Annual Seed Start Dates
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Note: The dates listed on the chart for recommended transplant out dates are just a guideline. The Spring here can sometimes throw a curveball your way. Make sure to check the weather and ensure the varieties you are growing can handle excessively cold conditions.
Most plants started indoors need hardening off, even hardy ones. They are used to the controlled conditions indoors and need to be acclimatized to the conditions outdoors.
- Hardening Off:
- As the weather gets nicer start putting the plants outside during the day and bringing them in at night.
- After about 2 weeks the plants should be hardened off, start this process about 2 weeks before the plant out times, weather permitting of course.
- Some young plants are tender to frost and near frost conditions and need to be brought in at night, sometimes this weather will last into June.
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Indoor Start Date | Germination Time | Transplant Outside |
| African Daisy | Dimorphotheca sinuata | mid May | 3-4 weeks | early June |
| Ageratum | Ageratum houstonianum | late February | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Allysum | Lobularia maritima | mid-late March | 1 week | mid-late May |
| Amaranthus | Amaranthus | late February | 1-2 weeks | after last frost |
| Angel's Trumpet | Datura metal | mid March | 3-8 weeks | mid May |
| Aster | Callistephus | early March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Baby Blue Eyes | Nemophila menziesii | early May | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Baby's Breath | Gypsophila elegans | early May | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Bachelor's Button | Centaurea cyanus | early May | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Begonia | Begonia | mid January | 3-5 weeks | after last frost |
| Black Eyed Susan Vine | Thunbergia alata | early February | 2 weeks | after last frost |
| Blanket Flower | Gaillardia | early March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Brachyscome | Brachyscome | mid-late March | 2-3 weeks | mid June |
| Butterfly Flower | Schizanthus pinnatus | early March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Canterbury Bells | Campanula | outside mid-late May | 2 weeks | seed outside |
| Calendula | Calendula officinalis | mid-late March | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| California Poppy | Eschscholzia californica | outside early May or inside mid April | 1-3 weeks | seed outside or mid-late May |
| Candytuft | Iberis umbellata | early April | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Canary Bird Vine | Tropaeolum peregrinum | early May | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Carnation | Dianthus | early-mid March | 1-2 weeks | late May-early June |
| Celosia | Celosia crista | mid March | 1-2 weeks | late May |
| Chinese Lantern | Abutilon | mid February | 3-4 weeks | late May |
| Clarkia | Clarkia unguiulata | outside mid May | 1-2 weeks | seed outside |
| Coleus | Coleus | mid March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Columbine | Aquilegia | early March | 3-4 weeks | after last frost |
| Cosmos | Cosmos bipinnatus | mid April | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Dahlia | Dahlia | mid March | 1-2 weeks | late May |
| Dusty Miller | Centaurea cineraria | mid-late March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Indoor Start Date | Germination Time | Transplant Outside |
| Evening Scented Stock | Matthiola longipetala | early-mid April | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Four O'Clock | Mirabilis jalapa | early-mid April | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Foxglove | Digitalis purpurea | early March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Fushia | Fushia | early February | 2-3 weeks | mid June |
| Gazania | Gazania | mid February | 2-3 weeks | after last frost |
| Geranium | Pelargonium x hortorum | early February | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Globe Amaranth | Gomphrena | early-mid April | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Godetia | Clarkia amoena | early-mid April | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Gourd | Lagenaria | early April | 1 week | late May-early June |
| Heliotrope | Heliotropium arborescens | early-mid February | 1-2 weeks | mid June |
| Hollyhock | Alcea rosea | early May | 2-3 weeks | late May-early June |
| Impatiens | Impatiens wallerana | early-mid March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Kenilworth Ivy | Cymbalaria muralis | early-mid April | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Lavatera | Lavatera trimestris | early-mid April | 2-3 weeks | mid May |
| Livingstone Daisy | Mesembryanthemum | mid March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Lobelia | Lobelia erinus | mid February | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Marigold | Tagetes | early-mid April | 1 week | mid May |
| Morning Glory | Ipomoea | mid-late April | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Nasturium | Tropaeolum majus | mid April | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Nemesia | Nemesia | mid March | 1-2 weeks | mid June |
| Nicotiana | Nicotiana alata | mid March-early April | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Ornamental Kale | Brassica oleracea acephala | mid Jan-mid March | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Common Name | Botanical Name | Indoor Start Date | Germination Time | Transplant Outside |
| Pansy | Viola x wittrockiana | mid-early March | 2-3 weeks | mid May |
| Petunia | Petunia | mid March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Phlox (annual) | Phlox drummondii | mid-late April | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Poppy | Papaver somniferum | mid March-early April | 1 week | early June |
| Portulaca | Portulaca grandiflora | mid March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Potato Vine | Solanum jasminoides | early May | 1 week | early June |
| Salpiglossis | Salpiglossis sinuata | mid March | 2-3 weeks | mid June |
| Salvia | Salvia splendens | early March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Scabiosa | Scabiosa | mid March | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Shasta Daisy | Leucanthemum x superbum | early-mid March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Snapdragon | Antirrhinum majus | mid February-early March | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Statice | Limonium sinuatum | mid-late March | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Stock | early March | 1-2 weeks | mid June | |
| Strawflower | Helichrysum bractaetum | early-mid March | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Sunflower | Helianthus annuus | mid-late April | 1-2 weeks | early June |
| Swan River Daisy | Brachyscome iberidifolia | mid-late April | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Sweet pea | Lathyrus odoratus | mid-late April | 2-3 weeks | mid May |
| Verbena | Verbena | mid-late February | 2-3 weeks | early June |
| Viola | Viola | mid-late March | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
| Zinnia | Zinnia elegans | early May | 1-2 weeks | mid May |
Remember this is just a guidline, seeds may take longer to germinate or grow and this can vary based on what kind of conditions each seed is grown in. See us in store and we will do our best to answer all of your questions.
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