Thinning seedlings

If you are not ready to thin your plants, you are not ready to be self-sufficient in vegetables.  Once you start your seeds you will have more plants sprout than should grow in a cell.  One plant per cell is the rule.  If you try to grow more, they will strangle each other - giving you weak plants instead of strong ones.  With lettuce, it's not so bad because you can eat the thinnings.

With tomatoes and other plants it's harder - you cut down the little plants and throw them into the compost.  But you have to do it.  It's hard to reconcile taking the time to plant from seeds and then cutting down a lot of those plants, but they grow stronger and better when you thin them.  Don't let your sentimental side keep you from thinning your seedlings - they need it.