CALIFORNIAN POPPY PLANTS

[Ann]

I love these beautiful little poppies, they are supposed to be easy to grow - just sprinkle seeds where they are to grow and rake in, but mine always fail every year. What am I doing wrong? Do you know if you can buy plug plants of them?

[coccinelle]

Once the seeds have been watered just leave them as they like dry conditions. They like lime soil so if yours is more acid they won't like that.

[Clanad]

You're experience isn't unusual. California poppys (Eschscholzia californica) are, of course, annuals and supposedly reseed themselves. Here in the western U.S., we find that they will reseed but only after a season or two where they've become established. Getting that to happen can be a chore.

If you do get any blooms, try scarifying the soil underneath a few of them. This, according to a neighbor that raises them, can help the small seeds reproduce the next season.

Additionally, your curse may be a blessing in disguise... in that they can become nearly unmanageable and reproduce everywhere. Nice flowers though for a short lived bloom.

[Robinia]

I've had mixed success with them too and they've never reseeded more than once. They don't like being transplanted and I can't say I've ever seen them sold as plug plants. I know it's nothing like eschscholzia but if you want an easy one to grow from seed try candytuft.

I can't even get red wild poppies to grow. I've a feeling that when I'm gone someone will dig the garden over and they'll appear everywhere! :o)

[boxtops]

Mine just seed themselves in the garden - not many, but enough.

[Ann]

Thanks for your tips everyone, I may just try and germinate the seeds again. Last year I did get just one or two to grow by setting seeds in a plant pot and transplanting the whole pot in a clump. They are so beautiful though, I really wouldn't mind my garden overrun by them.
https://www.google.co...QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=632

[mike11111]

Can you smoke them?

[craft1948]

I didn't know you smoked heroin?