Seasoned Gardeners Share The 6 Best Seed Starter Kits + How To Use Them

This kit by Super Sprouter takes all the guesswork out of starting seeds. Allison Vallin Kostovick, the organic gardener behind Finch & Folly farm, appreciates that it comes with a built-in heating mat to keep seeds' early days nice and warm. Its fluorescent grow light ensures sunny conditions, and its adjustable vents make it easy to control humidity. This kit also comes with a booklet on successful seed starting, making it a true beginner's dream. The only thing that's missing is soil: You'll have to provide your own if you go with this model.

For people who have smaller spaces or want to keep their seeds out of the way, Kostovick recommends this kit that's designed to fit on a wide sill. Once its soil starter has nurtured your seedlings to life, it's easy to just pop them out and transfer them to the garden mess-free. This kit doesn't come with a heat mat, but since it's designed for a window, it should give your seeds plenty of heat and light. At $18.99 for three containers that can be reused, this kit is also one of your more affordable options. It probably isn't strong enough to last forever, but most reviewers have managed to get a few seasons out of it.

Sometimes, the simpler the better. This kit may be bare-bones, but green thumbs agreed that it does the job of nursing seeds to life very well.

Simply water the peat discs, pop on the cover, keep your seeds damp, and with any luck, you'll have up to 72 germinated plants on your hands by spring. "The pots provide the plants ample room to establish strong root systems," Ashlie Thomas, a North Carolina–based organic grower, raves of this affordable kit.

"When it comes time to plant, you will need to cut the bottom of the mesh that holds the growing medium together to provide more root development space," adds Kevin Espiritu, the founder of Epic Gardening, "but they're very effective."

While most seed starter kits use plastic trays, you can also find biodegradable ones, like these Jiffy packs made from peat moss and wood pulp. Kostovick says that beyond being more eco-friendly, biodegradable cells are great for seedlings that don't like to be transplanted, like pumpkins and cucumbers. Since you can just stick these cells directly in your garden once the seedlings are ready, there's less chance of shocking or damaging the plant's roots. 

Jasmine Jefferson, the founder of Black Girls With Gardens, adds that they also "allow the plant roots to get an ample amount of air and create healthy root systems," compared to plastic pots that can restrict roots.

This kit comes with soil, but you'll need to provide a water tray and cover yourself. (A clear plastic bag would work well!)

For starting the seeds of plants that really like to stretch their roots, like corn and sweet peas, Kostovick suggests root trainers like this one from Haxnicks. Its cells are grooved to promote downward root growth and hinged to make it easy to remove seedlings when the time comes. The kit comes with a holding frame and cover but no soil or water tray. And while its plastic is technically reusable, most reviewers have only been able to get a season or two out of this option.

When Angela S. Judd, master gardener and author of How To Grow Your Own Food, wants to start a large number of seeds indoors, she opts for the 50-cell kit from Bootstrap Farmer. "Most seed starting kits available in big box stores or online are flimsy and only last a season or two. The Bootstrap Farmer kits are well made and durable," she says. While their trays are on the pricier side and don't come with starter soil, Judd appreciates that they are available in different sizes that are suitable for any plant on her roster.