total newbie question...

hi all,
so i've never planted anything from seed before, and thought i'd give it a whirl this spring...i bought a bunch of seeds from the local dollar store (zinnias, marigolds, etc) and scattered them each in their own large barrel type containers...followed the directions on the packets, and voila! out come little seedlings a few days later...of course, as a newbie, i'm thrilled!

however...it says to "thin them" after they reach a certain height...and i'm looking at these dozens and dozens of seedlings in a very large pot thinking maybe i scattered too many...

so, now for a few beginner questions...
- do you plant MANY seeds in order to have a higher return? then thin them out (i'm assuming this means pull them?) after they get a certain height? or do i painstakingly put seed after seed already spaced out where i want them? which is easier? after looking at these TONS of seedlings that i have to thin, i almost wish i would have spaced them appropriately from the beginning...
- do i HAVE to thin them? is this for aesthetic reasons? or will they choke each other out? do i have to be as accurate as the seed package suggests? (several inches apart? yikes! i'll have to pull so many!)
- is there an easy way to save the poor little guys that i must sacrifice for the sake of the village? as a newbie, i was so thrilled to see something grow from seed...i feel bad about killing them! hehe

thanks to all who reply...y'all gave me so much advice last season, i almost feel like a pro now! i said ALMOST...

:)

I always feel bad "thinning" them too - they are so willing to grow and then you just kill them off. When I do them to thick I sometimes separate them so they are not so clumped together or if they are not to bad Iet them go. With some flowers they almost seem happier, IMO, to have such close friends.
I think everyone has their own opinion and my best advice is to do what feels right to you!
Good luck!
Bre

If your seedlings are too close together they won't grow into large plants that will bear many blooms. They will crowd each other and compete for light which will make them grow tall and leggy. Being crowded will also reduce air circulation between plants which will make them more prone to diseases. The directions given on the packages for thinning are accurate and I would recommend you follow them. You will be glad you did when you get nice big healthy plants full of blooms.

Ok here's what I would do, if you have some flat seed (square/rectangle) with drainage holes in the bottom, fill them with garden store bought compost, wet the compost in the trays, and then get a pencil or pen, and gently lift out a very small bunch of the seedlings,
you must wait till the seedlings have 2 true leaves as that is the part of the seedling you will handle, never the stems as they will just snap and die on you, lay the tiny bunch of seedlings on their sides and gently with one hand/fingers tug lightly by the leave and use the pencil to help separate the tiny roots from the rest, make a small hole in the compost with the pencil, and drop the seedling into the hole, use the pencil and finger to gently
firm the soil round the seedling, I know it sounds a daunting task, but actually, I find it very therapeutic, filling trays with little seedlings that I grew myself, a tray say about 12X14 inch will allow about 25 seedlings with room to grow some more before planting them out into the garden when the soil has warmed up enough for them to survive, you may need to fill half a dozen trays with the seedlings, but it will be well worth the work, this way allows air to circulate the seedlings, room for roots to grow and easier to water then as they grow,
Next time you sprinckle your seeds, if you want to grow them in the garden, wait till the weather has warmed up enough (if weed seedlings are sprouting in the garden, your seeds should be OK too) then just mark out a row or circle and use a very small pinch of seeds in each row or circle, I sometimes use an upturned 6 or 8 inch pot pressed into the soil to mark a ring, and then either a pinch of seeds inside the ring mark or into the ring dent in the soil for guidance, then it is easier to distinguish between weed seeds or flower seeds as they are well marked for me, good luck, try to be patient as you have done so well up till now. WeeNel.

weenel,
wow! i couldn't have asked for a more detailed reply! that is EXACTLY the type of newbie info i needed...thank you so so much for taking the time to write all of that out for me...i will send you pictures of my little "babies" when they're all grown up!

all the best,
-abl

I am new at this also.I tryed to plant my seed in hills spaced as instructed. First time I had no luck . I thought my seed were no good so , i just flung them out in my small flower garden. Well A couple of weeks later.I had small seed coming up every where. Zennia, sunflower, And several That I didnt know what they were . They came up between my day lilys and my Iris. They were so pretty . I couldnt have planted them that perfect. I am afraid I dont know enough about gardening to do it right so if mine is pretty i ..am always sure it is an actident.So I personely ..dont think it has to be perfect. But then I have A lot to learn. missbee

Good for you missbee! I have been saying for many years that there are a LOT of plants that die due to people worrying them to death. I'm not advocating that we stop caring for our plants though. But think about it, you just "planted" your seeds exactly like Mother Nature does--can't be anything wrong with that!

I agree with NatureLover...even if they're a "little crowded", so what ?
Nature never follows the spacing rules on seed pkgs. so why should WE ? LOL

Something about starting seeds makes me feel like a gardener. Last year I found an old packet of marigold seeds so I just sprinkled them any which way directly into the garden. A few fell too close and I pulled them out, poked a hole in the ground with a twig and stuck them in. I admit I didn't pamper them, just thought that instead of losing the thinned babies I would give them a slight chance. They all did just fine. Usually I space my seeds out to avoid having to thin them later. They do better spread out a bit so they don't have to fight for water or nutrients.

You might want to try some nasturtium seeds, they are fast and easy, can be put directly into the ground or into pots and they are so lovely you'll feel like a master gardener *g* Scarlett Runner Beans are also fast and easy - but you do have to nick the seed casing on one end to get them going. I use whatever I have handy, knife, scissors, nail clippers, (first spraying tool with diluted bleach to sterilize) and being careful to just take off a little of the outer coating and not cut into the meaty part of the seed. I planted mine at the base of my evergreen shrubs and clematis and they climbed right up and put on a show. I pulled the beans off once the pods turned brown, kept them in the garage all winter (zone 6) and I am now on my third generation of harvested seeds. You can also collect the nasturtium seeds, they are pea sized and fall off the plant when ready (brown & wrinkled). You don't need to do anything with the nasturtium seeds, pop them in the ground about 1/2 in down and away they go.

Best of luck


This message was edited Apr 13, 2008 11:47 PM

when I start seeds I dump them onto a napkin in a plastic bag. I put in a little water and wait. once they have their true leaves i rip the bag at the seams and gently remove the plants from the napkin. napkins tear easily when wet, so this usually isn't a problem. but when one is stubborn, napkins are also biodegradable and leaving a small bit on will not hurt the plant.
I usually put these little plants in a 48 cell garden flat, two to a cell. once they are large enough that the cover needs to be removed from the flat, i transplant the doubles into their own cells. then more waiting of course, until you finally put them into the ground.

this has seemed to work for me and i have successfully grown all sorts of flowers and vegetables, even some tropical ones. this works especially well around christmas when i give hot pepper plants and flavored catnip to friends and family.