Sorry, missed the second part of your question earlier....busy with trick or treaters :) There are some good online germination guides - Clothiers is great, take time to read through the sowing articles too.....if you were looking for a book, Making More Plants by Ken Druse is very helpful Here is a link that might be useful: Clothiers Germination Database

Angela - i grew different gesneriads from seeds - and their seeds are so miniscule, you wouldn't see roots. The best approach is to have your seeds sprinkled on a surface of the soil in a transparent covered container in a warm spot with good light and get some patience. Timing can be from 1 week to 6 months until you see green growth. Since your seeds are fresh - should be in a month. Good Luck irina

Simone Witham, they won't necessarily start germinating in the fridge after 3 mos. They *can* but they don't necessarily... If they've been moist the whole time, and they aren't rotten, then you might sow them in Jiffy strips or small containers with seed starting mix and, in my experience, keep them moist at about room temperature (high 60s). They can also be left to germinate in the fridge. While I haven't done it in paper towels, I have gotten great germination in the fridge in seed starting mix by just waiting a while. It's never been a problem to wait too long either. They've been just fine even after they're an inch or two long.

marie, what xiangirl said is true. Look around you: the planet is primarily green. Plants/seeds know what to do and when according to their genetic code. Did I have failures? Yup! I didn't lament them because I knew that it was ME who didn't provide them with what they needed to sprout and thrive. You asked for suggestions. Here's one - stand back and let them do what comes naturally. I'm in southern New England so I live on the opposite side of the continent from where you are. If I look at a map of the Pacific Northwest, it's warmer and wetter than where I live but it's still the continental U.S. Our climate and growing conditions may be different but we're still on the same planet and still in the same country. I suggest you open your mind to possibilities rather than accept what you've been previously told about growing from seed. I did and have been amazed at (and rewarded by) the results. Ex: two little old ladies walked down my driveway last year and stood gazing, apparently amazed by my garden beds. I walked out to see what they wanted and answered all their questions about my garden beds. They left--45 minutes later--still amazed.