Quick question on growing California poppies.

[michael68]

hey, i actually live in an area where poppies grow wild in the spring but i only have a few wild ones in my yard.

so i would like to have some nice sized patches in my yard. so i have a few questions on that.

when should i spread seed? in the middle of the winter and just let the winter and spring rains do it's thing? (like what naturally happens out here)

and should i do anything to the soil? like maybe add just a little bit of compost and work the soil up a few inches?

 

[Bluebery]

There is alot of those where i am too. Illegal to pick them. Collecting seed sounds fun.

 

[BOMBAYCAT]

I live in CO and I planted some Cali poppies to get bees around to pollinate chile peppers etc. They seem like a weed and keep coming back year after year. It looks like they like poorer soil but do like to be watered some. Also they don't seem to like shade from big medicine plants. I got the seed (various color flowers) at the nursery and planted in spring. The roots look like very small carrots and when I rototill they still come up from the roots next year. Oh well.

 

[mother_gaia]

Growing Cali poppies

Growing Cali poppies

I have grown Poppies in several different types of soil and location. I have found they do best in my cactus garden. seem they thrive in sandy acidic soils as long as they are well watered. All the extra water had a wonderful effect on my cactus blooms as well. unfortunately I did not take pic.'s of the poppies due to how beautiful the cactus flower were. oops my bad. I'll take some next year.

The cactus flowers;

 

[med_breeder]

Just picked up a pack. So I'm bumping this.

Any advice would be great.

After all my attempts, I've have only had 3 flowers bloom.

Help!