seedlings close together...what to do?

[budblower10]

ok heres the situation: I have about 20 little plastic cups with seedlings in them (about a week old). I want to transplant them into 5 gallon buckets. But, in some of the cups, there are two seedlings (i guess i put an extra in some) very close to each other, almost touching. One is about two inches and the other is about one. The stems are basically touching in the center of the cup...what should i do? Should i just snip the smaller one with scissors and save the bigger one, or should i try to, somehow, get a spoon or something in there and seperate the root systems, and then transplant. Also, do you guys use rooting mixture (rootone, etc). I have heard it helps alot, but isnt necessary. One last question (but less important): what is about the stage of a plants life where you can be pretty sure that it will survive (of course excluding idea of theft, detection or whatever). Mine are seedlings now, and i feel that everything will kill them - wind, rain, frost, etc. . When can i ease my mind a little and know that they will probably work from then on. or: if they are working now....does that mean they will survive until harvest? one or two of them is on the "lean" laying over from last nights storm, i might stake them up, should they be ok? I try to research before posting, but this is just bothering me and i dont know what to search for to find the answerr. thanks

[KillerGenius]

After 8"-10" it will definitly survive and yield buds, with the exception of bugs and frost. Bugs arent that big of a problem in the woods but rabbits, and deer are. Deer dont know what weed is most of the time cuz there is not enough of it, and if they do they wont go near it for they have a fear of being killed. Try pissing around ur plot to make sure they wont come near it. Don't stake your plants up unless you really want the plant, bury it up to its neck in dirt, it will grow roots out of its stem. Let the weak ones die and the strong live on. It's just part of life. Oh yea stick them a lil further in the ground when planting and it shouldn't topple over. It might not be worth the effort, and might not be a good idea to have several plants and one or two of them at a different stage of growth.


I have the same problem with the "two plants too close thing". Im just not gonna seperate them and see what happens when i tie them down and let them just join at the roots.

[Spanishfly]

Do nothing until you sex them, if you find males, snip them off, problem solved.

Two females should be gently separated, tease their roots apart as gently as possible. Then transplant.