An independently automated mechanical transplanter for dispensing seedlings into a furrow located in the ground or in a field. The transplanter includes at least one automated transplanter unit mounted to a transportable frame. A trundle is mounted to the transportable frame having a plurality of gripper fingers. Each automated transplanter unit has a seedling tray for presenting a plurality of seedlings to the trundle to grip and extract the seedlings from the seedling tray. The transplanter also includes a moveable conveyor belt having a plurality of pockets attached thereto the trundle configured to transfer the plurality of seedlings into the plurality of pockets as the conveyor belt moves and each individual pocket configured to open when positioned directly over a delivery chute for dropping the seedlings into a planting shoe for delivery into the open furrow.
