Sowing:
Sow in August to September for early summer flowering the next year or sow directly where they are to flower in March to April

Sowing Indoors:
Sow seed on the surface of lightly firmed, moist seed compost in pots or trays. Cover seed with a light sprinkling of compost or vermiculite. Keep at a temperature of between 15 to 20°C (59 to 68°F). After sowing, do not exclude light as this helps germination. Keep the surface of the compost moist but not waterlogged; germination can take between 10 and 30 days.
When large enough to handle, transplant seedlings into 7.5cm (3in) pots or trays. Gradually acclimatise to outdoor conditions for 10 to 15 days before planting out after all risk of frost, 30 to 45cm (12 to 18in) apart. For best results, provide any ordinary, well-drained soil in full sun.

Sowing Direct:
Seeds can be broadcast in drifts of colour or they can be sown in more formal beds and borders. Sow in spring to early summer when all risk of frost has gone.
Sow the seed in short drills 12mm (½ in) deep from March to May, at temperatures around 20°C (68°F). Cover lightly with soil, mark the sowing areas with a ring of light coloured sand and label if sowing more than one annual in the same bed.
Seeds germinate in less than two weeks. The seedlings will appear in rows approx 6-8 weeks after planting and can be told from nearby weed seedlings quite easily. Thin the seedlings out so they are finally 4 to 6 in apart by early summer.
Alternatively, leave them to grow as small clumps, of 4 to 6 plants every 12in or so. Compost should be kept slightly moist, but not wet at all times.

Cultivation:
If deadheaded, you will get a second flush of blooms. Its seeds are set as early as June right through to August. Ungrazed plants can produce as many as 4000 seeds, making it a good coloniser of bare ground. However, it does not like nutrient rich soils and so numbers have decreased on improved (fertilised) land.