1) Cleome starts with cold stratification in the garage this week, but doesn't come in from the cold until the end of January. Wave petunias and Lisianthus in late January. Salvia won't start until February, Zinnia and Marigold until late March.

2) This year's selections! Rhea salvia, red salvia (my own garden's crossbreed, taller and heavier flowering, derived from Red Hot Sally and Bonfire parents). Blue and purple Wave petunias. Teddy Bear sunflower. Melampodium, mostly genetically Showstar but slowly reverting to type. Hot pink Cleome. Cinderella Blue lisianthus. Zinnias: Swizzle Scarlet and Yellow, Profusion Fire, Profusion Double Fire, Magellan Scarlet, Magellan Yellow. Marigolds: Aurora Gold, Janie Flame, Tiger Eyes, Sunburst Orange Splash (a triploid mule), and Zenith Red (also a triploid mule).

3) Usually around May first when I start the hardening off process--effortless for some things, hard for others. Planting usually starts around May 10th-15th depending on the weather, but some things will be held later or go earlier depending on their weather tolerance.

I'm a poker, what can I say?

Fortunately, it's really easy (for most things). Plant seed. Water and put under light. Stand back.

Some--cleome, Lisianthus, and the like, can be a challenge starting indoors.

Thanks for the reminder--I just planted 18 cleome and put 'em in the garage (average temperature high thirties, almost never freezes [and if it's going to I'll pull those in]). Once I get a new calendar I'll put it on the docket for the end of January to pull them in and start them.

Two to four flats, max--four if you side-by-side. I use 2 four foot lights for two flats, lengthwise, as that's the limit of my shelf and I like to keep the light as bright as possible on the plants.

If you choose the 72 cell flats (I wouldn't go any smaller as those puppies do grow), that's 144 to 288 plants.

True. The smaller number of cells (larger cells per flat) can also be a good idea for some things. Marigolds are easy to grow and detonate fast. Zinnias, same. You can grow 'em in 72 cell flats, no problem, but you'll be watering a lot.

Larger plants also prefer more leg room, but if you start them a bit later you can get around that.

Oh. Really hefty plants that need a while (sunflower, Lisianthus and the like) can be grown in Solo cups. Actually, I use the really cheap generics from the grocery store. Drill hole in bottom, fill with soil, plant seed(s), water.

In a pinch, a southern or southwestern windowsill will do for those. I reserve half a shelf for them in the cellar.

You have rabbit problems with verbena? Weird. I have rabbits and verbena and the two get along fine together.

I harden under tarp tents (I could park the car outside for a week or so, but that seems so bothersome). My capacity is about 700, plus enough space for around 30 cups for larger things.

OK, you have more herbivores (and probably fewer dogs) than I do. I think the bunnies are afraid to go into the garden. Strangely, the toads aren't.

Verbena do stay smaller down here and don't flourish in July. I try to keep them to the northern side of the garden (which is a southwestern garden so that's of limited help). Lantana do beautifully. Most of mine hit two and a half feet tall, gorgeous shape, perfect blooms, and just kept going. The only trouble I had with them was that the main stem and main root were as thick as my thumb and the root mass went outward at least six feet. I have no idea how far down it went... This presented a challenge cutting them down at the end of the season.

In recent decades, I've found I've had to discontinue a lot of the cooler-season things or restrict them to the northwestern gardens. Tropicals now flourish better in the full sun gardens. Or just accept that they either won't survive the summer or won't look good doing it.

I have a great supplier of seeds for larger properties. Wholesale prices, too. When I needed 1000 "Black Dragon" Coleus, instead of $5 for 25 seeds, I can get 1000 for $13.48. Just don't expect the "just released" plant-of-the-minute. This is where garden centers get their seeds. 7,000 varieties. No super-glossy website --- the people that buy there know what they want.

Wholesale Seeds

+1 Simpson. For unusual things of small quantity, Park Seed is great. And their seed has never let me down.

The cheapest and most prolific source of seed is your own garden, actually! I harvest seeds off my Melampodium, both species of salvia, sunflowers, and cleome. Those will never be bought again because I won't need to.

You can save seeds from marigolds and zinnia and most other things, but I like the purebred versions so I replace those every year. When you take seeds it's a crap shoot as to what you get--and sometimes you roll and get something ugly.