Jill

Avid castor bean fan here.

The seeds you purchase from seed warehouses
are often leftovers from years gone by.
They should be clean and bright, deep colors.
You should be able to give the seeds a good healthy squeeze
between your fingers without them popping or bursting into pieces.
Very pale or light colored seeds have zip for germ rates,
so assume they are not worthy of planting for the most part.

In zone 7, many seeds pop off and fall to the ground,
sprouting each spring without any assistance. Every
year I walk around digging up babies to move closer to the
house to take care of.

For those who prefer to baby their plants as I do,
you can start them indoors in multi-pot trays.
Simply wet the soil pretty good, allow it to drain, and push the seeds (nub end first) into the soil.
Push the seed down until the other end is level
with the soil line. Keep moist and if you can,
start them with heated germination mats, they will pop
right up quickly. You'll be surprised at the size of
the root systems on these little things.

By the time the seedlings emerge they will have already established a healthy root system.

*Castor bean tip*

While you can toss them at will and they will sprout,
you'd be amazed at how much better they will grow if you
work the soil. Even better, dig a heck of a hole and
pour a bag of potting soil in, then plant your seeds.

And don't forget the Algoflash!