Separating squash and pumpkin seedlings?

[wordnerd]

Is there a way to separate squash, pumpkin and courgette seedlings without damaging the roots and killing them? Does washing the soil off the roots and gently teasing them apart work, or are they too delicate for that?

Thanks.

[nickdub]

Is there a way to separate squash, pumpkin and courgette seedlings without damaging the roots and killing them? Does washing the soil off the roots and gently teasing them apart work, or are they too delicate for that?

Thanks.

What you describe is the best method in my experience. Whether it will work without killing the plants rather depends on how big the plants have got and how carefully its carried out. If you go at it slowly and with patience even reasonably large seedlings can be separated eventually, but its much easier to do it with small ones which haven't had time to grow large root systems.

BTW always hold the plants by either the leaves or some of the roots - never the stem.

[veggiechicken]

I sow 2 seeds to a module and the seedlings come apart quite easily when the compost is fairly dry. Use the blade of a table knife or similar to lever the seedlings out as a block, lay them on a bed of compost in a seed tray and tease them apart.