raybellanger said: there about 6inches high but in 3 inch square boxes; with a mass of roots about 5inch deep, hard to separate I think or just cut them in two to thin them!!
I would not cut roots unless I absolutely had to. What I might do, if they were very tangled, is soak them in water, which will loosen and remove the soil, so you can see what you're dealing with. Then gently tease the seedlings apart. Some roots will tear, but with less damage than a knife would do.
Nurseries often put more seeds in a pot than they will think will germinate, then don't bother to thin the seedlings. Sometimes they all do just fine.
It really is important, if you want relevant advice, to say what kind of plants they are, because some are tougher than others, more adaptable, more resilient - they need different kinds of treatment.
Tomatoes will survive almost anything - I've seen them come back from frost and drought and windstorm. Beans will die if a cold puff of air hits them. Squashes don't like transplanting, but will put with it if done gently.
So, don't plop your plants into a hole just yet. But do replant them in a bigger pot. To tease them out of the tiny pot, usually, the whole block of soil will come out if you put one palm over the top, with two fingers either side of the plant stems, turn the pot upside-down and push on or tap (depending whether it's soft or hard) the bottom of the pot. Place the root-ball into the larger pot, tamp down the soil and water it.
The plants can be separated later, when you've had time to learn what's best to do for these particular plants. Meanwhile, they're growing stronger and bigger.
