A most wonderful "How I do it" edition, Lorn. I use cement mixing tubs, too (the big black "trays" for those who don't know what they are). I always have three different ones filled: woodland soil for potting, alpine soil for potting and a mix of whatever that I use to pot up divisions and such from the garden for give away or donations to the local garden society. If I plant a lot of seed, I use plastic shoe boxes with holes drilled in the bottom. For pots, my preference is a 3.5 x 3.5 x 5" deep.
So Lorn, sometimes you don't cover your seed with soil, as we see seeds through the paper towel. Don't the seeds stick to the paper towel when you peel it up?
I am a pretty lazy man in comparison. I start with a bought mix that is pasteurized, but add things (perlite, sand, grit, vermiculite, etc.) that are not. Tough love, I guess you might call it.
FINALLY, after 4 or 5 tries, I have Nomocharis seed sprouting! When Peter Korn from Sweden was here giving lectures, he, another friend and I went out for dinner where all we talked was plants. I mentioned my nomocharis failures, and he thinks that I was probably planting dead seed. He says he often finds nomocharis seed germinating while still in the pod. Anyway, in this new batch, I think every seed came up.
The seed came directly from an internet friend I met through the Scottish Rock Garden Club forum. He was the one who also sent me the Lilium chalcedonicum seedling bulbs that I have pictured in the Species Bulbs thread.