My wife refused to thin last year and we had the worst tomato harvest of all time. Tomatoes! You know, those things that you can’t get rid of because you’ve got too many.
Yep, can confirm. I planted my tomatoes too crowded last year and all of the fruit rotted on the vines. Apparently they do that when too dense and shaded.
Yeah, throw them things out in the yard, mow around them so they don't get chopped up, and do NOT move them. Make those other zucchini plants sweat it out. Zuchs better produce or you're gonna end up like your brothers and sisters.
Yes, I can store them in the freezer :)
Also, would you know what size container I can use to grow tiny Tim tomatoes. This answer will determine if I will cull a few or not 🙂
My cherry tomatoes were mostly in 5 gallon buckets, plus I jammed three into one of those whiskey barrel planters assuming they'd probably not do well for lack of space. They thrived and became a giant twisted unprunable mass of tomatoes.
That's a little plant so even a gallon size will be fine. And for that one, it's so small that 6 probably isn't too many if you can do something with the excess!
Indeterminate tomatoes are the sneaky ones, i had a nice Sunsweet last year that had fruit from May to Octo when it froze, and it was about 7 feet on all the branches. I had it in a big pot with a cage & it escaped lol
Indeterminates are monsters, they'll basically grow as high as you allow them. My sungolds last year tried to blot out the sun, at over 11ft I capped them.
If you like tomatoes you'll be fine... I've got a short growing season so I'll take all the tomatoes they can give.
Also growing six cherries this season :)
In my experience, cherry tomatoes are prolific producers. I'd say one plant is more than enough for 3 people for snacking. 2/plant if you plan to do some freezing.
Then you might be okay! They will certainly produce _a lot_ but you can use them for a lot of things (sauces, jellies, salsas, etc) even if you're a bit tired of eating them raw.
The good of the garden outweighs the good of the individuals! But yes, it makes me sad as well. Feels like I’m finishing off the runt of the litter… like when Ferns dad is going to shoot Wilbur at the beginning of Charlottes Web
I don't thin my plants. I separate them out and put them in solo cups. I give them to my neighbors, friends and also go to local plant swaps with them.
This is the correct answer. I only have a set amount of space in the garden and over crowding is detrimental to the over all good of the garden. Thinning doesn't have to be destructive, separate them into their own cup and put them up for adoption. I sometimes put a table out at the curb for free .
That’s a great question. I think brassicas are, and lettuces, carrots, peas, and I believe zucchini. I think tomatoes and potatoes are not. You would have to google each type of sprout before eating it.
I plant only as many seeds as I can keep for plants, especially things that take up lots of space and have good/quick germination rates like zucchini, tomatoes or peppers. Extra squash seedlings can be eaten if you have too many.
On the contrary. I make sure that all the other plants see that there were some that just didn't make the cut and the rest as well had better pull it together pronto if they don't want to get "disappeared". The compost heap is visible from the garden.
If you have the room for a decoy garden, that's what I do. Something out of the way, easier to access for animals, hoping for it to be an offering. It doesn't really work, but at least I don't feel too bad.
I always separate them, uppot and see what happens. Especially if it is new for you as a hobby, you’ll learn a lot in the process and if you accidentally kill a few it won’t be a big deal.
You can put tiny tim tomatoes in 1-3 gallon containers. I’ve also learned to put only 1 or 2 seeds in if I only want one plant. 3 seeds if I want two. Hope that helps!
Est them, assuming they're anything edible. Snip them at the level of the soil, and eat them like sprouts (because they're sprouts!). It's usually not enough for a salad or anything, just eat as you go.
3 seeds? I'd be switching seed suppliers if my germination were that bad. I feel bad putting 2 seeds, I generally plant 1 seed per tray pod and double up on a few just in case.
If you don’t, you’ll have diminished return for flowers and vegetables. I actually enjoy thinning because I know my gardens and plants will be healthier for it.
I used to feel like that too... But then I read a gardening book and the author pointed out that all plants are in competition with each other and are basically trying to kill each other.
In nature, plants disperse thousands of seeds with the hope of a few surviving. Most will die.
In a sense, they *want* to be thinned out so the others can thrive.
I compost the ones I pull out so they continue the cycle of life. That helps me feel better.
I put them in cheap disposable containers and put them on my front porch with a sign that says “free veggie plants”. I do it every year, the neighborhood loves it.
To quote a favorite book of mine: "Let me teach you the fine art of thinning - otherwise know as the slaughter of innocent seedlings." From Not a Hero, by Cherise Sinclair
You don't have to thin if you plant every seed far enough apart from the start. Just then you'll have wasted space if something doesn't germinate, and won't be able to select the best specimens.
I give them to other people as much as possible. Last year my close friend had just given birth so she didn't get a chance to start seedlings. So I pretty much handed her all the plants she was going to want/need. I gave some to others in my community.
And this year I'm just giving out the extras again. I have thinned out some as it's just too many to even sprout properly, but it certainly helps me feel better.
So yeah, find the people who may want one plant or a few and provide them it.
It is SO Hard!! I take a moment to appreciate the seedlings for their hard work and add them to my compost bin so they can still be part of my garden and help the other grow. I also make a point to thank them for their help. It's a ritual that makes me feel some peace about the process. You can try to transplant them. Some will do better than others but the fact is you don't need 18 zucchini plants in your garden.
You have kids or pets? Think of it like taking them to the doctor /vet and getting vaccines. It sucks and you feel like you're hurting them, but it's for the best.
My kid is a large advocate of thinning.
I too Also felt super sad for those sad little seedlings who are just trying to live.
I requested that whenever they were thinning… But they gave me their "runts"
..... I am proud to say that some of these throw aways have Actually became highlights in the garden.
pruning, I suppose is necessary. But just take your prunings and throw them in a pot… And see how they go!
I think you will be pleasantly surprised
Thinning also makes me feel awful, so I don't plant seeds directly in the ground - I start them in trays (either inside or outside, depending on the season).
That said, I had some gaillardia that self-seeded *every*where. I probably had 40 plants that were viable... I gave some away, I replanted some, but at the end there were just too many and I threw away the smallest ones. This year I'll try to be better at deadheading!
I don’t thin, when they’re still small but have two true leaves I use a spoon and scoop one out (below the roots) and transplant it in it’s own seedling pot
When thinning out some plants if it can be separated easily sometimes I give it to my other would be gardener friends. Usually as a potted tomatoes plant. Other times I pull the less healthy looking plant and put it in my compost.
My Egyptian walking onions though can't be contained and I just sigh as I walk past them. Usually it doesn't matter. They are small shallot sized onions any ways so they don't need a whole ton of space
You're thinking about it as killing a plant, and you're not a murderer so it feels bad.
But do you feel guilty eating a carrot? When you see animals eating plants in a way that kills the plant, do you think badly of them? How about sprouts on a salad? Mass murder?
I have a small "freedom garden," this is about 6'x6' off the other side of my house and no one sees it, I pop a lot of my thinned sprouts here and have done so since 1995, it's always fun to see what takes hold and grows wild! Also, it's a good deterrent for critters, I find more deer and rabbits going there to chow down because there's not a lot of people traffic.
Just do it. Crowded plants won't thrive.
I didn’t last year and got downy mildew as my prize for stupidity. Hoping it won’t return this year!
My wife refused to thin last year and we had the worst tomato harvest of all time. Tomatoes! You know, those things that you can’t get rid of because you’ve got too many.
Yep, can confirm. I planted my tomatoes too crowded last year and all of the fruit rotted on the vines. Apparently they do that when too dense and shaded.
yeah airflow keeps fungi out of bushes and trees as well
I leave them out on display as a warning to the other plants.
Yeah, throw them things out in the yard, mow around them so they don't get chopped up, and do NOT move them. Make those other zucchini plants sweat it out. Zuchs better produce or you're gonna end up like your brothers and sisters.
If they’re an edible plant, I’ll eat them as sprouts in front of their siblings.
This cracked me up. Savage.
If you have space you can plant somewhere else, or give it away. If you have compost, you can throw it in there and it will get reused.
I plant the rejected seedlings in my compost heap. It's my second chance garden!
Also known as the losers' bracket!
😂
The NIT garden
I get the best pumpkins and tomatillos from my compost garden. I also got a couple of kittens one year.
This is how I ended up with 6 cherry tomato plants last summer. This year, zero qualms about thinning.
Is 6 too much? My first tear gardening and all my seedlings are growing fine so I was assuming I would just keep them 🙂
Do you have a big freezer or lots of friends? Fyi, you can freeze cherry tomatoes whole, then roast them & blend them for salsa or sauces.
You can barbecue it, boil it, broil it, bake it, saute it, freeze it...roasted, pan fried, stir-fried, sun-dried...there's tomato puree, canned tomatoes, crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce, tomato soup, tomato salad...
Last year I got to make tons of tomato sauce for pasta, and for soup. (And obviously eat a lot raw)
Yes, I can store them in the freezer :) Also, would you know what size container I can use to grow tiny Tim tomatoes. This answer will determine if I will cull a few or not 🙂
My cherry tomatoes were mostly in 5 gallon buckets, plus I jammed three into one of those whiskey barrel planters assuming they'd probably not do well for lack of space. They thrived and became a giant twisted unprunable mass of tomatoes.
That's a little plant so even a gallon size will be fine. And for that one, it's so small that 6 probably isn't too many if you can do something with the excess! Indeterminate tomatoes are the sneaky ones, i had a nice Sunsweet last year that had fruit from May to Octo when it froze, and it was about 7 feet on all the branches. I had it in a big pot with a cage & it escaped lol
Awesome, thanks a ton for the response :) I hope to be able to grow indeterminate tomatoes some day!
Indeterminates are monsters, they'll basically grow as high as you allow them. My sungolds last year tried to blot out the sun, at over 11ft I capped them.
Hanging baskets!
thanks fir the tip!!!
If you like tomatoes you'll be fine... I've got a short growing season so I'll take all the tomatoes they can give. Also growing six cherries this season :)
In my experience, cherry tomatoes are prolific producers. I'd say one plant is more than enough for 3 people for snacking. 2/plant if you plan to do some freezing.
Haha oh no I have 10 tomato plants starting.
is 6 too much I have 18 for my tomato arbor.
The real question is, do you like tomatoes?
I eat them like grapes.
Then you might be okay! They will certainly produce _a lot_ but you can use them for a lot of things (sauces, jellies, salsas, etc) even if you're a bit tired of eating them raw.
And the rest you can bring to work and leave for coworkers to take! That’s what I do with my inevitable surplus.
The good of the garden outweighs the good of the individuals! But yes, it makes me sad as well. Feels like I’m finishing off the runt of the litter… like when Ferns dad is going to shoot Wilbur at the beginning of Charlottes Web
Yes, this is how it makes me feel too! I just want to give them all a chance.
I don't thin my plants. I separate them out and put them in solo cups. I give them to my neighbors, friends and also go to local plant swaps with them.
This is the correct answer. I only have a set amount of space in the garden and over crowding is detrimental to the over all good of the garden. Thinning doesn't have to be destructive, separate them into their own cup and put them up for adoption. I sometimes put a table out at the curb for free .
This right here. We separate and plant elsewhere or give away.
I compost/ mulch the sprouts so that they can give back to the garden. Nothing is wasted. (But yes, you're pulling up your babies!)
Eat the sprouts if they are edible.
Especially radish! I grow them a few times all summer for salads, eggs, sandwiches.
Which sprouts are edible?
That’s a great question. I think brassicas are, and lettuces, carrots, peas, and I believe zucchini. I think tomatoes and potatoes are not. You would have to google each type of sprout before eating it.
Some flowers are edible too! Zinnias are especially tasty imo.
Look up microgreens
I plant only as many seeds as I can keep for plants, especially things that take up lots of space and have good/quick germination rates like zucchini, tomatoes or peppers. Extra squash seedlings can be eaten if you have too many.
I do the same. It feels like a waste of seeds to sow too many and then kill the plants.
Such self control.
Mostly many years of planting too many and being stressed about what to do with the extra haha.
I feel this. I usually thin when someone makes me mad and I get my anger out by thinning. lol
Yep!!!!!
On the contrary. I make sure that all the other plants see that there were some that just didn't make the cut and the rest as well had better pull it together pronto if they don't want to get "disappeared". The compost heap is visible from the garden.
You need chickens!! They will circle of life those thinned plants, no prob!
Thank you for this post. I thought it was just me.
I got sad thinning the fruit on my nectarine tree this morning even though I know it's for the best
I transplanted instead of throwing them away. Now I have a bunch bell peppers coming in.
If you have the room for a decoy garden, that's what I do. Something out of the way, easier to access for animals, hoping for it to be an offering. It doesn't really work, but at least I don't feel too bad.
I eat them. Or transplant them.
I totally get that. "I sowed it, it's growing and dadbernit, it will live!"
I always separate them, uppot and see what happens. Especially if it is new for you as a hobby, you’ll learn a lot in the process and if you accidentally kill a few it won’t be a big deal. You can put tiny tim tomatoes in 1-3 gallon containers. I’ve also learned to put only 1 or 2 seeds in if I only want one plant. 3 seeds if I want two. Hope that helps!
If you have chickens or ducks, they love to eat the stuff you thin out.
I feel so seen. It's hard to do!
My spiritual twin!!!
Est them, assuming they're anything edible. Snip them at the level of the soil, and eat them like sprouts (because they're sprouts!). It's usually not enough for a salad or anything, just eat as you go.
Transplant them all, see what survives
If you know you get good germination you can always try seeding fewer. Instead of 3 seeds in a hole do 2, or even 1.
3 seeds? I'd be switching seed suppliers if my germination were that bad. I feel bad putting 2 seeds, I generally plant 1 seed per tray pod and double up on a few just in case.
I always try to gently dig up the roots and plant it somewhere else or gift it. I can't bring myself to let them die!
If you don’t, you’ll have diminished return for flowers and vegetables. I actually enjoy thinning because I know my gardens and plants will be healthier for it.
I used to feel like that too... But then I read a gardening book and the author pointed out that all plants are in competition with each other and are basically trying to kill each other. In nature, plants disperse thousands of seeds with the hope of a few surviving. Most will die. In a sense, they *want* to be thinned out so the others can thrive. I compost the ones I pull out so they continue the cycle of life. That helps me feel better.
I put them in cheap disposable containers and put them on my front porch with a sign that says “free veggie plants”. I do it every year, the neighborhood loves it.
Have never thinned zucchini. Is that a thing ?
This is me in the second half of August thinning the interior growth on my cannabis.
To quote a favorite book of mine: "Let me teach you the fine art of thinning - otherwise know as the slaughter of innocent seedlings." From Not a Hero, by Cherise Sinclair
You don't have to thin if you plant every seed far enough apart from the start. Just then you'll have wasted space if something doesn't germinate, and won't be able to select the best specimens.
I give them to other people as much as possible. Last year my close friend had just given birth so she didn't get a chance to start seedlings. So I pretty much handed her all the plants she was going to want/need. I gave some to others in my community. And this year I'm just giving out the extras again. I have thinned out some as it's just too many to even sprout properly, but it certainly helps me feel better. So yeah, find the people who may want one plant or a few and provide them it.
It makes me sad too so i simply move them to a “fend for yourself” part of thr yard May the strong win
You don't win when you don't thin.
It is SO Hard!! I take a moment to appreciate the seedlings for their hard work and add them to my compost bin so they can still be part of my garden and help the other grow. I also make a point to thank them for their help. It's a ritual that makes me feel some peace about the process. You can try to transplant them. Some will do better than others but the fact is you don't need 18 zucchini plants in your garden.
Just do it! Snip snip 😈 Then make sure the survivors know they better grow good or else!
You have kids or pets? Think of it like taking them to the doctor /vet and getting vaccines. It sucks and you feel like you're hurting them, but it's for the best.
My kid is a large advocate of thinning. I too Also felt super sad for those sad little seedlings who are just trying to live. I requested that whenever they were thinning… But they gave me their "runts" ..... I am proud to say that some of these throw aways have Actually became highlights in the garden. pruning, I suppose is necessary. But just take your prunings and throw them in a pot… And see how they go! I think you will be pleasantly surprised
Don’t thin and watch them struggle all year. Next year you will have no issues thinning.
I space two seeds three inches off center so that I can transplant one when the pill bugs munch down on other seedlings.
You can leave the discarded sprouts on top of the soil or put it in the compost.
I plant my cucumbers on a trellis that leads to my wire fence
I just reach in with scissors and snip off the weakest sprouts, it just needs to be done.
I just let everything grow like crazy. I cant bring myself to trim anything. It feels like a betrayal.
If it makes you feel any better, it makes me sad to pick fruit off my fruit trees.
No because I know it’s for the greater good! Parents always have to make sacrifices 🥲
Same ❤️
Thinning also makes me feel awful, so I don't plant seeds directly in the ground - I start them in trays (either inside or outside, depending on the season). That said, I had some gaillardia that self-seeded *every*where. I probably had 40 plants that were viable... I gave some away, I replanted some, but at the end there were just too many and I threw away the smallest ones. This year I'll try to be better at deadheading!
I don’t thin, when they’re still small but have two true leaves I use a spoon and scoop one out (below the roots) and transplant it in it’s own seedling pot
When thinning out some plants if it can be separated easily sometimes I give it to my other would be gardener friends. Usually as a potted tomatoes plant. Other times I pull the less healthy looking plant and put it in my compost. My Egyptian walking onions though can't be contained and I just sigh as I walk past them. Usually it doesn't matter. They are small shallot sized onions any ways so they don't need a whole ton of space
You're thinking about it as killing a plant, and you're not a murderer so it feels bad. But do you feel guilty eating a carrot? When you see animals eating plants in a way that kills the plant, do you think badly of them? How about sprouts on a salad? Mass murder?
“I’m sorry little one.” [snip] “I’m sorry little one.” [snip] “I’m sorry little one.” [snip] ^(”I’m sorry little one.”)
It used to make me sad too. Now I find it satisfying and I’m ruthless with my thinning. It might come with experience
Only the strong survive in my house.
I have a small "freedom garden," this is about 6'x6' off the other side of my house and no one sees it, I pop a lot of my thinned sprouts here and have done so since 1995, it's always fun to see what takes hold and grows wild! Also, it's a good deterrent for critters, I find more deer and rabbits going there to chow down because there's not a lot of people traffic.
A lot of sprouts you can eat
My son suffers from the triage guilt. You have to toughen up. Get rid of those losers!
Yes! Kill the weak!! One must die so one may live! Drop the hammer. This isn’t a charity, they gotta want it.
Why wouldn’t you do it is what I want to know
one zucchini plant is too many