Grammachar,
If I sand and soak, and start the seeds indoors (70°F), They are generally up in 4 to 7 days.
The sanding should remove a spot of the dark outer coat and reveal a spot of lighter brown under coat. Sanding down to the white insides usually kills them. I soak with warm water for a day or two. The seeds usually float initially, then sink to the bottom when they are fully saturated. As soon as they sink they are ready to plant. Those that won't sink are usually duds. I hope that helps.
