Hi wyndy...I sowed candleabra primrose two years ago and if I remember correctly they were not the first sprouts out of the gate. I had a decent amount of germination but nothing spectacular. They bloomed last year. Good luck!

pm2

Primula alpicola, beesiana, x bullesiana, bulleyana, candelabra hybrids, cockburniana, pubescens, pulverulenta, and waltonii, Sow at 20ºC (68ºF), if no germination in 3-4 wks, move to -4 to +4ºC (24-39ºF) for 2-4 wks

Primula auricula, burmanica, chungensis, x chunglenta, elatior, hirsuta, integrifolia, japonica, juliae, pedemontana, poissonii, rosea, sieboldii, sinopurpurea, smithiana, veris, viscosa, and vulgaris , Sow at 18-22ºC (64-71ºF) for 2-4 wks, move to -4 to +4ºC (24-39ºF) for 4-6 wks, move to 5-12ºC (41-53ºF) for germination s

Primula capitata, cortusoides, florindae, polyneura, x pubescens, saxatilis, sikkimensis, and sinopurpurea, Surface sow at 20ºC (68ºF), germination slow

Primula denticulata, farinosa, halleri, nutans, polyantha hybrids, and viallii, Surface sow at 20ºC (68ºF), germinates in less than two wks

Primula frondosa, luteola, secundiflora, scotica , and verticillata, Sow at Max. 5ºC (41ºF), germination irregular, often several months

Primula juliae , Sow at 22ºC (71ºF) for 6 wks or more. Move to -4 to +4ºC (24-39ºF) for 6-8 wks. Then raise the temperature to 10ºC (50ºF). If no germination in 4-6 wks, repeat the cycle from the beginning. If the warm/cold cycles were not long enough, a new warm/cold cycle is needed.

As you can see most of them can be WS with great success. Some as denticulata and viallii do not need cold at all and will germinate easily at warm. Some as secundiflora won't germinate at warm and need cold temps.
When they say -start at warm if no germination place at cold- it usually means that some seeds if conditions are not right will go into second dormancy stage and will require cold temps to break the cycle. So you can just WS them and be done. Be careful with run off water as seeds are tiny and easily washed out from the surface. If you keep your pots outside make sure top is covered.

forgot to add- primulas respond well to treatment with GA-3- /read more at JL Hudson, seedsman website about GA-3/.
Treatment is easy and you can get great germination from all of them at warm, no cold period needed.

Thanks for the info Prairiemoon and Lindlana.

I'm going to guess, because I don't see primula yeris in your list but I do see primula *veris* in the second group, that there was a typo on the seed packet (or perhaps an alternative British spelling?) and that is what the correct botanical name is for my seeds.

Where did you obtain your information Lindalana? I would like to find a really good book with listings on specific propagation information for individual plants.

I mostly start seeds in my greenhouse but am beginning to do some WS to both hedge my bets (sowing the same seed in both the GH and the coldframe) and because I'm running out of space in the GH! :)

Tom Clothier germination website