germinating: the technique I use has worked 100% of the time (found it here on riu). you will need a paper plate, white paper towels (no printed design on them) and a zip lock plastic baggie, and boiling hot water. fold the paper towel in half, themn fold it in half again so that its a qurter the size of the original. hold it by one corner with a pair of kitchen tongs, pore boiling hot water all over the paper towel to sterilise it; let cool to room temperature. when the paper towel is cool, open it so that you have it folded in half, place seeds on one half of the towel, then fold the other half back over the seeds so they are sandwiched between. place this "seed sandwich" into the ziplock baggie and close the ziplock halfway. put the baggie on paper plate then place on top of your cable box or satelite receiver or playstation 3 for that matter, just need a good source of warmth. make sure it's not in direct light either. give it a couple of days and check on it...you should have taproots sprouted in no time.
plant the seeds in soil with taproot down, about a quarter of an inch from the top of the soil, cover with soil and water (water slowly or the churning of the water and soil will overturn your seedling)
peace