I'm a bit confused. One site I looked at says to chill the seeds for 5 days at 40 degrees then put in a tray of seed starting mix cover with a baggie and put back in the fridge for 2 weeks then plant. The back of the package doesn't say anything at all about this it just says start in a sunny window 4 - 6 weeks before transplanting outdoors. I'll start them out in my greenhouse but which way is correct?

I don't start many things from seed, but I would think that starting them in your gh would be fine. We are fairly close to consistent warmer weather in Texas, unlike more northern states.

Those other instructions sound like one would be trying to replicate winter sowing conditions in a much cooler clime. That is only my opinion, though. I don't have room for many new plants, so I buy starts each spring from Barton Springs Nursery, a few miles from our house.

Thanks Sandi that's what I kind of thought too. It's hard to 'winter sow' anything here in our part of the state. I guess the closest we can get is putting the seed in the fridge for a certain length of time.

This was mine that I bought as a 4" pot in early spring,'15. I went out this afternoon to look for it. Hope it pops up again in spring, but no sign of it now. Maybe just best to consider it an annual.

That is a pretty plant Sandi. The seeds I got say it's called 'Rose Queen'.

Or just plunking it into a 4" pot in your gh for a couple of months!
Let me know if you ever get down to Austin. (We used to make runs to Ft. Hood before all the security checks. Miss the big BX. We do have tiny PX here, Camp Mabry). We have some good nurseries in our immediate area.

We usually make it about as far as the big Good Will store or the Hyundai dealer in Round Rock. They just opened a new PX it's huge, like a mall. I only go there to get my wife's prescription refills and get cigarettes. We don't even go to the commissary any more since we found it's cheaper to shop at HEB. I'll probably go out tomorrow and plant some in the plastic pots my rescued Orchids came in last year though I'm about out of room in my one greenhouse with all the seeds I've got started and my 18 rescued orchids. The other is full of plants I've got in it for the winter. Guess I need to go to Walmart and get another table to put more seed starting pots on.

Just saw this post. I start cleomes in the greenhouse every year. No refrigeration or anything like that. They do fine. I consider them an annual - but once in a while I'll get a surprise volunteer in the spring. They're easy to grow and I love the flowers, both before and after they open fully. Good luck with yours!

Thanks Charlotte, I love your flowers on yours. Mine has certainly grown quite tall I just don't see any buds on it yet. As far as I can recall I just put them in my starter trays and they did fine.

I am a very casual seeder....pretty much ignore all that stuff about scarifying, cold storage, soaking overnight, immersing in acid...I just put the seeds in dirt and hope for the best. Rarely do they disappoint. Your cleomes will be fine! Take pictures!

I'll post photos of when it blooms which I'm hoping happens sooner than later.

How do you pronounce "Cleomes"? "klee-oh-mee" "klome" "klo mee" "klee-oh meh" ???

Your first option. 3 syllables with the emphasis on the first syllable.

KLEE-oh-mee

mabarberdo said:Your first option. 3 syllables with the emphasis on the first syllable.

I agree. Or you can just say it however you want and let them figure out what it is you're talking about.

I just put my Cleome seeds in the ground/dirt and they grow, then they will reseed....

My Rose Queen Cleome started opening yesterday. I took these photos this morning

Oh, what a lovely shade of pink! Now you'll be able to collect seeds to make more plants! Very pretty!

Thanks Charlotte, do they make seed pods like snapdragons do or what?