Primulas provide relief from a somewhat barren winter landscape, and no winter and spring garden is complete without them. They are wonderful for attracting butterflies and beneficial insects, and they make a striking edging plant and put on a brilliant show if displayed in massed flowerbeds. Primroses also make a lovely background for spring flowering bulbs like daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, Dutch iris and cyclamens. They often are used in containers or pots and even as flowering house plants.

These planting guides are for the following:

 

Primrose seeds benefit from a cold treatment. So, after the cold period, the Primrose seeds can be started indoors in late autumn or winter for plants that are ready by early spring.

If using Primroses as house plants, set them in a place where there is bright but indirect light. For outdoors, Primroses like moist, fertile, well-drained soils. They also prefer part shade with morning sun and afternoon shade is ideal.

• Mix the Primrose seeds into a small amount of dampened soil and place this into the refrigerator for 2 - 3 weeks
• After the cold period, fill trays with moistened soil
• Press the Primrose seeds into the soil but do not cover them
• Place some clear plastic loosely over the tray to hold the moisture in
• Lift the plastic daily to mist down the soil surface
• Keep the tray at a cool 60 - 65F temperature for germination
• Once seedlings emerge, remove the plastic wrap
• Grow seedlings in bright, indirect light
• Once the seedlings have 2 - 3 true leaves, begin to harden them off for 7 - 10 days
• Transplant out into the permanent location

• Primroses need regular irrigation and even moisture
• Deadhead spent blooms
• Provide a water soluable fertilizer every 4 weeks or so
• For the perennial species, cut back after done blooming and mulch to help keep roots cool to help the plant last for another season