Gardener's Dictionary: Thinning
Thinning (v.): Gardeners practice thinning out seedlings or plants in order to allow better, stronger plants to thrive. This most often occurs when gardeners plant more seeds than they know they will be able to grow, then they reduce the number of seedlings, thinning out the weakest plants and keeping the strongest plants. When thinning seedlings, always cut or pinch off the weaker seedlings - never pull them out, as it may damage the roots of the healthier seedlings.
