There are perhaps twelve gazillion ways to sprout seeds, and the variables are endless. Here is the basic method, without any embellishment (which may be needed): keep the seeds warm at all times. Keep them just slightly moist at all times. That's it.

Have had very good success planting in starter pots, placing starter pot in a zip bag, and putting the zip bags atop the water heater, checking for sprouts every couple of days … free heat, no expense for heating mat … I have siri remind me to check them.

dkB

The principle is as gruby said :

KEEP THE SEEDS MOIST AND WARM (75F - 88F)
That is the only requirements. Once germinated put them in soil and keep them under light.

Soaking overnight / 24 hours may perhaps accelerate germination but it is not a requirement.

Seysonn

Like I said, I have a heated germination station, so keeping them at the optimal temp is fine. I'll put them in moist paper towels (using the germination station heating pad), and then plant them the next day in the germination station cups. It has room for 72 plants. So I'll have plenty of room for my peppers and I'll do a few tomato plants also.

How moist is moist? Should I use a spay bottle to moisten the paper towel, or should I just wet the towels, then wring the excess water out?

First, I'm surprised you could only find three ways to germinate. :)

Second, what's wrong with just planting the seeds directly in the pots? Seems like you're making it just a bit more complex than need be. Most people either leave the seeds in the paper towel until they germinate or they plant directly in the pots. One day in the paper towels isn't going to do much.

If you are going the paper towel route, wet the paper towel and then wring out most of the excess. You want it a little past damp, not soaking wet (if that makes sense).

Rodney

I have had great results using coir as a starter media. I soak seeds over night. Fill starter cells with prehydrated coco coir. Poke a hole with a pencil. Drop in soaked seed, tamp hole closed. Put in mini greenhouse, put dome on top. Plug in heat mat to thermostat. I Punch a hole in the top of the dome for the temp probe to go through.

I tried the paper towel, and baggie method. It did not work out for me that well. I went back to what was working just fine for me, and the results have been good for germination.

If only I could have done something about the darn aphids I would be swimming in seedlings right now.

Happy growing,

Nate

I decided to use the paper towel method until they germinate. They keep drying out, and with my schedule, I can't spray water on them several times a day. What I'm trying: draping a wet kitchen towel over the plastic cups, then I put wax paper over the towel. That should seriously help keeps the seeds from drying out by the time I get a chance to spritz some more water on the paper towels.

Also, I'll use a fresh towel daily, so that it doesn't get moldy.

I have tried and tried to post fotos here of the baggie germination method, but the board software is so primitive I can't do it.

The old board software was bad, this is worse.

i use the KISS method. "keep it simple stupid". I remind myself to KISS often... anyway I put them in a small pot with damp soil, cover with saran wrap, and put the pot on top of the satellite box for warmth. Check daily. I have done other ways including paper towels but this is easiest for me. I grow about a dozen plants every year this way.