Some of us just use teaspoons to lift them out....a fork works too. If the containers are seriously over-crowded with tiny seedlings you are going to lose some in the process where the spoon goes in. I try to sow stuff in rows to make it easier but sometimes that isn't always possible with the really fine tiny seeds.
With bigger sturdier seedlings like Zinnia, Sunflower, Marigold, ect. I just dump the whole container out in a tray and the seedling roots will usually fall apart from each other on their own. If they don't you can get your fingers underneath and lightly work them loose :D

I use a spoon and my fingers. I hate not wearing my gardening gloves but there's no other way around it when they are so small.

Good luck!

I like using a grapefruit spoon and wear latex gloves, when I remember to do so!

I use a hand shovel to loosen up the dirt in the area I am planting into, so that it's soft and I can move it around with my hands. Then I just use my fingers to pry off a little chunk and pluck it into the area and just keep going like this, spacing the plants.

I do find that placing the jug/container in a pan of water for a few minutes to moisten the seedlings (but not too wet) helps in getting tiny chunks loose.

Well, I don't know what you guys would call it, but I call what I use a pickle fork!

=)Necia

Trowel, glass of chardonnay.

Has anyone tried one of those little baby spoons? It works well for me. It is the size of a demitasse spoon.

Kitchen spoon to plant, dinner knife to slice into squares.

Karen

Thank you so much for the suggestions, everyone!

I have baby spoons, grapefruit spoons, and dinner knives a-plenty. Maybe some knee pads or something to keep my knees from getting too dirty. :)

I will use the watering tip, and depending on the time of day, I will have a coffee mug or wine glass. :)

Thank you, thank you!

cheers,
Nora Belle

My experience with watering first hasn't worked out so well: the soil got so soppy that it was impossible to get a "hunk." But that may be because of the way I do it. I don't take hunks out of the container; I remove the ENTIRE contents of the container in one big mass:
First, I turn my container upside down, grabbing it by the drain holes. I realized in year 1 that seedlings don't mind standing on their heads for the 2 seconds that it takes to remove an entire mass out of a container.
So I have this giant 'brownie' of seedlings.
Next, I simply find a spot on the SIDEWALL where it looks like it can be separated easily- where there is a 'break' in the seedlings. If not, just wing it: break it horizontally: as if you are inserting a spatula sideways through the side wall of the mass. You may or may not need your trowel to do this. Then take that half, and break it again the same way, only this time into about thirds. This usually gives me about a 2" hunk.
Dig hole with trowel
Plant seedling hunks. I generally will plant hunks about 4-6" apart...sure, this might be tight, but it makes for a GREAT show.
Stick plant tag (vinyl mini blind version) that was in the jug into the area to mark the hunks.
Lather, rinse, repeat.

Thanks, mmqchdygg!

I especially like the suggestions for spacing. I have been envisioning planting plugs the way you describe, and I have wondered about the spacing. I am looking forward to a GREAT show with the annuals this summer and the perennials in the years to come. :)

Your description of the sidewall brought to mind the image of a retaining or sidewall first. :) This reminds me I need a place where I can set the "brownie" of seedlings as I plant. My girls have a plastic picnic table, which I think I will commandeer and drag around the yard as I plant out.

cheers,
Nora Belle

I cut the 2 front corners of the jug vertically all the way to the bottom, then slide out the whole blob into a nursery flat. I slice the brownies in the flat.

Or, sometimes I just scoop out hunks a spoonful at a time.

Karen