Growing vegetables from seed is much less expensive than planting seedlings purchased from a garden center, but there is an extra step when you garden this way. To save time and effort, many gardeners sow vegetable seeds—especially seeds that are very tiny—simply by broadcast sprinkling them in garden beds rather than sowing each seed individually.
As a result, the seedlings are too closely spaced when they sprout. When this happens, you must systematically remove the extra seedlings called "thinning" to provide enough space for the remaining seedlings to grow to maturity. Thinning seedlings produces healthier plants and higher yields by reducing competition for water and nutrients and providing good air circulation between plants.
Fortunately, it is one of the easiest garden tasks. Seedlings are usually thinned when they have one to two sets of true leaves. The first leaves, known as the cotelydons , are embryonic seeds stored in the seeds, and the plant is not viable until the next true leaves appear, which will have a much different appearance. Most plants develop their first true leaves at 2 to 3 inches in height, at which time they are fairly each to grasp by the stem and pull out.
If you prefer to pull your seedlings rather than cutting them with scissors, thinning while the soil is still damp after watering will make it easier to slip them out without disturbing other seedligns. And it's best to thinin the evening, which gives the remaining seedlngs a chance to adjust overnight before being exposed to heat and sunlight. Some gardeners find it difficult to sacrifice so many vegetable plants. The good news is that with some plants—like lettuce, beets, chard, and spinach—you can toss the tiny seedlings you remove into salads, stir-fries, or other recipes.
These tender greens are delicious. Thinning long rows of seedlings requires bending and working close to the ground. Thus, a kneeling pad or low bench can helpful for reducing discomfort.
Seed packets will usually provide appropriate guidelines for seed sowing depth and spacing. In general, plants should be spaced based on their mature size plus a few inches. Here are spacing recommendations for a few commonly grown vegetables:. Seedlings can be easily plucked with your fingers simply by gripping them between your thumb and forefinger and giving a gentle tug. Toss them in a yard waste bag or compost pile.
In the video I showed this technique on Geranium seedlings. This works on most plants. I use an old paring knife I keep in the greenhouse but you can use a pencil, a skewer or just about anything that is small enough. Grasp the seedling by a leaf, not the stem. Sink your digging tool, in my case the knife, into the soil beside the seedling and gently lift as you pull on the leaf. Sometimes you will get more than one to come out, just gently untangle the roots from each other.
I have these 3 inch pots that I use for the tiny seedlings or you can use recycled 4 inch pots you may have saved from plants you bought at the garden center.
Since I tend to get a lot of plants started and run out of room, these smaller pots need less space. Scoop up some potting mix into your pot, I will share my homemade mix soon, so subscribe to get the updates if you want to be notified.
There is a button at the top of this page where you can do that. Place your seedling on top of the potting mix in the little pot and press it down into it softly.
The mix should be loose enough that it will not need much pressure. Once I have them potted up I water them well. I let them sit in the tray beneath and let them soak up the overrun.
Do not put the freshly potted up seedlings in the direct sun. Mine stay in the greenhouse or if they are very tender annuals I put them back on my seeding rack indoors.
With the tender annual seedlings I keep them inside until the nights stay above 40 degrees for the most part. My greenhouse is more of a large cold frame, it is not heated and can get quite cold if the night time temps dip into the 30s.
I start feeding them a weak solution of this Seaweed based water soluble fertilizer. I mix it half strength and use each time I water the seedlings. Many will claim you do not need to feed the seedlings yet but I have found mine do better when I use it. Here is some info on it from Gardeners. Do you really want to just cut the extra seedlings, then Laura has you covered, just visit her video here.
I researched till I found your site. I always have thinned my seedlings by "pricking out," much like you do, although I never heard the term before. I have read and heard many times, though, that the seedlings' roots are damaged in the process, but I can't bring myself to kill the healthy little seedlings that I've nurtured. I feel reassured reading that you do the same thing. Among other flowers, I started a variety of Oriental poppies indoors a few weeks ago, according to directions, and they have germinated.
Just wondering if you have any advice on transplanting these when the time comes. Next, make sure to clean your scissors or snips with alcohol before you start clipping. This will prevent the spread of diseases between plants. This is a good practice for any garden tools that come in contact with soil or that are used to prune and cut plants.
Then, decide which seedlings to leave growing, based on which ones look the strongest. You should also take into account the recommended spacing between plant, which you can find on the seed packet or online.
There is also information on spacing for some common plants listed in the table above. Now, use your scissors to cut away the other seedlings at the soil line.
Avoid pulling the seedlings up, since you can disturb the roots of nearby seedlings if you do this. You can compost the remains or give them to chickens if you have them. You can eat them yourself, either as microgreens in a salad or in a stir-fry. This works well if you have lettuce, spinach, sunflower, or other seedlings that are commonly used for microgreens.
For more information, check out this article on microgreens from Wikipedia. Note: if you are growing in a seed tray with separate cells, such as a standard tray , then thin to one plant the strongest plant per cell.
For more information on germinating seeds in trays, check out my article on seed trays. Remember that cutting extra seedlings at the soil line to thin them is probably your best bet. Pulling up an entire seedling by the roots can damage nearby plants, especially if you wait too long and the roots become intertwined. If you decide to pull up an entire seedling by the roots, then you do have the option of trying to replant the seedling somewhere else to see if it will grow into a healthy plant.
Now you know what it means to thin seedlings, and why you should do it. You also know when and how to thin seedlings for some common plant varieties. Thinning is just one part of keeping seedlings healthy. You can learn more about what to do after seed sprout in my article here. I hope you found this article helpful — if so, please share it with someone who can use the information.
Hi, I'm Jon. Let's solve your gardening problems, spend more time growing, and get the best harvest every year! Some vines tolerate shade, while others thrive in full sun all day. There are even some sun-loving vines with dazzling flowers to add beauty to your home. So, what are some vine Some cacti take up lots of space and make a statement in your home.
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