Sowing Outdoors

Rake soil to provide a firm, even surface. Sow seeds thinly in a pre-watered soil, lightly covering them with a little more soil.

Sowings made in semi circular lines create a natural "drift" effect. Keep moist until seedlings appear and as required in dry spells.

Growing on / thinning

When large enough to handle, thin seedlings to allow their development and to prevent overcrowding.

Special note

Late summer and autumn sown seedlings may benefit from cloche or fleece protection when hard frosts threaten. Such plants generally bloom earlier the following summer than spring sown plants.

Always sow Californian poppies direct in their flowering positions, as their long tap roots mean they do not transplant well.