
Easy seed spacing
To reduce clumping seedlings, and the need to thin, use different-sized pots to measure the distance between plants.
After soil is freshly tilled, hold a pot upside down and use its rim to stamp consecutive circles, making sure the next one touches the edge of the previous one in the row. Then place your seed at each point where the circles meet, just like you see here.
Planting beans or peas? A 2-in. container is best. Bigger terra-cotta pots, from 4 to 8 in., provide space for seeds that like to be planted farther apart, such as pumpkins.
As long as it has a perfectly round rim, any kind of container will work well, although terra-cotta leaves a “thick” imprint that’s easy to see. Just remember the diameter of a pot is measured across its top.