If they are annuals, they they will bloom this year.

Look at the back of the seed packet or in a reference book to determine the best sowing date. Some seeds need a long time indoors before planting out (say, 12-15 weeks), others need a shorter time indoors, while others are best planted outside when the conditions are right (e.g. morning glories).

If you have some specific seeds you're considering trying, post what they are and we'll try to give you some sowing time advice on those particular plants :0)

I'm considering growing annual vinca and wave petunia. I've got a grow light that has worked very well for some Kentucky Bluegrass pots that I'm using to patch some Poa Annua that I RU'd last year. Also looking for double impatiens, but I don't think you can get from seed. How difficult is it to grow these varieties from seed?

Vinca is one the easiest plants to grow from seed.If you grew them last year and haven't mulched over much, they'll definitely come up this year on their own. Otherwise, like I said, they're very very easy. I have not grown Waves from seed, but petunia integrifolia seeds itself into pots on my deck all the time, so I assume they would be easy too. You could probably sow petunias outside right now. They usually quit blooming or die altogether when our Zone 7B summer heat moves in, so get going on them.

Agree vinca is easy. Here in zone 5, it needs about 8 weeks indoors prior to planting out.