Some of my seed was last seasons, and I had real problems getting them going last year. So I took advice from here and have chitted them in kitchen towel in my warmest propogator, covered with a towel to keep the heat in. Checked once a day, and once they show root, into compost and into another warm propogator till they are showing leaves, when they go on the window ledge on cold days/overnight and outside in the sun if possible. I have had much much better results than previous years in soil in a warm propogator. I will do it that way again next year.