I have been growing them for several years but not on the scale you are! You're right, though - pretty much all of my seeds have germinated each year and i have great results with them. Right now i think i might have a dozen or 18 that have been transplanted already and more that are still in their 4-packs. I've taken cuttings from some, and there are some that will bloom soon.

On the whole, i'm really happy with growing impatiens from seed. Petunias - another matter! :/

Yes I certainly do grow impatiens from seed. This year I started somewhere around 1500 seeds. I do not know the germination rates or how many are actually growing. lol

I plant up enough blooming bags to cover a fence wall. This year I am doing 2 walls of impatiens. lol. The extras will be planted up in pots. At this point I have 20 blooming bags planted up...3 plants to a hole and 5 in the top.....you do the math. lol.

Marcia, whats up with the petunias? I also started a hundred or so petunias, and now have taken 2 trays of cuttings. Again don't know the germination rates or even how many cuttings. lol. If all these cutting take, I am going to be very petuniaful this year. ;)

Sierra

Marciaz. Surely if you can grow impatiens from seed you can grow petunias. They are one of the easiest to grow, but like tomatoes they need heat to germinate.

Where does everyone buy their Impatiens seed or do you gather your own. I buy the mixed Tempo seeds from Stokes. $7.25 for 250 seeds or $12 for 500. The tempo are the earliest variety of Impatiens

Marcia, I know what you mean about petunias. I've been growing them for years, with good success, but this year I'm just not really happy with the germination or how big they are. I have no clue why - same variety, same planting dates, same potting mix, same fertilizer, same light set up - don't ask me! Maybe they're jealous of how nice my impatients and lobelia are - first time I've had good success with them.

Connie

I grow from seed. This year I'm trying seed I gathered from my office's pods (red) and my own which are white. I'll see if they come true.

I planted Prism Sunshine from saved seed and they took off like crazy. I've taken cuttings from them. A few of the Avalanche Lilac seeds that i had left from last year have done okay, but not as well as the Prism Sunshine. It's my red and white ones that i'm disappointed with. I did Easy Waves for a couple of years and they were very slow, so this year i switched to Prime Time and they're even slower. The white ones are better but the reds had very sparse germination and are about an inch high now. I'm going to have to buy them now, i guess, because i promised to plant the school's planters in their colours.

Connie, you'd think if they were jealous of the impatiens that they'd try harder! LOL

Sierra - 1500 seeds??? :Faints:

Haha Marcia, Well you should see my plant room...full full full. Still a bit to chilly to start up the greenhouse yet.

Super Elfins from T&T 500 seeds.
Jungle Gold T&T
SE Pink Swirl T&T
Double Carosel Mix t&t
Fanciful Mix Stokes
Fanciful Coral Stokes
Tempo Butterfly Mix 500 Stokes
'Pink Cadillac' Impatiens Mix Veseys
'Evening Glow' Impatiens Mix Veseys

Oilpainter,
I like the super elfins the best, I find they are stronger plants to work with and they don't break off as easily, when planting up pots and blooming bags. The tempo series are kind of whimpy and snap off very easily. I still use them though as they are very pretty. I have found that each type has their own pluses and minuses. Personal preferences I guess.

Sierra

Sierra.
That's one bunch of Impatiens you are growing. I have to disagree with you about the Tempo mix. That is what I grow and I have never had a problem. I like them because they are the earliest to bloom.

Maybe I have more sucess with them because I sprout them in the house and then move them to the greenhouse, but I put them outside when the temperature is 19 or 20 and above outside. I find anything put outside when they are young grows sturdier stems