Thinning is very important, especially in your Gardyn! The use of space is vital to ensure you get strong and prolific crops that are not competing with each other for space and nutrients.
Typically, without thinning, you will have small plants that most likely have nutrient issues and are more prone to pests/diseases because of their crowding, rather than 1 very healthy and producing plant.
To give the best chances of germination success, each yCube is usually seeded with 6 seeds (for big seeds like peas, we use 3 seeds per cube). Each stem or sprout coming from the yCube is its own plant, and it is normal for many to sprout at once. Sometimes all of the seeds end up sprouting which can be too many for the yCube and will need to be thinned.
How to Thin
- Make sure true leaves are present.
- Start with the smallest sprouts, leaving the strongest sprout(s) to continue growing.
- Snip seedlings at the base, carefully using your fingernails or small scissors. Be sure not to pull the sprout out of the yCube, if the roots have already started developing it can damage the root structure of the sprout we do want to keep!
Which Plants Should I Thin?
Most fruiting plants and leafy greens should be thinned to one plant per yCube, while most herbs and bushy plants such as watercress and flowers should be thinned to 3 plants per yCube.
There are very few plants that do not require any thinning, and only our Green Beans and Purple Beans require thinning to 2 plants per yCube.
Follow the table below to find our thinning recommendations for each of your plants:
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Don’t Thin |
Thin to 1 |
Thin to 2 |
Thin to 3 |
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When to Thin
It’s best to thin your plants when they’re young, but established- when a set of true leaves can be observed. If you thin too late, overdeveloped roots may cause damage to the remaining seedlings, and too early may leave you with weak, unestablished plants.
If you are a member, Kelby will guide you too!
What is Thinning?
Thinning is the practice of removing the weakest sprouts while leaving behind the strongest. Depending on the type of plant, some yCubes should be thinned to 1 sprout while others can be left at 3 sprouts.Thinning has some significant benefits for growth rate, plant health, and Gardyn aesthetics. Thinning gives even access to light, nutrients, and can help lower the risk of pests and disease. Un-thinned groups may have irregularities with some plants accessing more light, inconsistencies in nutrient uptake, and a lack of air circulation due to crowding which increases the risk of pests or disease.Advantages of Thinning
Instead of Gardyn’s growing unruly, thinning helps keep things organized and clean so it’s easier to maintain your plants. Defoliating, pruning, inspecting for pests, and pollinating becomes much easier when there’s only one or three plants growing per yCube. The remaining plants will also be able to thrive with access to the resources the weaker plants were using because they are no longer competing for growth requirements (moisture, nutrients, light, etc) and have the space needed to grow.
Congratulations! You can now watch the remaining plants thrive.
Questions? Reach us at support@mygardyn.com, or chat with us! We're here to help.