I love California poppies too and always grow a few (or many). I plant them any time from late November through very early March. Now is probably perfect.

Of course, they plant themselves in late spring when the plants set seed and the seed just waits out the long hot summer to sprout too.

Let us know when/what you do and how it works out. Good luck!

Take care,
Grant

thanks grant ...

I've tried for 2 years now to get them to come up, nada, nothing, zilch ... it's very frustrating ... I got some in the fall, but nothing ... the spring, nada ... and summer, zilch ... arrgh ....

I started them in November, but they haven't flowered yet. Hard little buggers to get to sprout. I tried 2 times prior to that and I couldn't get the to go. Too many hot days in September and October...they would initially sprout but then dry out really quikly after that. I got lucky this year. Wasn't too hot or too cold and was able to keep the soil moist so they wouldn't dry out. I really hope they flower some time soon. They are big and green now but no flowers. I love the color but would also like to free up the space in my planting bed. All I did to sprout them was sprinkle a bunch of them on the top of the soil and cover very lighty with peatmoss. Just made sure to keep it the soil wet. Once they were about an inch tall I cut the water back alot, and now they are growing just fine.

thanks tim, that is worth a try ...

Good luck! Let us know what you do and how it works out. I have to say, CA poppies aren't as vigorous here as in many, many other climates, but they do okay. Their germination rate in my garden isn't super high like it was when I lived in Seattle, but it's enough to have a few plants here and there each spring/early summer. The handful of little seedlings in my garden right now were totally unbothered by the recent cold snaps.

Hope you have nothing but success!
Grant