Well, I think you should wait until they get bigger, you're in my zone, and I'd dig them out with a spoon, whatever, and transplant in hunks about Sep 1 although I don't know if they will bloom in time to self seed which they do like crazy if you don't mulch. They just might bloom yet if we don't have too early of a frost, wish I could remember how long it takes, it's not right away but maybe as much as 3 weeks from good growth to blooms, sunny probably bloom much faster, they tolerate some shade and still bloom some, too much shade they are healthy but not blooming for me.

I have so many I don't know what to do with them all am letting them self seed and transplanting to make a full border in the front and back because they bloom well, spread, and I like them. Am done transplanting this year but have more going and will continue until I get what I want, then start pulling the excess. Once they start blooming in early summer, they bloom well until frost.

They are among the easiest to transplant so long as you water them the first couple of weeks. I'd just be afraid to transplant when they might be too tiny to survive especially now that it's pretty hot.

I suppose you could have direct sowed but that is tricky in summer because they have to be kept moist. I started mine in a milk jug winter before last, and now have tons from self sowing. If you want to try that in the future in the summer, I suggest you scoop out a little cavity, fill with potting soil, sow the seeds, and cover with a 2-liter soda bottle with the bottom cut out, then water over the bottle because the seeds need light to germinate I think but probably will anyway. Oh, leave the cap off. Somebody taught me that trick when I sowed some gypsophilia paniculata which doesn't like to be transplanted. When you don't see moisture in the bottle or soil where they are planted looks dry, water over the bottle well. Then take the bottle off once they're germinated and grown a bit and don't let them dry out until they can make it on their own.

You could cut the bottom of whatever you sowed them in and plant that, reason being they're less likely to crumble on you. Mine I had to dig up in chunks from the ground and slice in sections with a knife to transplant but used a spoon to scoop them out of a porch box I'd planted them in, worked well a few years back. Then I saved some seeds and winter sowed those, meant to this year but didn't get around to it so feared I may have lost them but got lucky. The main thing is if you want them next year, to get them blooming ASAP so they'll set seed you can either collect or let self sow.

The particular variety I happen to have, some white, don't know the name, got from American Meadows a few years back, happens to be an excellent spreader so I wanted to keep those particular ones going and not buy seeds for a different kind. I tried some colored ones, and they don't spread or trail at all, and I think some whites don't either.

They will grow under extremely dry conditions in poor, heavy soil once established.

Hope this helps. Sorry it's so long.

thanks so much!!! that was such great info!!

I was hoping to get blooms that may self seed (and thought maybe we would stay warm a little longer since it took so long to get hot.)

I have some beds by the street that are dry and alyssum may grow very well there. I will try some of your methods with the seeds I have left too. I can plant some seeds with the 2 litter tops for ws'ing next spring too.

thanks so much for taking the time to give me all the info I needed!
Karen

You're welcome, hope you'll get some input from somebody else. We've gotta get yours blooming and seeds set before frost! You might be able to protect a few of them long enough to get some seed however you try to sow it.

Thanks a lot for thinking of the soda bottles for winter sowing. I LIKE that idea!!! Why wouldn't it work, maybe even better than jugs and can use some smaller pots which make any that germinate easier to transplant? I'm not 100% sold on milk jugs anyway, at least the way I've tried, but it is the most convenient and easy to move around with the handles.

Yeah the soda bottles are nice to use in the ground for covers. I used them on some transplants that were getting stepped on by dogs. They kept the seedlings protected till they got bigger and more visible.

My favorite container is the fast food soup ones I bought. I found a company that sold them cheap. they come with lids and are clear plastic. (they are like the deli containers you get salads in or Chinese food soup in)
I stacked them in the garage after planting out and saved the lids as well. I may buy more of those this year.

I forgot to mention I did sow some alyssum in my 2 large pots I have that currently have petunias in them. I also sowed a bit in the bird bath that I turned into a planter. (it was cracked) those are small but healthy seedlings.

The ones I sowed in containers I have not planted out yet. I might plant them out when a bunch of rain is predicted.

thanks for all your help!!
Karen