Thinning seedlings

Annual flower and vegetable seedlings should be well under way and getting bigger by the day. Outdoor sowing will be getting crowded if you didn’t space them appropriately, especially if you sowed small seeds such as cornflowers and carrots.

To stop them getting overcrowded and spindly thin the seedlings out so that they have enough space to grow to maturity. Do this when the weather is mild but not too sunny, and the soil is moist. If the soil is dry water well half-an-hour before you start.

Look at the sowing/planting instructions on the seed packet, or check in a good gardening book to see how far apart the plants need to be. Try to keep the healthiest seedlings in place, thinning weaker ones between them.

Using a dibber or hand fork, gently ease the plants you wish to remove out of the soil, holding them by their leaves. Avoid damaging them and you may be able to transplant them if they’re in good condition – but don’t delay, get the seedlings back in the soil as quickly as possible.

Once you’ve thinned out unwanted seedlings, water the remainder thoroughly to re-settle them in the soil.