All of your seed planting efforts have come to fruition and you are finally witnessing your success as little seedlings pop through the soil and reach for the sky. They’re tiny things and still so fragile. You hover over them as if they were toddlers and with watering can in hand, whisper good morning as you gently shower them. And now…

I’m going to tell you to rip half of them out. I know – it just seems wrong. It goes against every plant-mother’s grain to perform such a hideous task. This is where you get to wear your grown-up gardener panties and do what you have to do. Gardening is not for the faint of heart, so get used to it.

In order for a gardener to yield the best and the biggest crops, the plants need to absorb as many valuable nutrients as possible and not have to fight for elbow room from its neighbor. Crops that compete with others just end up with less to offer the gardener both in the shape and size of the veggie as well as in yield.

I hope you kept the seed packets because they have some useful information on the back of them like just how closely each veggie should be grown. If not, break out a book or the internet and look each vegetable up.

The news isn’t bad for all of the seedlings. If you’re thinning lettuce or leafy crops, you can take a spoon or other handy object, gently lift out the guys that need to go, and transplant them elsewhere.

If you’re thinning out root crops such as radishes or carrots, however, they face a grim fate. That said, now isn’t the time to go all Rambo on me and start tearing at the offending seedlings like a wild thing. If you pull out seedlings all willy-nilly, you’re apt to damage the root of the guys next to him that drew the lucky card and get to stay.

The best way to thin seedlings (unless you’re transplanting some leafy guys) is to get a pair of small scissors and just cut off their heads. Well, in practice, you should aim closer to soil-level, but I was going for a visual here.

I know you’re looking for a way out; some planting loophole out of this dirty contract. Okay, I can toss you a nugget. If you’ve prepared your veggie bed exceptionally well and it’s loaded with lots of organic compost and composted manure, you can let the veggies get a little bit cozier.

Personally, I feel like I redeem myself for the havoc I wreak on my veggie seedlings when I throw them to my chicken babies.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Fort Vee - Organic Potting Soil Mix

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

PRODUCT DETAILS: Vermont Compost Company Fort Vee Organic Potting Mix A rich, organic, compost-based potting soil that is ideal for growing your veggies, Plants, and herbs free from any harmful chemicals. Our all natural mixed organic garden soil is composed of all-natural ingredients our Plants needed to grow naturally and is a great choice for gardeners who prefer compost-based germination and growing medium. Product Weight: 20 Quarts

Buy at Amazon

A.M. Leonard Deluxe Soil Knife & Leather Sheath Combo

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

MULTITASKING DUAL EDGES: a deep serrated edge and a tapered slicing edge ideal for tough or delicate cuts. DURABLE 6-inch stainless steel blade withstands 300 lbs of pressure. TWINE CUTTING NOTCH, DEPTH GAUGE MARKINGS & spear point - no need to switch tools when using this garden knife. LEATHER SHEATH: heavy duty, protective, clip on sheath to keep your knife convenient and secure. LIFETIME WARRANTY.

Buy at Amazon

Berry & Bird Rabbiting Spade, Trenching Shovel

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

Ideal Tool for All Gardeners Use: Our heavy duty trenching shovel is designed by a professional gardening tool designer. Lifetime Durability: This heavy duty drain spade is made of high-quality stainless steel, it is very strong and durable, even if it is used for high-strength work, it will not bend. Ergonomic Wood Handle: The handle of this planting spade is made of ash hardwood harvested from FSC-certified forests and has an ergonomically streamlined design, making it very suitable for everyone's hands. Multi-Use: This digging shovel is generally used for digging trenches, digging holes, transplanting, edging, moving compost, cutting thick turf and furrowing. The sharp blade allows you to cut, scoop, dig, lift and dice in hard soil.

Buy at Amazon