Do you want to grow california poppy seeds in Iowa, but don’t know when to start them?
Starting california poppy seeds is not as easy as it seems.
Here’s why:
- California Poppy Seeds must be consistently watered, receive at least 8 hours of sunlight a day, & be kept at room temperature of at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit.
So if you don’t consistently water them they won’t germinate. If they aren’t in a room that is at least 70 degrees Fahrenheit they won’t sprout. And if it receives 8 hours of sunlight the plant itself won’t grow.
- Because Iowa’s growing season is not long enough, california poppy seeds cannot be sowed outside and should only be started indoors.
Because of this, I’m going to teach you the ideal time to start california poppy seeds indoors in Iowa:
- To Learn More About HOW to Grow California Poppy, Check Out This GUIDE!
When to Start California Poppy Seeds Indoors
Depending on the type of california poppy, it takes roughly 14 to 21 days to grow california poppy from seed indoors before you can transplant them into your garden. And it could take 60 to 75 days for your california poppy to bloom!
The approximate date of when you should start your california poppy seeds indoors can be found by:
- Finding the last average frost date HERE
- And then subtract 14 days from it
You can also find the average last frost date for most major cities in the below chart that I have created:
To help ensure the greatest success of your california poppy seeds germinating you should:
- Use a heat mat to ensure the gardening pot remains at 70 degrees Fahrenheit
- Use a grow light to control how much light your california poppy seeds receive
- Water your seeds with a spray bottle to ensure your seeds are not overwatered
It should also be noted that you will not want to introduce your california poppy plants into your garden until 2 weeks after your last frost or else your plant will potentially die or not bloom
If you want to learn WHEN to start ANY Flower Seed in Iowa, head over to HERE and just type in the flower you want to grow.
