I always start my seeds by soaking them in a cup of spring water for 24hrs to replicate the initial thaw after winter, and then I promptly transfer them to the paper towels to signify the beginning of Spring. I've had no issues with seeds from Smokin J Genetics, so I'm confident in the quality of these Alien Yeti seeds I purchased a while back. I firmly believe in not popping all my seeds at once. This method has consistently yielded the best results for me over the years.