Hi and welcome!

f I have the lights on for less hours will that slow them down without making them weak?

No it will just make them long and leggy with weak stems.

Is it possible to just keep them indoors until suitable planting time if I of course re pot them?

Very likely depending on how long it is until they can be planted out. You may have to repot them a couple of times.

Yes,it is a common mistake, one of the most common, and we have all made it time and again. We always worry that this will be the year when it does take weeks and weeks to germinate them so we get impatient. :)

Just make a note to yourself to delay the time a bit next year.

Enjoy your impatients.

Dave

Thanks Dave!

I will just let them go their merry way and hopefully Spring will come early.Need to start looking around for some pots.

I appreciate the help.
James

If you are going to start something "to early" - annuals are the way to go, especially low growing ones like impatiens.

I regularly start a lot of annuals much sooner than recommended. If you pinch them back they just get bushier, and if you have the inclination, you can root the bits you cut off and expand your numbers. My Impatiens have only just sprouted in the last week, but I have petunias, geraniums, lisianthus, & begonias that are about 5 weeks old. Most of the rest I will start in a couple of weeks. The only real issue for me becomes space under the lights as I pot them up, but they can live pretty happily under lights in 9oz plastic cups (which take less room than square pots)

Thanks for the tip Mandolls. So I can make even more by rooting.Yes,space is the issue.I plan on starting some coleus and good old marigolds.

The winter seems to go on forever here,but when Spring does come watch out,it's an almost overnight explosion as we get so much light.

I did plant some Hosta seeds and have 3 tiny little babies that came up.

I've done this too so last year I made a yournal of plants I started by seed and in the Fall I made notes for myself on each of plant for the following year. On most of them I noted a date to start the following year - usually three weeks later. I also made notes like - "Didn't like the colour" or ", "Don't bother next year" , "Really loved this", etc. You get the point. It has helped me a lot this spring. Good luck with your plants.

Thanks for the tip Susanne.I will try to write it somewhere that I can remember.I think I will just write it on the old calender but a journal sounds like a good idea too.

Thought i would post a pic of one flat getting a drink.There is another flat filled with latecomers.

The flat is bigger than it looks in the picture.

Nice healthy looking plants.