Portulaca from seed

Can I start Portulaca (Moss Rose) from seed, inside right now, to set out after frost? I'm confused, because I seem to keep reading about direct sowing in the fall. (I'm in a zone 6b ) Thanks for any help!

Yes, you can start them from seed now. In fact they take about 15-20 days to germinate. Once plants get there first set of true leaves, (second set of leaves) you can transplant them into larger containers. After they germinate, they require a long day, meaning at least 14-16 hours of light. Good Luck!

This message was edited Mar 26, 2006 12:42 PM

Pinch them back when they are about 3-4" high and they will love it! Really helps to make them fuller. In fact you can do it a few times. Just pinch back above foliage, so there are still leaves below the pinch (usually pinch back about 1-1.5" from the bottom of the plant-depending on where there is still foliage at the base).

Thanks Ironsides and tigerlily123! I will get them started tonight :)

You can sow them directly outside too...around the last frost date.
I find they grow better if their watered regularly, even though you often hear they grow good in dry areas.

I direct sow in pots after last frost dates. I keep them regularly watered when getting established. Once they are going strong and since they are succulents I have a bit of grace if I forget or skip a couple days of watering. I'm in NC and we get hot humid summers and they always do well. They do flower better with regular water but are pretty forgiving if you forget a day or two. I have a full sun front garden and they provide alot of color for such a relatively small plant.

Probably depends a lot on your zone. When my parents bought their house in the Rochester, NY area in 1953, the hedge had portulaca under it for the entire length of the driveway and it always came back from seed each year up to the year that they finally paved the driveway sometime in the 60's. I've never had it reseed successfully in Otawa.

Ann

I always wait till it gets pretty warm down here (haven't even done them yet this year) because they grow pretty fast and its easier for me to keep them weeded if they grow fast (needless to say, we have TX sized weeds down here-LOL).
Debbie

It reseeds successfully in Brampton, ON (5b I think...) my mother hasn't had to purchase any plants for years. Maybe it depends where you plant the portulaca. Mom has it along the wall of her garage, and in a raised bed at the end of the drive.