Paper towels are reliable as long as you are careful with the not drying them out. I am not that trusting. Whether I'm using soil or hydro, I soak my seeds in a quart of water with liquid seaweed or liquified kelp. Then I put my seeds into a mixture of 3 parts perlite to 1 part vermiculite. Then I moisten the mixture. The key is to use a container that's at least 3" deep and put at least 1" of standing water in the bottom of the container. The mixture wicks up the water and let's the seeds germinate and grow. Use a spoon or scoop and pull the seedling out and transplant to where ever you need to do so.It's not just a germinating method but a seed starting method.