Rita Bedford from Washington starts seeds in her greenhouse every spring. But she’s always found thinning and transplanting seedlings tedious. To make the job easier, Rita uses bamboo shish kabob skewers. She says they’re useful for prying the seedlings out of the starting mix when she’s transplanting. As you can see in the illustration below, a skewer’s thin, pointed tip works well for teasing roots apart on seedlings that have grown together.
When handling seedlings, hold them by their first leaves rather than the stems. At this tender stage, the stems can be easily bruised or broken. Using the skewer to support the roots will keep the leaf from tearing away from the plant.
Also remember to replant each seedling as you move it. Even a short time out of the soil will dry the roots and slow down the re-establishment of the young plant.
After they’ve been watered in, some of the starts fall over and lay on the soil.The skewer makes a good tool for carefully lifting each plant and holding it upright. Then, a second skewer comes in handy for gently firming the soil to help the seedling stand up until the roots take hold
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