We are in a zone where they grow as perennials, but I started mine from seeds I got on Ebay. I planted 5 seeds in a circle serviced by one drip emitter about 1/2" deep. In a few days they ALL sprouted. They grew fast, and now a year later we have a huge bush! It's far from the house in a corner of the yard. We grew them for the seeds so we can drop them down the gopher tunnels that crisscross our acreage hoping a gopher will go to the gopher happy hunting grounds.

linnea, more often in your climate they would have been sown indoors last month, but that doesn't mean yours will be too late. End of this month you could direct sow them outdoors.

Remember that the seeds of Ricinus are poisonous and wash your hands when you have handled them.

Sow at approx 1"deep in
individual pots - they grow somewhat quickly so sow in something with a little
depth, somewhat warm, about 70 - 75F. Germination may take as
long as 14 to 21 days. Soaking overnight before sowing can speed up
germination.

Your lighter colored seeds may
still be viable if they look fully formed and roughly the same size as the
darker brown seeds.

The seeds are deceiving. They kinda look like edible pinto beans. Sigh. The plant is very beautiful! The flowers remind me of bottle brush. But the seeds will kill. Absolutely wear gloves or wash your hands.