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" wrote in message
...

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


--
Grub


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.

In article ,
Tony wrote:

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


--
Grub


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.

The simplest method of sowing seeds in germination trays is based on the
principle that a seed compost should consist of two parts: a lower layer
which provides space for the roots to develop, and a reservoir of water
and nutrients to support their growth, and an upper layer to accommodate
the seeds, provide them with ideal conditions in which to germinate, and
seedlings to be established. Any good quality potting compost can be
used for the lower layer, but this should be free-draining, and contain
high proportions of fibre to enable it to hold water like ftasponge, and
yet drain freely to dispose of surplus water. The upper layer must
consist of a material which is porous and water-retentive, but
free-draining and very stable. Loams and peats do not match these
requirements and are unsuitable in any form. Grits and sands dry out too
rapidly and are not very i satisfactory. An ideal material is a porous
grit (similar in consistency to the debris of heavily crushed clay
flower pots). Crushed clay pots have been included in recipes for
potting composts from time to time in the past but are not available to
many of us today. Alternative materials which are easier to obtain
include:

(a) Calcined clay minerals of the kind that are used for cat litter, or
soaking up oil spillages from garage floors, or marketed from time to
time for horticultural use.
(b) Horticultural vermiculite or perlite.
(c) Crushed brick, marketed as a dressing for hard tennis courts.
(d) Crushed tufa, sifted to remove dust.

All of these have the right consistency, they are stable materials which
retain their integrity for a long time and are easy to manage, they are
inert, they hold water and yet drain freely, and produce an environment
for seeds which is moist, well-aerated, and easily penetrated by the
emerging plumules and developing roots.

In practice, containers in which seeds are to be sown are prepared by
filling them two-thirds with potting compost, to provide the lower
layer. The topping of porous grit or vermiculite is then added to fill
the container, apart from a gap below the rim about C.5 cm (I in) deep
to allow for watering. Very small seeds are scattered over the surface
and allowed to sink into the upper layers of the grit when they are
watered; medium-sized seeds are scattered evenly over the surface, and
then 'ploughed' in using a pencil or pointed stick to break up the
surface and bury the seeds beneath it. Larger seeds are sown on a
shallow bed of the porous grit immediately above the lower layer of
compost, and more grit is added to bury them about 1.5 cm (9/16 in)
beneath the surface.

When seeds have been sown in this way their management becomes extremely
simple. They should be covered until they start to germinate. When
seedlings emerge the covers should be removed each morning and replaced
each evening, until the seedlings grow up and come into contact with the
cover. The seeds and young seedlings must never be allowed to become
dry, or suffer stress from lack of water.

It is well worth making an attempt to standardise the containers in
which seeds arc sown if this is at all possible, by choosing a
particular shape and size, appropriate to the number of seedlings
needed. Plastic containers are easier to manage than clay ones, and a
square cross section is more economical than a round one.

Whether plastic pots or seed trays are being used, seeds are sown quite
thickly, but not too thickly, and soon after they have germinated the
seedlings are transplanted into another container, individually or in
small groups, by an operation known as pricking out. At this stage each
seedling is spaced out to give it room to develop and a seed tray
becomes an appropriate, convenient and practical choice. Seedlings
should be pricked out at the first moment when they can possibly be
handled. Normally this is when the seed leaves, known as cotyledons,
have just become fully expanded‹a prospect which dismays many novice
gardeners. Tiny seedlings are surprisingly easy to handle, holding them
firmly by their newly expanded seed leaves, and they suffer much less
damage than they would if attempts were made to move them later when
they appear to be more robust. Many seedlings produce roots which grow
so rapidly and strongly that any delay results in damage to the roots
and makes it much more difficult to place the seedlings quickly and
neatly into their new positions, using a small pointed stick to open up
planting holes and guiding each seedling into it by hand.
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html

Many thanks all, I appreciate the info

In article
,
Billy wrote:

In article ,
Tony wrote:

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


--
Grub


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.

The following was paraphrased and condensed from
"Creative Propagation by Peter Thompson and Owen Josie"
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_no...stripbooks&fie
ld-keywords=Creative+Propagation&x=15&y=21


The simplest method of sowing seeds in germination trays is based on the
principle that a seed compost should consist of two parts: a lower layer
which provides space for the roots to develop, and a reservoir of water
and nutrients to support their growth, and an upper layer to accommodate
the seeds, provide them with ideal conditions in which to germinate, and
seedlings to be established. Any good quality potting compost can be
used for the lower layer, but this should be free-draining, and contain
high proportions of fibre to enable it to hold water like ftasponge, and
yet drain freely to dispose of surplus water. The upper layer must
consist of a material which is porous and water-retentive, but
free-draining and very stable. Loams and peats do not match these
requirements and are unsuitable in any form. Grits and sands dry out too
rapidly and are not very i satisfactory. An ideal material is a porous
grit (similar in consistency to the debris of heavily crushed clay
flower pots). Crushed clay pots have been included in recipes for
potting composts from time to time in the past but are not available to
many of us today. Alternative materials which are easier to obtain
include:

(a) Calcined clay minerals of the kind that are used for cat litter, or
soaking up oil spillages from garage floors, or marketed from time to
time for horticultural use.
(b) Horticultural vermiculite or perlite.
(c) Crushed brick, marketed as a dressing for hard tennis courts.
(d) Crushed tufa, sifted to remove dust.

All of these have the right consistency, they are stable materials which
retain their integrity for a long time and are easy to manage, they are
inert, they hold water and yet drain freely, and produce an environment
for seeds which is moist, well-aerated, and easily penetrated by the
emerging plumules and developing roots.

In practice, containers in which seeds are to be sown are prepared by
filling them two-thirds with potting compost, to provide the lower
layer. The topping of porous grit or vermiculite is then added to fill
the container, apart from a gap below the rim about C.5 cm (I in) deep
to allow for watering. Very small seeds are scattered over the surface
and allowed to sink into the upper layers of the grit when they are
watered; medium-sized seeds are scattered evenly over the surface, and
then 'ploughed' in using a pencil or pointed stick to break up the
surface and bury the seeds beneath it. Larger seeds are sown on a
shallow bed of the porous grit immediately above the lower layer of
compost, and more grit is added to bury them about 1.5 cm (9/16 in)
beneath the surface.

When seeds have been sown in this way their management becomes extremely
simple. They should be covered until they start to germinate. When
seedlings emerge the covers should be removed each morning and replaced
each evening, until the seedlings grow up and come into contact with the
cover. The seeds and young seedlings must never be allowed to become
dry, or suffer stress from lack of water.

It is well worth making an attempt to standardise the containers in
which seeds arc sown if this is at all possible, by choosing a
particular shape and size, appropriate to the number of seedlings
needed. Plastic containers are easier to manage than clay ones, and a
square cross section is more economical than a round one.

Whether plastic pots or seed trays are being used, seeds are sown quite
thickly, but not too thickly, and soon after they have germinated the
seedlings are transplanted into another container, individually or in
small groups, by an operation known as pricking out. At this stage each
seedling is spaced out to give it room to develop and a seed tray
becomes an appropriate, convenient and practical choice. Seedlings
should be pricked out at the first moment when they can possibly be
handled. Normally this is when the seed leaves, known as cotyledons,
have just become fully expanded‹a prospect which dismays many novice
gardeners. Tiny seedlings are surprisingly easy to handle, holding them
firmly by their newly expanded seed leaves, and they suffer much less
damage than they would if attempts were made to move them later when
they appear to be more robust. Many seedlings produce roots which grow
so rapidly and strongly that any delay results in damage to the roots
and makes it much more difficult to place the seedlings quickly and
neatly into their new positions, using a small pointed stick to open up
planting holes and guiding each seedling into it by hand.
--
--
- Billy
"Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the
merger of state and corporate power." - Benito Mussolini.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Arn3lF5XSUg
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Zinn/HZinn_page.html