I put my beans in a small glass of distilled water. After 24 - 48 hrs you will notice it has cracked open. Plant with white root side down! Some seeds need to be scuffed with a piece of sandpaper inside a matchbox! This allows moisture to get inside of harder seeds so they will germinate. Thats the main problem with seeds that seem hard or even imposible to germ. If you have a strain you cant get to germ, try cutting a piece of sandpaper or cut a paper nail file to fit inside a small matchbox. Put your seed inside and shake it aroud gently and it will get scuffed. Then do the distilled water thing and it should crack open. I had a problem with Seedman and K.C strains until I tried scuffing the beans! Good Luck!