I make good use of tupperware type  small bowls. Take a clean paper towel folded 3 times so there are a few layers top & bottom. Wet the paper towel well with distilled/de-ionized water. I have a small RO unit for clean water needs. Place your seeds between the main folds and make sure that the towel is not flooded in standing water nor where it’ll dry out quickly. Put the lid on the tupperware and put it in a dark pantry or cupboard.

Check the seeds daily and replenish the water with fresh dribbles if needed. After a couple of days gently roll the seeds around with a tooth pick and check the edges for a “tap root pop” or “tail pop”as they are known. The edge of seed seam will split in an area and a small bit of white tap root becomes visible.

Prepare a small starter pot (a red Solo cup is fine if you don’t have peat pots) by poking some drain holes in it and filling it with the same dirt you prepared for the main planter.  Using the same soil lessens the chance of transplant shock when you transfer it later.  Starting it in a smaller pot makes it easier to control watering when it’s small. Wet the soil well and poke a small hole about 1/2″ deep and place the germinated seed in the hole and gently cover the hole. Be very careful handling the seed that you don’t drop & lose it or damage the sensitive tap root emerging. Even if you have some paper towel seeds that didn’t pop the tail, plant them too. I’ve been surprised by seeds I thought were duds–you get a late bloomer here & there.

Place the small pot under suitable grow lights (T5 flourescent or LED panel) approx 6-12inches away and keep the soil moist. In about 3-5 days from planting the seed should sprout from the soil. Keep the light about a foot away raising it as necessary. After the 3rd set of leaves appear transfer into the bigger indoor pot (1 gallon is fine) or to the outdoor greenhouse.

5 days from soaking to sprouting. looks like I’m getting 3 out of 4 planted. I lucked into a stack of small peat pots for a buck at the thrift store.