The #1 website for gardeners. About Already a member? -> Sign in     Not a member yet? -> Register
  7144 members, 153574 posts, 340 blogs

Recent Forum Topics Three Christmas Cards
in Member's Gallery
last post: Frank

How to grow Onions from seeds?
in Fruit and Veg Gardening
last post: bsewnsew

My Christmas bird.
in Member's Gallery
last post: stratsmom

Seeds to share .......
in Plant and Seed Exchange
last post: lemke

Is this tree (shrub?) dying?
in Trees, Shrubs and Roses
last post: daisybeans


Do you actually thin seedlings?



Recent Blog Entries Elaeagnus - Not the Best Plant If You Like Neat & Orderly.
Accidental Gardener's blog
today's new ones
greenfairy's blog
Selecting the perfect furniture for your garden
Lazy Susan's blog

Recently Updated Gardens Accidental Gardener's Garden
plant added
Kildale's Garden
photo added
JonTheRevelator's Garden
photo added




dirt2diamonds
Showing Great Promise
Showing Great Promise

Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 410
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 4:38 pm   Post subject: Do you actually thin seedlings?


I posted a picture and question on my blog about thinning sunflowers. And it made me wonder, do gardeners who plant from seed thin the seedlings to ensure healthy plants or are you too afraid or reluctant to kill/transplnat the seedlings.

What is the success of the transplants? Or do you let the seedlings have "the survival of the fittest" life in your garden.

I tried to thin and transplant sensitive 4 o'clocks once and that really put me off of thinning seedlings.

Pinch or transplant? Which is the best choice or is there another way.

Back to top
Profile | PM | Website | My Garden | My Blog | My Latest Blog Entry:I've been missing, have you found me?
Question about Flower Gardening? Register for free to ask in our forums.

glendann
Official Garden Angel

Joined: 19 May 2006
Location: Texas (Map)
Posts: 8821
PlantStew: 289
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 4:55 pm   Post subject:


I do thin my seedlings as one will be stronger and some very small .The stronger will over power the others and weaken the strong ones.


_________________


'Life is not measured by the breaths we take,
but by the moments that take our breath away.'
Back to top
Profile | PM | Email | My Garden | My Blog | My Latest Blog Entry:My Camera took a trip .

Droopy
Slug Slaughterer


Regular Plantstew Contributor (over 1000 edits)

Joined: 11 Aug 2007
Location: Western Norway (Map)
Posts: 7163
PlantStew: 10067
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 5:01 pm   Post subject:


I thin carrots mercilessly, and give the surplus to the stable rabbit. If we sow anything else and space is too tight I try to move some somewhere else. I'm a real softie when it comes to those little seedlings.


_________________
The time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.
-Bertrand Russell
Back to top
Profile | PM | My Garden | My Blog | My Latest Blog Entry:Me, The Movie Star

TheBip
Showing Great Promise
Showing Great Promise

Joined: 25 Mar 2007
Location: Indianapolis, IN (Map)
Posts: 631
PlantStew: 87
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:25 pm   Post subject:


I try to get em up by the roots, then put them somewhere else. I just cant stand killing the little baby plants Sad


_________________
And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight in the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.
--Anais Nin

Back to top
Profile | PM | My Garden | My Blog | My Latest Blog Entry:How to make your own seed tape :)

mtathome
On The Way Up
On The Way Up

Joined: 10 Feb 2008
Location: PacNW of US
Posts: 162
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 7:56 pm   Post subject:


I plant seeds far apart so I don't have to thin.


_________________
http://gardeningontherun.blogspot.com/
Back to top
Profile | PM | My Garden

EJ
Allotmenteer Extraordinaire

Joined: 10 Jan 2006
Location: Essex
Posts: 2270
Posted: Tue May 06, 2008 10:25 pm   Post subject:


I thin. If I plant in a tray or large pot, then I have to prick them out individually, or at least in very small clumps. If I sow directly, then I also try to carefully ease the thinnings out to move into gaps. Can be very handy on the allotment. Tis a labour of love though and if I appear to have a huge glut and nowhere for the thinnings, then I have to confess to just nipping the excess off at ground level.


_________________
Check out my blog
http://allotmentnews.blogspot.com/
Back to top
Profile | PM | My Garden

petunia
Highly Skillful
Highly Skillful

Joined: 13 May 2006
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 2233
PlantStew: 311
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 12:23 am   Post subject:


D2D: I have just had petunia seeds come up in a begonia plant. I have been thinning them out and putting them in their own container. The main plant is still doing good. I now have a lavendar petunia and many more to come as I do more thinning.


_________________
Petunia
Back to top
Profile | PM | My Garden | My Blog | My Latest Blog Entry:A busy summer

Sjoerd
Enlightened One
Enlightened One

Joined: 11 Apr 2006
Location: West - Friesland (Map)
Posts: 4162
PlantStew: 93
Posted: Wed May 07, 2008 12:31 am   Post subject:


I thin them too, but what I do with the "loosers" depends on what the plant is and a variety of other options--like extra back-ups in the event of seedling failure, or if I want to give seedlings to fellow gardners or in the case of beets, I just plant them in a bed beside the one I'm thinning. Some I just throw away.
It just depends what you want to do.


_________________
Sjoerd http://www.volkstuindersvereniginghoornenomstreken.nl/Page11.html
Back to top
Profile | PM | Website | My Garden

dirt2diamonds
Showing Great Promise
Showing Great Promise

Joined: 31 Oct 2007
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 410
Posted: Mon May 12, 2008 3:10 am   Post subject:


I moved a large seedling sunflower that was too close to another sunflower and did not do any damage to the original site of sunflowers. The transplant lost it lower set of leaves though. The next grouping of seedlings to be thinned will see some causualties because there is no where to transplant. I could give my mother the thinned plants. As you say it never hurts to share.

Back to top
Profile | PM | Website | My Garden | My Blog | My Latest Blog Entry:I've been missing, have you found me?




Share this topic on other forums (copy link below)

You're looking at one of the many forums on GardenStew.com.
Register for free to join in the discussion.







back to top of page



Forum powered by phpBB © phpBB Group
     Sponsored Links