick em back into the starter mix and they will root. Knew you could "root" cuttings off the large plants but didn't think it would work with the fragile seedlings.....but it will.

Interesting! I would not have considered to try this with seedlings.

I now start tomatoes - single seed in 6 pack starter trays.
Although, I have done many times as Oakland suggested... carefully lifting extras and replanting, with excellent results.
This also works fine with most herbs and flower seedlings, if you're a bit careful.
Could be why I always end up with WAY more than I intended ...

Is it possible with onion? Like I said I hate wasting the plants. This year I started onions indoors. 1 seed in each pod after about 5 days I knock them upside down because that how I do things, and had to restart the whole mess. So now I have some pods with 1 onion and some with 2-3 because the extra seeds were in the soil. I have pull some but would rather save them if I could.

 

[boggybranch]

...and I really do hate thinning and losing seedlings. Just learned from a friend that you can cut the seedlings (even when they haven't gotten their first "true" leaves), stick em back into the starter mix and they will root. Knew you could "root" cuttings off the large plants but didn't think it would work with the fragile seedlings.....but it will.

Interesting! I would not have considered to try this with seedlings.

I now start tomatoes - single seed in 6 pack starter trays.
Although, I have done many times as Oakland suggested... carefully lifting extras and replanting, with excellent results.
This also works fine with most herbs and flower seedlings, if you're a bit careful.
Could be why I always end up with WAY more than I intended ...

Is it possible with onion? Like I said I hate wasting the plants. This year I started onions indoors. 1 seed in each pod after about 5 days I knock them upside down because that how I do things, and had to restart the whole mess. So now I have some pods with 1 onion and some with 2-3 because the extra seeds were in the soil. I have pull some but would rather save them if I could.

A lot of folks I know plant onion seeds thickly (broadcast), then when they get up big enough, dig em up and transplant at the proper distance.

 

[HunkieDorie23]

Good, so it's possible. Do you know how long to wait. I am planning to put them in the garden the 1st of May. Could I wait that long and separate and transplant at the same time? That would be great.

 

[Lavender2]

Interesting! I would not have considered to try this with seedlings.

I now start tomatoes - single seed in 6 pack starter trays.
Although, I have done many times as Oakland suggested... carefully lifting extras and replanting, with excellent results.
This also works fine with most herbs and flower seedlings, if you're a bit careful.
Could be why I always end up with WAY more than I intended ...

Is it possible with onion? Like I said I hate wasting the plants. This year I started onions indoors. 1 seed in each pod after about 5 days I knock them upside down because that how I do things, and had to restart the whole mess. So now I have some pods with 1 onion and some with 2-3 because the extra seeds were in the soil. I have pull some but would rather save them if I could.

A lot of folks I know plant onion seeds thickly (broadcast), then when they get up big enough, dig em up and transplant at the proper distance.

I had to think a minute about your method of knocking them upside down ... ooops .. I get it ... sorry about that!

I sow them as Boggy mentioned, thick broadcast, in Feb. I will leave them this way until planting out late April, early May. This is how they come from the nursery where I normally buy my seedlings.... 30 or more seedlings in about a 3 by 5" starter tray.
I'm also keeping them under lights for 12 hours a day (they are long day onion starts and supposedly this will keep them from going to bulb too early). I'm keeping them clipped to about 4".

I must add, I have not done this before, just following the experience from our local nursery and other sources I could dig up ... including the wonderful gardeners on TEG....