Abstract: There is provided an apparatus and method for propagating, growing and handling plants. A tray is provided having a pluralilty of spaced apart elongated containers which are removably attached to one another. Each container has a plurality of planting compartments with adjacent planting compartments being separated by an air compartment each having an elongated opening which permits the movement of air into the root system of a plant located in an adjacent compartment. The air compartments also provide for vertical airflow to the leafy parts of the plants. The elongated containers are readily separated from one another and reassembled using automated apparatus. The automated apparatus removes the plants from the container for grading, transplanting and/or packaging.

Abstract: A seedling growing container is illustrated wherein a number of removable partitions or barriers are positioned together in a block. Each of the partitions has interconnected diverging walls forming a series of troughs therebetween open at the top and the bottom so that the partitions may be placed in opposing relation as in a tray forming growing compartments from each of the opposing troughs which are in register with each other, suitable for growing a single seedling. Positioning of the plugs is contemplated such that alternate rows of plugs of growing material, each of which is capable of growing a single seedling, are utilized so that each plug will be surrounded for the most part by a partition with the remainder being surrounded by an air space for preventing roots from growing from one plug to the other through the process of air pruning.