I'm a huge promoter of garden supplies that can handle the heavy lifting of growing year after year, rather than one-and-done plastics that can't take the heat and fizzle out after one use. There are a ton of products out on the market, and here are a few of my tried and true favorites. *Please note: I am not sponsored by any of these companies, simply sharing what we use, love, and continue to reach for, time and time again.

Winstrip Trays: also called Air Pruning Propagation trays, these trays give the benefits of soil blocking, without the mess or need for extra equipment. Simply fill the cells with your favorite seedling mix (We both use and sell Black Gold Seedling Mix in The Garden Shop), and plant away. I've got 2 sources for Winstrip trays, and have bought from both.

https://www.bootstrapfarmer.com/collections/plug-trays/products/airprune-tray-72cell

https://neversinktools.com/products/winstrip-trays?variant=39381685993590

If you're doing some propagating, or need larger blocks for deeper roots, these self-watering seed trays are both attractive, and will work for larger scale plants that need the room to grow. I like using these for rooting in my geranium cuttings, and for larger seeds like Castor beans which grow rapidly and quickly outgrow a standard 72-cell seed tray. These would also work for sweet peas and any cucurbits like watermelons, pumpkins and gourds.

https://www.gardeners.com/buy/self-watering-galvanized-seed-starting-tray/8611714.html

Black Gold Seedling Mix is what we use to start our seeds in. An organic, and sterile (no soil for bacteria to feed off of) mix that reduces damping off of your seedlings. We are all stocked up to help supply you for your seed starting efforts.

Lastly, toothpicks. From the grocery store, get a box of flat toothpicks to aid you in seed starting. Using whatever end matches the size of your seed best, simply wet the toothpick to grab the seed, and transfer to your dampened planting medium. No other fancy tools required. The toothpick can nestle your seed into the soil as shallow or deep as you need, and is the most perfect tool for moving seeds from container to soil.

Seed Starting Tips 101:

1. Fill your Winstrip tray with seeding (not potting) mix to the top. Lightly tamp it down to get out air bubbles, and refill any gaps or deficiencies.
2. Get your seeding mix wet on top. You need a damp surface to 'grab' on to your seeds and hold in place.
3. Fill a drip tray about 1/3 with water.
4. Place your Winstrip tray into drip tray.
5. Write your labels and place in tray to  denote what seeds are where.
6. Place seeds in a non-plastic seed tray (we use baby food jar lids as the seed doesn't stick like it does to plastic)
7. Moisten a flat edge toothpick
8. Grab a seed with whatever end of the toothpick is most appropriate.
9. Transfer seed to soil cells with toothpick, and dab the seed into the potting mix.
10. Lightly press your seed into the soil surface, or tuck into the potting medium to depth of planting.
11. After all cells are filled with seed, lightly mist the top of your tray once again to settle the soil.
12. Place tray on a heat mat, near light.
13. Watch those babies grow!