Caroline, you might want to try pre-sprouting the seeds. This works really well on larger seeds. Just place seeds on a moist paper towel, roll up,
and place in a Ziploc bag. Put it in a warm place and check in 24 hours.
If the seeds are viable , they usually
start sprouting by then. Then move to
your container, and cover them lightly. I use a plastic fork that that has been cleaned with rubbing alcohol, and rinsed with water.
