Push plugs out from the bottom of the tray and avoid pulling them out by their leaves and stems. Although mechanical extractors can speed things up, they are frequently hard on young plants. Watch carefully to make sure seedlings and plugs are being removed properly. Where a plug is placed in the container is important. Since spacing is already at a premium, plants should be placed in the center of the pot or insert.
Offsets are frequently poor performers and also crowd out adjacent plants.
Planting depth is critical. The soil line of plugs and media in the new pot or insert should be the same, following irrigation. Plants potted too deep or shallow will present major problems later in the production cycle. Special care should be taken when pressing plugs in to the media. Too much pressure can result in root injury and subsequent disease problems.