 Hello everyone, my name is Kari Knudsen and I work for NDSU Extension in Grand Forks County as the Horticulture Agent. Today we're going to be discussing how to thin those ceilings that you started a couple weeks ago. Generally when we start seeds we tend to plant a little bit thicker than we need because germination is not always 100% and this will allow you extra ceilings to only pick out the healthiest ones for your garden. We want to make sure that we thinner seedlings because overcrowding will lead to plants whose root systems and stems are intertwined. The plants might also be leggy and they're just not very vigorous and won't do well in an outside garden setting. So there are two ways to thin your ceilings. When you start thinning seedlings you want to make sure they have at least two or have at least their true leaves. So here I have some broccoli ceilings I've been growing for a couple weeks. They are just starting to get their second true leaf so I'm going to thin them out. The first way is simply with the scissors. Just picking out the ceilings that are the strongest and healthiest and keeping them and then using the scissors to cut off the stem at the soil surface. So I'm going to thin out this pack right here and you don't want to just rip off the ceilings. You don't want to pull them out by the roots because this will disturb the roots and the soil of the ceilings you want to keep and you might have some unintended plant loss. So there we go. Easiest way I've thinned out that cell right there of my broccoli plant. Now another way to thin your ceilings especially if this is a little bit painful for you after you've spent all that time caring for other ceilings you can transplant those ceilings. So simply take the ceilings out of whatever container you use to start them in. Keep them in a moist paper towel so that the roots don't dry out and you're just going to gently separate the seeds. Now I am using a craft stick but you can also use a pencil as well so you're going to go in there and you're going to separate out the ceilings so only picking out the healthiest ceilings to transplant. So this I believe is a cabbage ceilings, the great healthy root system and I'm going to use my pencil or my craft stick to make a nice hole or divot in my cell and use the tip of the pencil or the craft stick to gently push in the roots of my ceiling. Now you want to put the ceiling in a little bit deeper than the roots are and that should help you with the ceilings becoming leggy. Then use your fingers to firmly press the ceilings so it's in close contact with the soil and there you have your ceilings transplanted. So two ways to thin out your ceilings either using a scissors to cut off the ceilings that you don't want, keeping only the healthiest or you can transplant the ceilings into new containers as well. Thanks!