Update....
well, I planted around 1000 pansies and violas a few weeks ago and have not lost a single transplant to the weather. I see a BIG difference between the stuff I grew from seed and the bedding plants I usually get.
I'm assuming that planting the seedlings in the climate they've been growing in - same photoperiod and weather - and not being trucked from more hospitable climates helps.
The flowering is slow, one variety of Viola has blooms so far, a few buds on the pansies.
For those who might be tempted to try it next year I've found a few things out:
- The 50 cell, hex, 4" deep seedling trays work well, the first batch I did were in the smaller 72 cell trays and transplanting 1000 seedlings is a long job. These 4" deep plugs go right into the ground.
- Get trays to put them in so you can water from the bottom. I found a good deal on the net for 25 of the hex trays and 25 of the liner trays... 25x50 is a lot of seedlings. If you get dry spots at the roots you get dried plants.
- Watering is a concern.... I've begun catching rain water because if you have 10-20 water/dry cycles with tap it builds up a lot of minerals.
- Walmart has a $10 shoplight that uses the high output bulbs (with the bulbs, $20 total) I am using a mixture of the 6500K daylight bulbs and a few of the 'redder' grow bulbs but the 6500K by themselves get you vigorous, dark green growth
- the fertilizer mixture I am using is half strength Hasta Gro Lawn (higher N), a few drops of Superthrive (the vitamin) and the other thrive (Beneficial fungi) every other watering. I'm getting some great roots with Thrive but probably out to do a flat with and one without for comparison sometime. My gut says that it works well.
- I pulled my begonias and my geraniums before the first hard freeze and am drying them out in the garage, we'll see what happens when I wet and replant them in March but they appear to have shut off the green growth and have gone dormant. If my geraniums survive replanting next year I will be a happy guy since they were so stunning this year.
In the garage now I have another 750 pansies and violas ready for transplant this weekend and 200 primrose that I am hoping to get to bloom come march/april. They are a little more challenging but the Danova and Arcit mixes are soooo stunning - will update with pictures.
Next up are some double flowering Dianthus and the tidal wave Petunias. I have 100 double flowering begonia seeds as well and will be getting those started.
If you haven't tried seeds you ought to. gives you a break from the tedium of winter and there is a real satisfaction when you see them bloom. The fact that it is a lot cheaper is nice too - but only if you WANT more garden time in the winter as it requires a bit of work that some may deem tedious - I like it - distraction from work and winter