[Anton]

I recently bought one of these seed trays, sowed some seeds and was quite hapy to see them coming up quite quickly. However, when it came from transferring them from the pots to the garden plot it was a bit of a struggle. I watered the modules well but I still had to push from the bottom to get the seedlings out.
    I can't see the trays lasting long at this rate and I don't think it is very good for the plants. Does anybody have any smarter methods for removing the plants please?

Anton

[snowdrops]

Which seed tray was it that you bought? Was there supposed to be a photo or a link to it?  . If it’s a module tray, I find you need a good amount of root growth to aid you getting the plant out, either a squeeze around the sides of each module or push up through the drainage hole with a pencil or dribbler works for me.
I’m moving over to the Charles Dowding ones as they use less compost,are designed to last for years & are tapered to enable easy removal of the plant.
I’ll find a link.

https://containerwise.co.uk/product/charles-dowding-starter-pack/

Not cheap by any means but I’m very pleased with mine, I’ve had them 2 or 3 years now. Scroll down to see the other sizes, I’ve only got a few of the CD 60s at the moment. I bought them with some birthday/Christmas money to try a few years back, that was the only size they had but they now do a half size cd30 or 1/4 size cd 15. The number refers to the amount of modules, but all the modules are the same size, quite small, but I tried French beans in mine this year & they were a great success, very little rotting off like normal.

[Anton]

Thanks for your quick reply. You can see my tray below in the photo (the plastic is a bit flimsy looking, I have to say). I tried with the pencil in the small hole at the bottom but did not manage to move anything. I saw a video where a woman watered the pots really well then upended the tray slightly and then pulled the seedling out by a leaf (seemed a bit drastic) and then pushed gently on the side of the pot. I also tried dislodging the pot, scooping it out with a slender stick I had with me at the time.

Anton

[vikingraider]

Could you use a small knife or something to break the tension around the edges? I use an old chisel

[AndyRVTR]

I use a teaspoon!

[AnneB]

I use a teaspoon!

That's what I use too.

[Anton]

Then when you use your chisel or spoon or knife do you need to push the bottom of the pot?
Because with separate normal-size pots I just water them, wait a minute or two, two them upside, given them a gentle shake and they just slide out.

[JayG]

I choose a suitably sized finger to fit into the drainage hole, push upwards from underneath, and eject!
Works better if the compost is slightly on the dry side so has shrunk away from the sides a little.

[Anton]

Slightly dry. That's a thought. The hole is too small to accommodate anything bigger than a pencil.

[vikingraider]

If none of these suggestions are working Anton, the plastic might be too flimsy in your trays. Cheap ones can be a false economy

[Anton]

Ok, thanks all of you for the advice. I just have just filled up another tray. I will let you what happens when the plants emerge.
I wasn't really being a cheapskate. These were the only ones they had in the garden store.

Anton

[vikingraider]

Or to put it another way then, very thin plastic could be a problem.

[snowdrops]

Ok, thanks all of you for the advice. I just have just filled up another tray. I will let you what happens when the plants emerge.
I wasn't really being a cheapskate. These were the only ones they had in the garden store.

Anton

No I’m sure you weren’t. Over the years in an effort to save plastic or ahem money the manufacturer’s have made the plastic so thin that they have become incredibly flimsy which is why I have begun replacing them with the ones I described & linked to

[Anton]

Thanks again.

[Goosegirl]

When I buy plug plants they come in tiny modules in a plastic tray. I find I have more success removing them by pushing a slim stick, cane, whatever up the bottom but make sure they're drying out beforehand so it makes them easier to get out.