Who grows this? I want to try it this spring but I have a question about sowing it. The package of seeds I have says to sow indoors 8 weeks before the last frost.

Is this necessary? I imagine that with 8 weeks indoors it would get pretty tall.

If it's accurate I need to sow it this week...

I have not grown these. They atttracted my attention while I was browsing through the seeds at a store. The shape really appealed to me but I put the packet back. I think they would look great with a mixed border. I may still try them this year.

What date is 8 weeks out from your last frost? Are you going to start them that early?

I wintersowed them some years ago. Using that method, they didn't bloom until late in the summer as I remember.

Karen

I w/s mine too and direct sow some. Blooms about mid summer for me. I love them and so do the butterflies!

What cultivars or colors do you all grow?

I grew red and purple.

Karen

I bought purple to try and from some trades I have red, and light pink, one marked orange, one marked carmine and one marked salmon.
Last year was a lavender color.

I grew the carmine rose last season. I winter sowed it. Planted seedlings in may, by June I had more blooms than I could count. They lasted until November for me. This year, strawberry fields, orange and salmon.

Well, a bit of an update. About two weeks ago I planted several small flats of these and they're the only seeds which did not sprout. Everything else I planted (tomatoes, peppers, dahlias, zinnias, marigolds, etc) all sprouted. No idea what went wrong. I have some seeds remaining so I'll probably direct sow them next month after frost.