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Growing California poppies

jacquig27jacquig27 Posts: 2
edited June 2019 in The potting shed
I am a gardening newbie so be gentle with me please.  I have seen some beautiful California poppies growing locally.  Can I grow these from a cutting or will I have to sew some seeds?

Posts

  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Hello Jacqui  :) Most people grow Californian poppies from seed, it may not be too late if you sow some now. Must admit l have never tried taking cuttings from them, l usually sow seeds each year.
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    Collect the seed heads in the summer mate
  • BrexiteerBrexiteer Posts: 955
    Welcome jacqui by the way 👍
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    It’s not a good idea to just help yourself to seeds on someone else’s property, in fact I think it’s a bit rude, seems some people don’t seem to care.

    Have a look in eBay and choose the seeds you like, there will be directions on the back to help you.
    Don't  buy from China though you never know why you’ll get😀
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • TopbirdTopbird Posts: 8,355
    Welcome to the forum Jacqui🙂

    I've only grown Californian Poppies (aka Eschscholzia) from seed - but they self seed quite readily so you will probably only need to buy once. If you get your skates on and sow now you will have flowers later this summer. They need a reasonably sunny, well drained spot but they're easy - just sow them where you want them to grow.

    The most readily available seeds are for orange ones (they look great with french lavender by the way) but you can also get other colours if you search them out.

    Red Chief is (surprise!) - red, but I've not had a lot of luck with it. Ivory Castle, on the other hand, is a beautiful silky, creamy, ivory and I like a few of those mixed in with the oranges to tone them down a notch. 


    Heaven is ... sitting in the garden with a G&T and a cat while watching the sun go down
  • PurplerainPurplerain Posts: 1,053
    edited June 2019
    I have never been able to get rid of them in my damp North facing front garden. That is not the conditions you would imagine they like, but they seem to. If any passer by wanted seed heads then I would consider them helpful rather than rude. I should put a sign up really saying "help yourself, and take some ferns at the same time".
    SW Scotland
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117
    I think it depends where the flowers are growing though. I have a little border along the outside of my boundary fence. It's clearly a 'tended' border, and quite different from the surrounding hedgerows though. I wouldn't be thrilled if soemone thought they could just take them. All they need to do is knock on the door, like the lady who asked for my sloe berries a while ago  :)
     
    As Topbird says - they're readily available, and inexpensive, and self seed when happy, so it's a question of sowing in a few places and letting them get on with it Jacqui.
    The Icelandic [nudicaule] and Welsh [cambrica] poppies all do that if conditions are right, and you'll then have a succesion of similar flowers in your garden  :)

    The Welsh poppies are happy in damp conditions.
    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • jacquig27jacquig27 Posts: 2
    Thank you for your comments everyone.  I have taken them on board.
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