stevia growing tips
growing, drying, making stevia extract
The key is warmth. It is a tropical/semi-tropical plant. To get the seeds to sprout you need heat! They also are more like a wild plant. Meaning seeds that don't sprout this year may sprout next year.... Lots of wild plants use this strategy. That's why you have weeds every year in a garden...even when no new weed seeds have been added. They simply are dormant and waiting for the right opportunity.
So you can take 1/2 the seeds and direct sow them in an area of the garden with lots of sun and heat. Then if one sprouts, transplant it where you want. And take the other 1/2 and try to sprout them in very warm sunny locations indoors. Either way LOTS of heat and sun, but without drying the soil out! Then once you get a couple to sprout, you have it made, because cuttings with stevia are easy.