thinning things out.

[Flunky]

How do you go about thinning things out ?

I have lots to do but I am worried that I will harm my crop. Things like carrots leeks etc. need to be done. I dont know where to start. ???

Thanks in advance.

F.

[Flunky]

[gonz]

I am only new to this myself, but I did my leeks at the weekend by putting my little fork a few inches away from the leeks and just eased them out gently.  I found that they came up very easily.  I made a few holes with my dibber, dropped the little leek in and filled it with water.  They seemed to have taken well.  (so far so good!!!)

Hope that helps.

[tim]

Leeks are tough. If very close packed, in trays or out, soak the soil, tip or lever the root pack out/up & 'fumble' the roots apart.

Carrots are different. If very packed, snip with hairdressing scissors. Clear up the cuttings - tempting to Carror Fly. If not packed, use finger & thumb. Go for 2" spacing.

[Flunky]

thanks guys.

Tim, by packed do you mean "packed together tight" are you saying that you just trim them up and let the ones that are  trimmed die off ?

[PurpleHeather]

This is when you find out that putting that packet of 250 seeds into a small row was not worth it and swear that next year you will sow half the packet.

All veg are different.

If you pull up surplus carrots, the carrot fly will smell them and ruin the  rest of the crop.

Leeks, you can dig them all out and put back the biggest and best.

Beetroot, take out so that there is about one every inch or so. Then when they get to golf ball size take out every other one and use the baby beets for salad.

swede, turnips and parsnips reduce to one every 4-6 inches, depending on how big you want your final roots to be.

spinach, no more than one plant to the inch.

Onions one to the inch, use the others for salads.

You can thin out again later, but the baby leaves are nice in salads, so I would leave a little close for most things then use the thinnings as either small veg or as a salad additive for a later thinning.