It used to be by hand! One guys walks with a butane torch touching little holes into the plastic, two guys behind him with spoons, and two behind them with plants, and a supervisor (my landlord). Use to get about 5,000 per 12 hour day planted. I have sinced purchased a mechanical tow-behind. Pretty slick- it knocks a hole in the plastic, puts in 8 oz of root starter, and makes the hole. Two people sit on it like a tobacco planter and shove plants down into the hole & cover back with soil. In rough ground your fingers bleed after about the first 2 hours. You have about 4 seconds between plucking plants from the tray in which to get the plant in the ground & covered. I can now plant 1,000 per hour. It will take about a day & a half to get this years' crop in the ground.