Four o'clocks do much better when they are planted straight into the ground, I've found. Don't bury them too deep, just push them slightly in. After all, they come up everywhere all on their own just falling off the plant.

Well this color, the Salmon Sunset is not common, like the purple or pink one that is all over the place in Fla. I paid a good price for a few seeds. Luckily they ALL came up!

I just need one to live and bloom to collect seeds. The tubers they make will grow bigger over the years, but I need to know where to plant these seedlings, from their cell packs.

Sun/shade/morning sun? I am stumped. I thought they would be a snap to grow. Well they are starting to look icky and sick. I know they need more root room, but where?

I have them all over, but the ones that bloom the best are in sun from morning until about noon. I have a giant white four-o'clock in a south-facing garden that gets afternoon sun and it does well there. I've never grown mine in full sun. My grandmother told me they didn't like to get hot, and indeed, mine do wilt badly in the afternoons when it gets hot.

I hear you about just needing one for seeds. I planted a bunch of triple yellow datura last year, and only two lived, only one bloomed and had seeds. Miraculously, that one survived the freeze and is coming back from the bottom. It should be gorgeous this year since it has a nice root system on it.

I only recall that my deceased sister had hers in partial shade and they grew beautifully here in 9b. A friend living on Merritt Island still 9b has them growing by the fence in full sun by a brackish water canal and they like it there.

no i started them outside, in the sun and heat. I just potted them up into bigger growing cells. I started them in the regular small seed starting cells. Now they are in about twice the size cells and in half shade. I THINK they needed more root room. I THINK if the roots get to bound up, they start showing stress, and stop growing. Is that true?

Some plants can't take the stress of being transplanted (especially 3 times.) Like it was said above, these plants do best when directly seeded into the ground.

Gardening is constantly a lesson learned! Take notes as reminders. I have lists!

well these will be transplanted again,to go in the ground. they are green now, so it must be working.

I've never transplanted a four-o'clock that didn't wilt for several days before it perked up. It's just how they are.

Well they are up and never went limp when i transplanted them into the larger cell pots. They are greener now, in more shade, and more water. Think the roots need A LOT of root room. Once they get rootbound, they stop growing and start to look yellow and sickly.