Transplanting Seedlings

When seedlings are bunched in a tight area, it's best to "transplant" them to uncrowded areas of the garden bed so all have room to grow and breathe. If the garden bed is full, then it's a survival of the fittest situation -- only the strongest seedlings survive while the rest are "thinned" (plucked and eaten!) I actually found it heartbreaking to pluck the weaker seedlings -- there is just such life and energy behind these tiny plants that somehow find a will to live and push their way through the soil. So, I'll be transplanting as much as possible and giving as many healthy seedlings a chance for a good, happy life.

A Few Rules of Thumb:
1. Seedlings are ready for transplantation once they've developed their first true set of leaves.
2. It's best to transplant seedlings before they've developed their second set of fully developed leaves. (Longer roots and longer stems are more easily damaged...)
3. Remove seedlings 1 by 1 and replant each seedling before removing another.

Steps:
1. Use a stick, fork handle, Popsicle stick, or pencil (whatever is handy - the possibilities are endless...) to loosen the ground underneath a group of crowded seedlings.
2. Pick up individual seedlings by their leaves. Though it's tempting to pick up the seedlings by their stem, this actually bruises the stem and causes irreversible damage, leaving the plant unable to transport water and nutrients.
3. Once you have the seedling with it's long root system intact (the roots tend to be two to three times as long as the stem and leaves), use your stick to create a nice hole in the ground deep enough to hold the roots.
4. When placing the seedling into the hole, take care not to bury the entire stem. Look to see where the next set of leaves will be sprouting and make sure not to cover these tiny leaves with dirt.
5. Use your stick/fork/pencil to lightly fill the hole around your seedling (without compacting the soil).
6. Once you've redistributed all of your seedlings so that they all have room to grow, it's time to water. It's best to water from above your head versus low to the ground. This creates a nice, light sprinkle versus a downpour. Give enough water to moisten the soil, but take care to avoid puddling in the bed!