Chopsticks?

I usually use a spoon (sometimes a plastic one) for transplanting small seedlings, though when they're really small, I use the handle.

I think the word you're looking for for the initial leaves is "cotyledon." I wouldn't transplant your seedlings until they get their first true leaves.

In my experience, peppers transplant pretty well, so you can transplant them as needed until it's time to put them outside.

With the zone you are in, I suppose that Styrofoam cups might keep them enough at bay until you can put them outside.

In any case, the 72 cell trays have 8 inserts with 9 containers each (809 inserts). What I do is to make sure I plant either 9 seeds of the same plant species in each insert (or germination compatible ones). Let's say, Cucumber (fast, 2-3 days) seeds and Fatali (unlucky, up to several weeks) in the same is not a good idea. Ok, as soon as I have an acceptable germination rate, I strip off the insert and move it to another non-heated 1020 flat under Flourescent lights. Personally, I like the Plant and Aquarium lights. Let them just sit there 2-3 weeks. The root system will develop and it will require almost no effort at all to transplant. If you take them early, then there's not enough root to keep the soil together and the "spoon" method sounds as reasonable.

If you find that the Styrofoam cups caused some root-boundness, then I would definitely think about trimming the roots before transplanting into the final medium. I've had a few slightly root-bound plants that I did not trim. At the end of the summer, it seems like they did not really develop much outside of the styrofoam root.

Lastly, last year, I had 140 plants. Transplanted from 72-cells into 2.5 inch pots, then styrofoam cups for the ones I started late and 6 inch pots (still under lights) for my January plants. The final place was either in my garden, or 12 and 14 inch pots.

HA! I didn't know you could separate the sections of the flat. That changes the game immensely. As luck would have it, the sprouts that have really taken off are all in one section.

Great insight, thank you both!!

I use the opposite side of a stainless measuring spoon, the ones I have are actually a little curved to help hold the transplant on the handle and depending what size of flat i'm transplanting out of I just use the appropriate size spoon. You can get them at the dollar store.

Dale