Fall Pansies

I want to start some pansies from seed to set out this fall. My plan is to start them in the basement (I understand they need dark to germinate) in a closed tray. After they germinate I will remove the cover and put them a few inches under a grow light. My basement stays around 75 degrees. Have any of you had experience growing fall pansies from seed? My questions are:

I know I will need to fertilize the seedlings, but don't know how much or how often.
When do I move the plants outside? Do I need to "harden them off?"

Also I want to grow flowering kale. Any suggestions? Should I sow the seeds directly or start seedlings?

I'm geting ready to start some ornimental cabbage, the last time I sowed it I did it in pots and I think I'll stick with that unless someone else on here says they do better in the ground, I'm worried about the stalk getting too tall, don't want the cabbage sticking up in the air lol I had to transplant mine three times in the pots before I set them out and the cabbage worms were so bad had to keep row covers over them to keep the cabbage butterflies from laying eggs on them they were a real pain, I don't like to spray so I just hand picked the cats off. I really hate to plant them where I want them to flower and have to have a cover over them I imagine it would look kind of tacky out in my front yard, so I'll be waiting to hear what anyone else has had experience with.

We're suppose to get rain Sat. and Sun. morning so I'll probably plant them then in some seed trays and put them outside they come up pretty fast.

I've never started pansies this time of year but thinking about starting some, I was told to start them in July but I'm wondering about the heat I so hate to do lights downstairs this time of year but the ones I started in the winter are still blooming but thy are shaded in the afternoon from other plants, I fertilized my violets and pansies about half strength when they were just starting out, of course wait until the true leaves come out to fertilize :)

Starting Pansies in July and August is very difficult to do. Not the germination but the maintaining of them. The heat and the humidty puts alot of stress on them and most of them don't make it.

Pansies like about a 60-70 F day and 50F at night. It better to start them in September when it is cooler. If you start them now you need to be constantly misting the leaves to keep them cool and then even with the misting you have problems with leaching of nutrients from the pots. You also need to keep a constant watch on the pH especially durign the heat. You don't want the pH of your Pansies to go over 6.0 or they can easily get several diseases.

The only Pansy that can really take the heat better now for July starting is the Colossus series. Now the smaller your bloom, the better the chance your Pansy might have to make it.

Thanks for your input. I may do a little expiermenting, keeping your advice and suggestions in mind. I may try some in the basement now and do start some more in September. I'll let you know how it turns out.