[peapod]

What?
•   Chitting seeds removes/breaks a seed coat without needing to plant in soil first
•   Will show if seeds are viable i.e. capable of growing into a lovely veg plant.

How?
•   Place a damp piece of kitchen roll down
•   Lay your seeds on the kitchen roll sparingly
•   Dampen another piece of kitchen roll and place on top of the seeds
•   Cover with plastic sandwich bag or similar – or just keep the kitchen roll damp
•   Put in light place

As soon as the seed shows a root shoot (radical) immediately plant in growing medium.

Seeds?
•   All seeds can be chitted, but it is advisable to chit sweetcorn, parsnips, peas and beans if you have had any previous trouble with germinating these.

Sweetcorn clearly chitted...with thanks to DD for the pic