Pricking out and tap roots

I'm potting on my Cayenne and Jalapeno seedlings and i've broken one or two of the tap roots when actually pricking them out. Will they survive and do i need to be less heavy handed!!???

http://www.flickr.com/photos/48369322@N02/4448245104/in/photostream/

How did you manage that ?!

I normally empty the container out fully rather than trying to dig around yanking the plants out. Its one of the reasons I moved over to cell trays rather than seed trays.

Your picture shows good growth so you may be lucky and they'll be fine.  Your compost looks really wet Id be more concerned about that. You also have loads of plants I hope you like peppers !30-40 pods off each wouldn't surprise me.

Well i managed it by diging about in the seed tray and pulling before it was fully loose. Now i know i will use cell trays only for everything, it's so much easier! little plug out and then plonk it straight in new compost! as for it being wet, i fill my 3" pots with compost, let the water soak up and then dib a hole and plonk it in. Should i not be watering the compost first?? Iwon't water them now for at least 3/4 days or maybe longer....

I appreaciate you watering info I had been concerned if I water too much or too little

This is a very personal opinion, but I have found that  many of the more expensive seed and potting on composts are a bit too heavy. I use a multi purpose compost preferably with a bit of John Innes already incorporated. I always transplant moist seedlings (so watered an hour or 2 beforehand), lift out seedlings with a forked stick (either purpose made tool or lolly stick with centre cut out), dib hole (with pencil) and put in seedling and cover with compost.
Compost choice does mean you have to water more regularly!

If grown in same compost they should fall apart quite easily,  preferably as the first set of cotelydons are full size and starting to produce next leaves. If you leave til next often the plants are too wound together root wise. Handle tomatoes via leaves rather than stems to prevent virus transfer. I grow all in cells 3" wide and pot on from there, growing close together promotes germination due to pheremones , then transplant.

I like to have the compost damp but not wet, this time of the year the sun isnt very strong and theres no wind to dry it out indoors, so it stays wet for a while and nothing like to sit for too long with wet feet.

I also only give them a dribble of water when the compost pulls away from the sides of the pot, once they get a bit bigger they're only watered when they start to wilt.

Do you water them in then from the top Lardman? I've got more to pot on today and want to get it right!