diff --git a/web/src/editor/SeedTray.tsx b/web/src/editor/SeedTray.tsx
index deebb51..cbfe6f1 100644
--- a/web/src/editor/SeedTray.tsx
+++ b/web/src/editor/SeedTray.tsx
@@ -5,17 +5,17 @@ import type { Plant } from '@/lib/plants'
 /**
  * The Seed Tray strip in the focus-mode toolbar: a row of the garden's
  * kept-at-hand plants. Tap a chip to arm that plant for tap-to-place (the armed
- * chip is highlighted); ✕ removes it from the tray; the trailing ＋ chip opens
- * the full catalog picker. See useSeedTray for persistence.
+ * chip is highlighted); ✕ removes it from the tray; the trailing "+ Plant" chip
+ * opens the full catalog picker. See useSeedTray for persistence.
  */
 export function SeedTray({
-  plants,
+  trayPlants,
   armedPlantId,
   onArm,
   onRemove,
   onOpenPicker,
 }: {
-  plants: Plant[]
+  trayPlants: Plant[]
   armedPlantId: number | null
   onArm: (plant: Plant) => void
   onRemove: (id: number) => void
@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ export function SeedTray({
 }) {
   return (
     <div className="flex flex-wrap items-center gap-1.5">
-      {plants.map((p) => {
+      {trayPlants.map((p) => {
         const active = p.id === armedPlantId
         return (
           <span
@@ -59,7 +59,7 @@ export function SeedTray({
         onClick={onOpenPicker}
         className="inline-flex items-center gap-1 rounded-full border border-dashed border-border px-2.5 py-1 text-xs font-medium text-muted outline-none transition-colors hover:border-accent hover:text-accent-strong focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-accent/40"
       >
-        ＋ Plant
+        + Plant
       </button>
     </div>
   )
diff --git a/web/src/lib/seedTray.ts b/web/src/lib/seedTray.ts
index 9c01916..8db0347 100644
--- a/web/src/lib/seedTray.ts
+++ b/web/src/lib/seedTray.ts
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ const TRAY_MAX = 24 // a working set, not a catalog; caps pathological growth
 function loadIds(gardenId: number): number[] {
   try {
     const v: unknown = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(KEY(gardenId)) ?? '[]')
-    return Array.isArray(v) ? v.filter((n): n is number => typeof n === 'number') : []
+    const ids = Array.isArray(v) ? v.filter((n): n is number => typeof n === 'number') : []
+    return ids.slice(-TRAY_MAX) // honor the cap even if storage was hand-edited
   } catch {
     return []
   }
@@ -30,17 +31,18 @@ function saveIds(gardenId: number, ids: number[]) {
   }
 }
 
-export interface SeedTray {
+export interface SeedTrayState {
   /** Tray plants in insertion order, resolved against the live catalog. */
   trayPlants: Plant[]
-  /** Add a plant to the end of the tray (no-op if already present). */
+  /** Add a plant to the end of the tray (no-op if already present; when the tray
+   *  is full the oldest entry is evicted). */
   add: (plant: Plant) => void
   /** Remove a plant from the tray. */
   remove: (id: number) => void
 }
 
 /** Per-garden Seed Tray backed by localStorage and the plant catalog. */
-export function useSeedTray(gardenId: number): SeedTray {
+export function useSeedTray(gardenId: number): SeedTrayState {
   const plants = usePlants()
   const [ids, setIds] = useState<number[]>(() => loadIds(gardenId))
 
diff --git a/web/src/pages/GardenEditorPage.tsx b/web/src/pages/GardenEditorPage.tsx
index c9f097b..77ef159 100644
--- a/web/src/pages/GardenEditorPage.tsx
+++ b/web/src/pages/GardenEditorPage.tsx
@@ -244,18 +244,26 @@ export function GardenEditorPage() {
     setArmedPlant(plant)
   }
 
+  // Removing the armed plant from the tray also disarms it, so placement doesn't
+  // silently continue for a plant the user just cleared out.
+  function removeFromTrayAndDisarm(id: number) {
+    removeFromTray(id)
+    if (armedPlant?.id === id) setArmedPlant(null)
+  }
+
   // The picker hands back the full Plant (from the whole catalog), so use it
   // directly rather than re-resolving against the garden's referenced-plant map —
   // a not-yet-placed plant isn't in that map, which used to silently abort the
-  // pick (nothing armed, picker left open).
+  // pick (nothing armed, picker left open). Picking (place OR change) makes sure
+  // the plant renders and drops it into this garden's tray for quick reuse.
   function onPickPlant(plant: Plant) {
     if (!canEdit) return // defense in depth: viewers can't reach the picker anyway
+    ensurePlant(plant)
     addToTray(plant)
     if (picker === 'change' && selectedPlop) {
-      ensurePlant(plant)
       updatePlanting.mutate({ id: selectedPlop.id, version: selectedPlop.version, plantId: plant.id })
     } else {
-      armPlant(plant) // 'place' mode: arm for repeat placement
+      setArmedPlant(plant) // 'place' mode: arm for repeat placement
     }
     setPicker(null)
   }
@@ -284,30 +292,34 @@ export function GardenEditorPage() {
               ← {garden.name}
             </button>
             <span className="max-w-[8rem] truncate text-muted">{objectDisplayName(focusedObject)}</span>
-            {canEdit && !focusedObject.plantable && <span className="text-xs text-muted">Not plantable</span>}
-            {canEdit && focusedObject.plantable && (
-              <SeedTray
-                plants={trayPlants}
-                armedPlantId={armedPlant?.id ?? null}
-                onArm={armPlant}
-                onRemove={removeFromTray}
-                onOpenPicker={() => setPicker('place')}
-              />
-            )}
-            {canEdit && focusedObject.plantable && armedPlant && (
-              <Button variant="ghost" className="px-2 py-1 text-xs" onClick={() => setArmedPlant(null)}>
-                Done
-              </Button>
-            )}
-            {canEdit && focusedObject.plantable && focusedPlops.length > 0 && (
-              <Button
-                variant="ghost"
-                className="px-2 py-1 text-xs text-red-600 dark:text-red-400"
-                onClick={() => setClearing(true)}
-              >
-                Clear ({focusedPlops.length})
-              </Button>
-            )}
+            {canEdit &&
+              (focusedObject.plantable ? (
+                <>
+                  <SeedTray
+                    trayPlants={trayPlants}
+                    armedPlantId={armedPlant?.id ?? null}
+                    onArm={armPlant}
+                    onRemove={removeFromTrayAndDisarm}
+                    onOpenPicker={() => setPicker('place')}
+                  />
+                  {armedPlant && (
+                    <Button variant="ghost" className="px-2 py-1 text-xs" onClick={() => setArmedPlant(null)}>
+                      Done
+                    </Button>
+                  )}
+                  {focusedPlops.length > 0 && (
+                    <Button
+                      variant="ghost"
+                      className="px-2 py-1 text-xs text-red-600 dark:text-red-400"
+                      onClick={() => setClearing(true)}
+                    >
+                      Clear ({focusedPlops.length})
+                    </Button>
+                  )}
+                </>
+              ) : (
+                <span className="text-xs text-muted">Not plantable</span>
+              ))}
           </div>
         )}
         <GardenCanvas garden={garden} objects={objects} plantings={plantings} plantsById={plantsById} canEdit={canEdit} />
@@ -355,7 +367,7 @@ export function GardenEditorPage() {
         <PlantPicker
           unit={garden.unitPref}
           onClose={() => setPicker(null)}
-          onSelect={(p) => onPickPlant(p)}
+          onSelect={onPickPlant}
         />
       )}