Also, they seem to like the cooler spring weather, so I'd start in very early spring and sow indoors under lights. I always spread the seed that the plants produce outdoors but I never have gotten germination that way.

I potted six or so pots (small, cheap pots) INDOORS with the english daisies, which I intend to put in the ground (in full sun) after (I hope) sprout and are at least five inches high, sturdy, and frosts are past. But I, too, am confused with the bi-perennial-semi-annual rigmarole Ferry Morse is spewing. I also planted some ED's into a hanging pot along with six of my home harvested nasturtiums (nearly 95% of my seeds are harvested from my own yard; dried at least 30 days then packeted into envelopes with names, dates and where the seeds were taken from clearly marked), and intend to put that in a hanger that gets a lot of sun). I've got, quite literally, about 50,000 marigold seeds, from 4" to 4 FEET high, from my own garden. They lasted, and bloomed, from mid summer (I sowed them late and IN the ground or they'd have bloomed even longer!) to late autumn/early winter. If anyone wants some, just send me an email (skimmel666@comcast.com) and I will send you my home addy, and you can send ME an SASE (weight: about two ounces, send two stamps): they realy are amazingly hardy and gorgeous. (Also started some inside about a week ago.) So much for asides: I'll let y'all know if the ED's sprout, or bloom, or perish, or take over the world. I LOVE the idea of sprinkling some in the lawn! (We have 1/4 acre of lawns and hate every blade. We've carved out five areas on the front lawn for bulbs and annuals, and look forward to doing many more. I hate mowing and strimming. Grrr.)

Hey! You might be in for a pleasant surprise, because the ones I wintersowed this year just started blooming. I think they are first year bloomers. Well, I guess mine certainly are! I have them intermixed with alyssum as an edger in front of a small boxwood "hedge" (in quotes because it isn't exactly the clipped boxwood you'd expect since I'm still letting it grow in height--kinda looks like a messy kid in need of a haircut). I've only had a few blooms so far, but they are very cute. That stretch of bed is also home to a couple of hundred daffodils. My hope is that the English daisies will bloom early enough to be a low companion to the daffodils. We will see! Lisa

Pam, thanks for the info. I'm thinking I might be better off putting them in containers. Makes me mad that I spent $5 for an annual (I bought 3)!. Julie