Tips on growing flowers from seed?

Finally I finished messing with my perennials and planting annuals. I still want more garden fun though! I've never been able to successfully grow anything from seed, but I'm still trying. I know I should have started in spring or even earlier indoors, but I still want to try and get some annuals blooming in the late summer and early fall (I'm in zone 7, we have warm weather until about mid-October). I have seed packets for zinnias, nasturtium, cosmos, oriental poppies, and sunflowers. A week ago I planted some sunflowers indoors in some of those starter trays and they're sprouting. I'm going to try both transplanting the sunflowers and directly sowing some in the soil against my back wall border outside. I have some containers that I want to try growing the other flowers in. Is it too late in the season to try, and what are some good ways that I can get healthy annuals to grow from seed?

Tips on growing flowers from seed?
It is hot for transplanting plants. Maybe not in the shade but it the sun. Get them in shade outside first to reduce the chance of shock.





Always water. It covers up for many problems. Miracle Grow is great but use Root Stimulator at first. Of course, good, deep, soil with lots of good humis is great with a layer of mulch.
Reply:In your zone you should be able to direct seed now and still get good results by late summer. After seeds sprout be sur to thin according to packet directions. Sunflowers will definitely do well and are so easy for excellent results. Actually all of the ones you have should do well for you, Just get them in the prepared soil and water.
Reply:If you are using seeds you should first buy small flower containers and potting soil /perlite mix , the perlite helps to keep the soil airated , so it does not get to firm, put the seed about a half inch to an inch into the soil , keep your containers indoors in a light fairly warm room , you should have no problem getting them to sprout, after the start to sprout keep them indoors until they are almost to big for the container, then take them outdoors and plant them, you should have no problem then.