Best Reusable Seed Starting Tray for Indoor Vegetables

By Lena Moss | Indoor Gardening Enthusiast | Sustainable Plant Mama 🌿

I’ve started seeds in everything from yogurt cups to egg cartons. While I adore the “reuse everything” vibe, I’ve learned that sometimes giving your seedlings the right home from the beginning is the real key to strong, healthy plants. So, if you’re wondering what is the best reusable seed starting tray for growing vegetables indoors without damaging seedlings, I’ve got you covered.

After trying more than a dozen trays, the Burpee SuperSeed 36-Cell Starting Tray is the one I reach for. Every. Single. Season. And here’s why.

Why My Indoor Seedlings Needed an Upgrade

A few years ago, I started tomatoes, peppers, and some basil indoors using one of those thin plastic trays you get at the hardware store for under five bucks. By the time it was warm enough to transplant, most of my seedlings either didn’t survive the move or struggled with bent stems and torn roots. It was frustrating—and honestly, not very sustainable either. Tossing a plastic tray in the trash each year didn’t sit right.

Then I discovered the Burpee SuperSeed tray, and it changed how I start seeds at home completely.

The Magic Is in the Silicone Pop-Out Cells

The biggest difference with the Burpee SuperSeed tray is its soft, food-grade silicone cells. Instead of wrestling with hard plastic, all it takes is a gentle push from the bottom and your seedling pops right out—root system intact and untouched. This feature alone reduces transplant shock dramatically.

If you’ve ever tried to “tease” a fragile rootball out with a spoon only to lose half the roots or crush your baby plant, you’ll know what a game-changer this is. According to SFGate’s gardening guide, avoiding root damage can increase transplant success and reduce overall stress on the plant. That rings true in my experience—my seedlings are sturdier and adapt faster once they’re planted outside.

What Makes It the Best Reusable Seed Tray

Let’s break down exactly why this tray is in my indoor gardening hall of fame.

• 36 Individual Silicone Cells – Designed to cradle each seedling while making it easy to remove them as they grow big and ready.
• Dishwasher Safe – This might sound small, but not needing to scrub each cell by hand at the end of the season? Pure joy.
• Deep Drainage Channels – Keeps water flowing to avoid root rot, especially beneficial if you’re prone to loving your plants a little too hard (a.k.a. overwatering).
• Durable Tray with Strong Handles – I can move this from my windowsill to under grow lights without it flexing or spilling water everywhere.
• Alphanumeric Row Markings – Great for keeping me organized when I’m growing multiple types of veggies—no more mystery greens.

How the Burpee Tray Compares to Popular Alternatives

There are a lot of seed starting systems out there, and I’ve tested many. Here’s how the Burpee SuperSeed Tray stacks up:

• Vs. Cowpots: These are cute and compostable, but they only work once and are messier when watering. Plus, pulling them apart can still hurt roots.
• Vs. OrganiPlug Kits: They come pre-filled, which is convenient. But you can’t reuse them, and the thin plastic trays crack quickly.
• Vs. Oasis Horticubes: Great for microgreens, but not designed for vegetables needing transplanting weeks later.

Only the Burpee tray gave me the trifecta I was looking for: reusability, root protection, and zero cleanup stress.

Who the Burpee SuperSeed Tray is Best For

This tray is especially ideal if you fall into one of these categories:

• 🌱 First-Time Indoor Growers – No previous seed starting experience? This tray makes it almost foolproof.
• 🏡 Small Space Gardeners – Perfect for sunny window sills, countertops, or apartment setups.
• 🌍 Sustainability Seekers – Say goodbye to tossing cracked trays into the trash every spring.
• 🧒 Parents with Green-Thumbed Kids – Safe and simple enough to use for plant-based science projects.

Seeds That Thrive in This Tray

With its generous 2-inch silicone cells, the tray comfortably fits a range of veggie and herb seedlings. I’ve had great success germinating:

• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Sweet Peppers
• Basil, Mint & Thyme
• Broccoli and Kale

The dome (if you get the kit that includes one, they’re sometimes optional) creates a little greenhouse effect, which can really help jumpstart germination—especially in cooler months.

What Buyers Say

This isn’t just my quirky gardening habit talking; the reviews speak volumes. Thousands of indoor gardeners swear by it for the same reasons I love it—easy transplanting, durability, and low-maintenance reuse.

Here’s a sentiment I consistently hear:

“I planted 36 seedlings, and all made it to the garden! First time that’s ever happened. Best tray I’ve ever bought.” – Verified Amazon Customer

Honestly? Same. 👏

Cleaning and Reuse: A Total Breeze

I know some people think cleaning seed trays is worse than baking lasagna in your favorite white dish (hello, tomato stains). But not here. One rinse with warm water or a spin through the dishwasher and it’s spotless. Unlike rigid plastic trays that peel and crack over time, the silicone cells hold up season after season.

Drawbacks? Just a Few

Now I’m not going to pretend like it’s perfect. Here’s the trade-off:

• Slightly more expensive upfront compared to dollar-store trays—but the savings come from reusing it for years.
• No included humidity dome on some kits. You may need to grab one separately if your indoor air is dry.
• Not compostable. So if your priority is total biodegradability, something like Cowpots might be more your style—but you’ll sacrifice the reusability benefit.

Indoor Gardening Success Starts Here

I believe the key to a thriving indoor garden is setting yourself up with the right tools right from the start. The Burpee SuperSeed 36-Cell Tray makes indoor seed starting less intimidating and a lot more fun. You can compost your mistakes and grow right—but your tray shouldn’t be one of those mistakes.

Final Verdict: Just Buy It Already

If you’re serious about starting healthy, hearty veggies from seed indoors—and you’re tired of cracked plastic, root stress, and messy cleanup—this tray is your new best gardening friend.

Whether you’re apartment growing, starting seeds in a classroom, or prepping this year’s container garden, trust me: you’ll be glad you invested in something that actually makes gardening easier—not harder.

Happy planting! 🌱
– Lena Moss