First - I have never grown anything from seeds. But I was given some of these seeds, and decided to try to grow them. I'm not sure how/where/when to get them started. My house is warm, but has little light. Also, the seeds aren't much bigger than a grain of sand, so how many do I start in those "seed starter" tray? It seems unlikely that each seed would result in a plant.

I appreciate everyone's help. I'm a newbie to gardening, so I have lots of questions. Unfortunately, I haven't learned enough yet to be able to help other members with their questions.

Oh my. This is the first I've heard of seeds for Calibrachoa; I thought they were only vegetatively propagated. Did the seeds come with any growing tips?

If they're like petunias, they just need to be sprinkled over the soil and kept moist, with a soil temp around 70 - 75 degrees. But these may have different requirements.

They may be seed pellets?
Warmth and light are needed,
and if they are pellets they need very moist starting.

Calibrachoa are not easy to start from seed; I've started a lot of petunias successfully, but last year i tried "Kabloom" and only had a few sprout from quite a few seeds. If I try it again I think I will start them in vermiculite, because I've had good luck with other "difficult" seeds that way.

Melissa, I'm not sure what sort of seed starter trays you are using, but I would suggest planting a couple of seeds together, making sure the medium is quite moist, covering the tray with plastic wrap or a "humidity dome," and crossing your fingers.

Here are the sowing directions from Park Seed:
"Here's how to sow the seeds: they will germinate either with or without light, so begin them indoors in late winter, setting a single seed on top of the bio sponge in your Bio Dome or on top of the grow mix in your seed flats. Keep the temperature between 72 and 75 degrees F, and make sure the bio sponge or grow mix is slightly moist. Germination takes about a week.

Once the seeds have sprouted, add light and keep the temperature above 70 for the first few weeks. They are ready to transplant when they have several sets of true leaves. That's all there is to it!"

I hope you have good luck with them!

Thanks for everyone's advice. I wasn't aware of the humidity requirement, so I will put some plastic wrap over them. I may have started them a little late, and I don't have very high hopes, but I'll keep trying!

I have started them for a couple years. I just sow on top of seedling soil that is moist, cover with a dome, heat mat set at 68. Keep moist, then when large enough move to 4 inch pots. Good results every year.

These were planted around the first of March last year. The plants are top center and picture was taken in my greenhouse May 21. I don't plant out until about June first because of cool nights here in the PNW.



This is a hanging basket I made my neighbor. Picture was taken July 17. Only the yellow and purple where seed grown others where purchased.

Springcolor aka Julia..... so, you are saying the calibrachoa started from seed takes a year to get to any size and large enough to produce flowers? Holy smokes, no womnder they are so small at the young age of 3 1/2 weeks old! LOL!!! I got a packet of 25 seeds from Harris seed and I do believe all of them germinated, but I thought they would be flowering by mid June.

I usually start my plants the end of March for the season. I have been starting 500 impatiens in my basement everty year for about 20 years now. I live in Northern NY, very close to the Canadian border. So, I don't plant outdoorts until mid June to be safe from frost.

Jackie

No I was just showing last years pictures and the time line from last year.