Warm, cold, cool germinator, you've just begun :)

Phlox paniculata , Sow at 70ºF for 2-4 weeks, move to 39ºF for 4-6 weeks, move to 53ºF for germination

I tried it too! morz8 is right! The seeds I planted outside last fall, as a test, (I marked the spot)are up and growing. I even have them growing out of the spaces between my sidewalk paver blocks. I just transplanted them yesterday, into pots. The seeds I tried to germinated on a seed heat mat and using lights did nothing at all. This coming fall, I will just sow the seeds outside, mark the spot, then move them to where I want them. Live and learn... Paul

Suzy - do you have cool days with nights in low 40's or lower for the next month or so? (4-6 weeks) You could put your peat pots outside now that they've had the initial warm moist period, just be careful not to let them dry out. The alternative would be to wrap them in saran, put them in your refrigerator - write the date on them so you don't lose track. When they've finished their chill, put them outdoors someplace cool - they could still germinate, you've just taken the first step of three by giving them the warm moist period.

My phlox reseed freely I now have probably more than 50 individual plants. Judging by how well they reseed (and I rarely even bother to clear the Fall leaves, my guess is that outdoor winter sowing should not be a problem. I am in South Jersey

I winter sowed Phlox paniculata, divaricata, and maculata on February 4th. I bought the Phlox seeds at Prairie Moon nursery, and according to their website, all 3 types of seeds need cold stratification. Winter-sowing is a great way to start seeds, especially for the seeds requiring moist cold treatment. Nature will take take of seed treatment for you!

As of today, the Phlox paniculata is sprouting vigorously, a few of the P. divaricata are up, no show yet on the maculata.

Thanks Morz8 for your sound advice.

My area is getting warmer, I am afraid the night temp is not cold enough, so the entire tray is now sitting in the gargage spare frig, tag with today's date, I will bring it out in a month or so.

Phlox is so beautiful, it is worth the effort.

Thanks again - Suzy

I took out the peat pots 2 weeks ago from the frig and set them in the raised planting bed, I am very excited to see the seedling are peeping out.

Thanks to you all - Suzy

mine didnt germinate as well. :(

I bought 60 dwarf Phlox seeds from an Etsy seller. The instructions were skimpy, so I did what I do for other seeds: put them in peat pellets on a heating mat under grow lights. Nothing happened after 8 days (my other seeds germinated in 3 days), so I looked for help and saw this post.

I decided to keep 30 seeds on the heating mat and put the other 30 seeds on a covered outdoor porch to see which approach would work best. Interestingly, both the heating mat seeds and the porch seeds started germinating about the same time: 11 days after planting. Five have germinated as of today but I hope many more will follow!

Are you sure the seed you have is from the perennial Phlox paniculata and not Drummond phlox, which is commonly grown as an annual?

Yes, rusty_blackhaw, I believe you're right. The seeds were listed on the seller's website as perennials but when I received them, the instructions said that they're "like perennials" because they self-seed. I've been confused about what the heck they were ever since. Thank you for clarifying.