I have had castor in the garden a couple times, but haven't grown any in years. If I recall, that took a few weeks before frost for starting from seed. And it's treated as an annual in colder places.

Gosh, I hope it's not too hard! I've been wanting one of the dark foliage ones for years but there are NO plants to be found in my area, ever! So I have to mail order seeds, which are also not all that easy to locate.

I am by no means a seed person as I rarely need multiples of most seed grown plants and also have this very strong instant gratification drive.😋 I rarely experience frost but also rarely experience much heat in the growing season so I am pretty much clueless as to when and how to start these things. All tips welcome.

I grew them some years ago. Pretty sure I just stuck the seed in the ground.

I will plant a couple indoors in early April probably.

Hey 'gg', I have saved a link or two for Canadian suppliers of the variety I want (New Zealand Purple). (I do occasionally see the actual plants in a garden centre or two but rarely the dark foliage variety and usually later than I would like and so that is why I am going the seed route).

They really are dramatic plants! Here is a link that gives good info, including how to grow. New Zealand Purple

Excellent @peren.all Zone 5a Ontario Canada...lots of good info.

It was bugging me that I knew I had CB in the garden at least once in the past but I was having difficulty finding any pics. But just found it...from August 2019:

I grew it years ago. Very pretty. It's a good idea to store your seeds in a child proof medicine bottle though. Lots of plants are toxic but that one is more than most.

Thanks @christinmk z5b eastern WA, there haven't been any kids in this house for some years now. (If there were I wouldn't even grow the plant let alone have seeds. Id probably shovel prune all our Monkshood also).

I’ve had this plant on my list to grow, and cannot find at garden centers in PNW so will try from seed. Fingers crossed!

Love that leaf color, rouge21!

You probably can't find it in the garden centers because it's a poisonous plant. Most garden centers probably don't want to risk the litigation potential if a very sick or dead pet or child happens. Or worse, like the idiot that went to jail this year for producing ricin from his castor bean plants, or the cell in India distilling ricin for a terror plot.

"You probably can't find it in the garden centers because it's a poisonous plant."

If that were truly the case, then garden centers/nurseries would not be selling 80% of the plants they typically carry!! A great many common garden plants are toxic to some degree and a fair number - like ricinus, taxus or aconitum - more toxic than most. But they are still offered and sold with impunity.

Looks like Walmart carries the seeds?!

Do you mind sharing where you ordered your seeds?

@Jj J, I actually picked it up at a nearby brick and mortar store but unless you live in Canada it wont be practical obtaining it this way.

I think you made out very well, carmencita is my favorite variety as it's red seed pods almost glow against the dark foliage. It's been a few years and today with that usual snowy-garden inspired dreaming I'm 100% sure I'll be joining you with a few plants next year! -until February hits and all the plans will change again ;)

I've had the best luck starting them between damp paper towels in a plastic baggie and then once you see germination pot them up. They grow fast, unless you have an excellent indoor setup I would start them just two or so weeks before you want to put them outside, so you're really just germinating them inside and then putting them out as soon as they sprout.

Here's a US source but they're not in stock yet. Hayefield seed

lol@rouge21, I often wish I lived in Canada for a lot of reasons, but am only as close as Washington state

I'm 100% sure I'll be joining you with a few plants next year!

@katob Z6ish, NE Pa, looking forward to having some company :)

(So you dont recall first soaking the seed(s) overnight?)

The Ontario Rock Garden Society has an extensive list of germination info on most every kind of seed. Link to ONGS germination guide enter "ricinus' in the search and you'll find very detailed info on germinating Castor Beans.

I always enjoy reading how fellow houzz members do gardening "stuff" successfully..

The Ontario Rock Garden Society has an extensive

Of which I am a member...I will take a look.

Oh I'm far too lazy for much special treatment regarding seeds, so that's a no on any pre-soaking. Just fold them up in a damp paper towel, put inside a ziplock, and sit it someplace warm for a few days.

Ok maybe I lied, cannas are something I soak, but they sit in water completely for a few days until they begin to sprout and once that happens they go into dirt, so it's a little more than a 24hr soak.

That looks like a great resource for seed starting info. Here are two others, the first is just an interesting, simple read on the science of seed starting while the other is an actual reference for the work of Dr Deno on seed starting. His three booklets used to be available through links on the USDA website but I can't find them anymore, so this is just the one.

Something interesting to look at during these longest nights of the year ;)

Talking to Dr Deno

Dr Deno's first booklet