We don't have Menards in this part of the country so I don't know exactly what tray you mean, but I wonder if the recycled paper trays don't have some of the same moisture issues as the peat can...very hard to control moisture, they are either too wet or too dry (paper/peat wicks water from the sowing medium). One recycled paper tray product that came prefilled was mentioned earlier, brand TerraCycle - or something similar to that. The sowing medium was one component, pure worm castings which didn't seem to make sense...the tray compartments were quite small so clearly for newest seedlings which don't need that rich of a growing medium when all nutrients required for germination, initial early growth are contained in the seed itself.

I found out a friend of mine and her sister both used the same trays and both had the same problem. Everything germinated, then never grew and died.

I don't use the paper trays for the same reasons and they get messy. I've been using these new ones that hold up to the abuse and last a long time. They're also made from food grade materials that don't leach toxic chemicals into my edible plants. You never know what you're ingesting when you use recycled material that is in continuous contact with water and roots.

Seattle Hill 1020 Seed Trays