Thinning

 


What does this term mean? Does it mean pulling out of plants/veg or does
it
mean you pull it out and replant it in another location?




--
Grub

 



It means you overplanted and now to much is growing in too
little
of space.  So you thin the plants so they will be able to
reach
their full potential.  Replant?  Usually not worth it.  Once
pulled, plants can go into a shock and just die.

Donna
in WA

 

Grub wrote:

It can mean either.  Generally, though, it means pulling excess sprouted
seedlings until those left are spaced the recommended distance apart
(every seed packet gives that spacing).  Thinning is rarely needed with
some seeds, the ones that have a high viability reliance and where you
get almost 100% germination (zucchini, beans, and a few others commonly)
so you can plant less seed to begin with. Carrot seeds are so tiny that
you will always have to do a LOT of thinning so that the strongest
plants (always the strongest ones) stand about 2" apart.  Spinach, Chard
and Beet seeds are actually seed *capsules* that contain 3-5 seeds.
Thinning to the strongest single plant is essential with those.  Some
seedlings will transplant fine.  Others are a waste of time.  NEVER pull
up a thinning, and try to transplant it - you will have left half of
it's microscopic root system behind.  Lift it with a Popsicle stick,
keeping a finger-sized ball of soil around it, and then transplant it
and give it a light watering.  At that, you'll probably lose 40-60% of
the transplants, but yes - you can do it.

Thinning goes against the grain.  You are "slaughtering" half of your
sprouted seedlings after all.  But it must be done - believe it.

Tony M.

 


Many thanks all, I appreciate the info :)




--
Grub

 

it is much better to snip than pull. pulling uproots nearby plants.  Ingrid



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Somewhere between zone 5 and 6 tucked along the shore of Lake Michigan
on the council grounds of the Fox, Mascouten, Potawatomi, and Winnebago