I'm a thinning wimp!

[indigox]

I have a confession to make, I hate pulling up perfectly good plants to give others more space, I often end up feeling sorry for them and planting them somewhere else, or back into pots as 'spares' even when I already have more than I need.

Of course I sometimes give them away, but I don't like bunging them on the compost heap, it makes me feel guilty.
Anyone else, or am I the only wuss?

[janeyo]

I don't like it either, makes me feel mean.
I try and sow thinly or transplant if possible.

[Bramble_killer]

me too

the lettuces desperately need thinning out but keep putting it off

[janeyo]

You can eat the lettuce thinnings

[mrswadders]

me too, but i have the solution now - we got 3 ex-batts a couple of months ago and they adore cabbage,sprouts,lettuce thinnings!

[Jenegade]

Me too! I treid transplanting some of the brassicas as I couldn't bear to just kill them and throw them on the compost heap! I'm going to let my carrots and beetroot grow to baby size and then pick some of them as baby veg rather than thinning.

[lynda66]

i transplant all my thinnings though theres not many that need it ..... they will either grow or not, but most things don't seem to mind .... i thin carrots as they grow and eat baby ones ...and the others push themselves apart .... can't stand the wasting a whole seed

[Nicos]

When I've actually achieved a growing plant , then there is no way it's being removed and chucked away!!!...nope- I just thin out by cropping some things earlier than nec

[zazen999]

I don't thin at all.

I sown into modules. Those that are sow direct are sown in pinches.

[coreopsis]

I transplant them all-I can't just chuck them out.This year I managed to find a house for all surplus plants.There's always a neighbour who will take some flowers or a friend willing to try variety of tomatoes they never had.Who can resist tray of neat healthy growing celeriacs or a couple of chillies?

[Two_Sheds]

I sow thinly in the first place (2 or 3 seeds, at the correct spacing) ... I hate thinning out, waste of energy (and seed)

[Oleander]

I find it really difficult to discard surplus seedlings too - all that potential going to waste! I am slowly learning not to sow too many, and to trust that the germination rate will be good.

[daisybee]

I'm so glad to have read this thread. I can't bear to throw anything away that has germinated. It's tried so hard how can I just kill it - nope it doesn't happen! Happy I'm not alone.

[Flummery]

Like Zaz, I sow in modules. With chunky seeds like brassicas I sow one seed to a module. I usually get 95% - ish through. Much better than chucking good plants away, the price the seeds are.

[indigox]

Yes, I've mostly done module sowing this year too, I've run out of modules (and space at home) for now though! I'm off to the lottie to plant out my sweetcorn, some lettuces, and runner beans so that will free up a bit of space in the nursery.