Sprinkling in some California Poppies

Many landscape clients we encounter in Carmel, Pebble Beach and Big Sur have told us they love seeing California Poppies and they wish they could grow them in their gardens.  My answer to them is, "You can, and very easily."

Many landscape clients we encounter in Carmel, Pebble Beach and Big Sur have told us they love seeing California Poppies and they wish they could grow them in their gardens. My answer to them is, "You can, and very easily."

The California Poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is the state flower of California and it is easily grown by seed. The trick to growing the California Poppy from seed is timing.  You want to time the seed sowing right before it starts to rain. With little to no ground prep needed, you can germinate the seed by simply throwing it on the ground and where ever it lands it grows.

In Monterey County, California, it normally starts raining towards the end of October and finishes sometime late March. If you spread the seed during this window, they should take.

If for some reason your California Poppies don't germinate, it could be bad seed. Typically, seed starts losing viability after one year, depending on the variety.  Buying your seed from a reliable source can also make a difference. 

Happy gardening!