seeds To thin or not to thin... (seedlings)

Dorkasaurus

Dorkasaurus

I normally put two to three seeds in each pot and cull them down to one. Most of the seedlings this year are varieties I haven't previously grown, and I guess I wasn't expecting near 100% germination and find myself reluctant to waste them. I also don't really have the resources to try to transplant all of them, as I've already limited the varieties I'll be growing this year to about half of what I wanted.

I'm wondering if anyone here grows or has grown them together, and if so did it work out okay or does the strongest plant kill the weaker ones(s) or do they fuse together or do all of them suffer due to overcrowding or...?

Advice anyone?

I'm only asking because I read a snip somewhere taken from a Farmer's Almanac that recommended growing them in pairs stating it would produce a healthier crop and increase overall yields (clearly information aimed at farmers with fields of peppers). This is something I've never really heard of before and seems counterintuitive to me.
 
I know it's hard but just dooooooo it! Lol. I jist culled mine tonight...it sucked at first but ifs for the greater good. I killed off about 30 plants. Clip! Clip! Clip! And they werr gone. At least each one has its space. If you leave them together you will have to pot up a lot sooner/often as well as water more often.
 
Mezo said:
If your missus gave birth to sextuplets, would you kill five of your smaller kids just because one was taller than the rest?

Mezo.
Click to expand...

yes


But to answer the OP, I have seen it done with Jalapeños, but like 3/5 says, it will hurt you in the long run. You could always go get a bag of soil and some red Solo cups and pot up the extras in there. That will let you not kill them, but also not take away from your original grow plan.
 
The reason that "pairs" do better is because of "hedging." There are several users that use this technique, and have GREAT results. (I believe AJ does it.) The reason that they do well is because they use each other for a support system. They also create a kind of "micro climate" under the canopy. The plants still cooler in the climate, have more shade, and the soil stays wetter longer.
I've never done it before, but will probably end up doing it this year because I have WAY too many plants, and not enough room this year.
 
I'll take one big plant over two small ones any day. Bigger pods, more heat and usually, in the end, more pods to boot. The extra plant just gets in the way. Kind of like capitalism vs socialism - let the strong survive and thrive. Either split them early and grow more, or cull the weak one.
 
Here are my "culls" i couldnt bring myself to just kill them. so they all got throw into one pot and into a window and i let the strongest survive. It looks like about 10 made it. Makes a pretty window plant now :)

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You can always tease the roots apart and transplant them into individual containers. No harm done when the seedlings are young. I'm in the process of doing such with my tomatoes. Some of the seeds are just too darn small to individually plant in cells. Such as the "Spoon or Currant" tomatoes. Those seeds are about the size of leaf lettuce seeds. So I'm separating some cells which can have as many as 4 seedlings. All is well, its just taking forever to rifle through 3 flats...

Greg
 
I don't normally plant more than one seed per cup but on occasion it has happened. The two times I've allowed them to stay together through the season both plants were smaller than the single plants and pod production was less.
 
Here is 3 plants together I recently put them in a raised box, they seem to get along fine.
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And finally in their last home top right is 3 plants.
IMG_0102-4.jpg
 
That's pretty cool Prehensile. I think if done right you can get a massive plant. I'm trying something similar with a few of my plants. The rest I have thinned. I got higher germ rates than expected and hate to thin my naga morichs. I have a pair that is growing equal height and I want to see if I can get them to graft from growing so close. If that works, then I'll try this with two different varieties.
 
There are always people who would love a hot pepper plant or 'few', which is why I plant 2 to a pot and transplant both of them.

With large pots, I'll plant 2 in them, though they're still at least 12" apart. But mostly the plants are in 5 gal pots or bags this year and will be shared with friends and others.
 
Hot Pooper said:
The reason that "pairs" do better is because of "hedging." There are several users that use this technique, and have GREAT results. (I believe AJ does it.) The reason that they do well is because they use each other for a support system. They also create a kind of "micro climate" under the canopy. The plants still cooler in the climate, have more shade, and the soil stays wetter longer.
I've never done it before, but will probably end up doing it this year because I have WAY too many plants, and not enough room this year.
Click to expand...

+1

I do not do it either, only one at a time, but I understand this^
 
I would keep them, I have tons of extras, but now they are not really extras, I'm just not planting as many tomatoes this year as I first planned, and have a few more in buckets.. I will also put some around the outside of the yard and in areas that I can plant the extra pepper plants and not worry about them too much, kind of like my mom's flowers, I could care less about flowers, so having some pepper plants mixed in there might be kind of cool, and look different..

especially down where you are, you could just put them in solo cups like Matt said for now, and then just plant them around the house or something.. if they are extras, it doesn't really matter if they are in the garden or not, just let them grow somewhere off to the side and get some "free" peppers in the end.. could just throw some ferts on the top of the soil or something and maybe water them here and there. .but just focus on your "main" set of plants and let the other ones be..
 
You could have cloned the second seedling : )
 
Mezo said:
If your missus gave birth to sextuplets, would you kill five of your smaller kids just because one was taller than the rest?

Mezo.
Click to expand...

They have a word for it in the gardening world "Culling" so it must be done....lol. On a side not if I planted one seed and got 6 plants out of it....I'd take that shite to guiness and get myself a record....and then sell seeds for 27.99 in a combo pack with other seeds nobody wanted....... ;)
 
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