Seedling thinning.

Before and after pictures of thinned lettuce seedlings.

I had to murder thin my lettuce seedlings. Usually sowing and then potting on for lots of lettuce is the way to go.  However, this year I was growing small quantities of different varieties so I sowed directly into the flat cells.  I wasn’t sure of the seed germination either so I added extra seed since this was saved seed from last year.  The results of which were cells chockablock with little baby lettuce plants.

Logically we all know, left to their own devices, this environment would stunt growth, be a breeding ground for fungal growth, yadda yadda.  With a steeled resolve, I plucked the weaklings out.  Other gardeners suggest using small scissors and snipping the stems so as not to disturb the soil around the roots.  I’m not up to the Queen of Hearts level of thinning yet, so I was doing good just to pull the defenseless babies extra seedlings out.

After a sizeable amount of plucked seedlings had formed I thought about the whole microgreen movement and decided it was time for an experimental snack.  I thought about veal as I was munching on lettuce babies and decided microgreens were not worth the mental wrangling or taste.  I’ll wait for a full grown salad thanks.