Cleome does best with some cold stratification. I've sown it two years in a row and had very little germination both years. In the garden, it reseeds readily if I disturb the ground just a bit.

I WS seeds 3rd week of February and they're just sending up a sprout here and there the past few days. They got plenty of cold stratification but I was a little surprised at how long it took them to sprout once the weather warmed up. My cousin in NC waited a long time for hers to sprout too but they finally did sprout.

I wintersowed mine in February, too, and they are just beginning to show a few sprouts.

Cleome has been one of my fantastic failures, Ive tried late , Ive tried earlier, Ive tried resowing, ive tried 4 years in a row.. Nothing nada...

but the same was for flat sea holly.. which Ive finally gotten, as well as larkspur.. first time in 5 years of trying!

Some things just hate you =)... But then others have issues with what I always seem to be easy ones for me, just keep sowing =)..

Silverkelt

I planted mine out already. I sowed them heavily though.

I collected the seeds last year and let others set seed too. I ws them in Jan this year. I think the cold here must be helping me somehow.

I would not give up on them yet. Out weather has been cold lately so I may have planted out too soon.

I can't figure them out. The purple and pink self sow for me, reliably every year. I have tried 3 years in a row to WC the variety called Color Fountains, which is a really rich pink color with no luck this year either. I am thinking that I just have to direct sow them in.....January!

euglia,

Just direct sow them when the weather starts to warm up. I'll be direct sowing them late May. This is the time we usually get 70-80F temp then cool in the evening(perfect for germination). Also, I water them every morning really quickly just to get the top 1/4 to half inch of soil wet. I do it for 10 days consecutively. It was my first time to grow it last year and it was success.