As beautiful as the California poppy (also called golden poppy) is with its golden yellow flowers, unfortunately it is only an annual summer flower. So if you want to admire their flowers every year, you should sow them. But how does it work?
How do you sow California poppies?
To sow California poppies, choose a location in full sun and loosen the soil slightly. Sow the seeds between April and September widely or in shallow furrows without covering them with soil. Keep the substrate moist and ensure a germination temperature of 15-18 °C.
Spring or summer – when do you sow?
The golden poppy can be sown between April and September. The earlier you sow the seeds, the higher the chance that the flowers will appear that same year. If you don't sow until June, you have to expect that the flowers won't appear until next year. Attention: The California poppy then has to survive the winter (hardy down to -10 °C).
Does the soil need to be prepared and which location is suitable?
The soil does not need to be thoroughly loosened and enriched with compost. All you need to do is remove larger roots and stones and loosen it up a bit. The location chosen should be in full sun. The California poppy needs a lot of warmth and likes it hot.
Slopes, open meadows, coastal areas and edges of fields are suitable for sowing. There is full sun there. Dry soil is not a problem. As soon as the seeds get water, they begin to germinate at suitable temperatures.
Sowing the seeds and waiting
Now we can get started:
- Distribute seeds widely
- alternatively, make shallow furrows and distribute seeds in them
- Seeds germinate in light (do not or cover little with soil)
- Keep substrate moist
- optimal germination temperature: 15 to 18 °C
- Germination time: 10 to 14 days
- later isolated to 20 to 30 cm
Harvest seeds for the next generation
You can buy the seeds or harvest them yourself. The seeds are ripe in September. They are found in pods up to 10 cm long and shaped like cylinders. When ripe, the pods open on the long sides.
The seeds are small, brown to black, elliptical and reticulated. If you want to pre-cultivate them, you can start at home as early as February. From May onwards the plants can go outside.
Tip
The California poppy likes to sow itself in favorable locations. The wind and animals come to his aid and scatter the seeds.
