Primula (Primrose) and Violas (flowers, grow, vegetable, frost)

[pslane]

I have always wanted to grow some Primrose seeds and Viola seeds and see if I can get them to grow. Now I have some seeds, can you please tell me the best time of the year to plant them? I have been looking around and can't find a good answer for this. I am in SC, USA and zone 8A.

[Hemlock140]

I would suggest planting them indoors, in a tray in a sunny window about 6 weeks before your last frost. Then when the threat of freeze has past, transplant outside. If you wait until then and plant the seeds outside they will do fine but take a lot longer to have any blooms. I just planted all of my vegetable starts indoors last weekend to plant in late April.

[pslane]

I'm going to do that on my screened porch. Then outside to my garden. My concern mostly is since these flowers love colder weather, will they survive when we have our first hot spell? Thank you.

[lammius]

I think I’ve heard Monty Don say you sow primrose seeds outdoors in winter, but never tried it myself.