California Poppy Flower Seeds

About California Poppy Flower Seeds

California Poppy Flower Seeds grow in full sun positions. Flowering runs spring through summer or summer. The figures below are the ones on the packets in this group; each product page carries the exact numbers for that variety.

When to plant

Plant in fall, spring. Seed can be started indoors ahead of the season or sown straight into prepared ground once it has warmed. The seed needs a cold, moist period before it will break dormancy: sow in late fall and let winter do the work, or chill it in damp medium in the refrigerator first. Hardy in zones 3 to 10 — your local frost dates decide the exact week.

Where to plant

Choose a site in full sun. Water needs are average, low once the plants are established. Free-draining soil matters more than rich soil; seed sown into ground that stays wet rots before it germinates. Allow 6 to 8 inches or 9 inches between plants so air can move between them.

How to plant

Sow 1/16 inch deep, spaced 6 to 8 inches or 9 inches apart. This seed needs light to germinate, so press it onto the surface and firm it in rather than burying it. Water gently to settle the soil, then keep the surface evenly moist until seedlings or shoots appear. Indoor starts do best in warmth and bright light; harden the seedlings off over a week before planting out.

How to care

Keep watering average, low, at the base of the plant rather than over the leaves. In zones 3 to 10 these come back each year: let the foliage die down naturally after flowering, since that is what feeds next season's growth. Flowers appear spring through summer or summer; cutting or deadheading regularly keeps more coming.

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