I have had the best germination rate by soaking the seed in a diluted mix of kelp for 10 seconds. I then take a solo cup with a 75/25 mix of coco/perlite. I fill the cup up then take a spoon size scoop out of the middle and put vermiculite in the hole. I plant the seed at 1/4" deep in the vermiculite and use a turkey baster to water with. I use ro water until they are a few days old then switch to tap water for the micros in the tap water. I place the cups in a 1x2 tray with a hood and place on a heat mat. This helps keep the humidity up and the soil warm. I just did 32 seeds that way and had 31 poked up within 36 hours. The reason I went this way was I had some psycho crack seeds from sick meds that refused to germinate in a towel or cup. Not until I tried it this way did any of the seeds germinate. I've tried using the paper towel method and soaking in water and I will never do it that way again. This has been my most successful way to start my plants that I have used, and I've done over 500 MJ seeds FWIW. They DO NOT need light to germinate and should not have light. Nature does not have underground lights, nor does the suns light break the surface of the ground in the germination process. The only good a light will do is to heat the soils surface so the the seed has the proper soil temp to germinate in. All seeds, no matter what plant needs s certain soil temp to germinate in and marijuana needs 75 to 80 degree ground temp to germinate in. Make sure you are keeping the seeds in a warm place when you germinate them and when they are less then 2 weeks old. That will help a bunch. Just food for thought. Also, like one of the other post said, DON'T mess with them after you plant them. Let them alone, keep the soil moist, not wet. and if the seeds are good they will pop up.
