I know that these need to be transplanted when fairly small. Can you define "fairly small" for me please? Mine are just barely starting to get first true leaves. The variety is an oriental type, "Checkers" if that makes any difference. Thanks!

last year I transplanted mine when they were a few inches big... and a couple of sets of leaves... it was after frost here so maybe a month after they germinated... I only lost a few... but I was real careful when pulling them apart

Thanks, Allison--this was a variety that was quite special to me, so I did not sow heavily. I only have about 12 seedlings spread evenly over a gallon-milk jug. I will keep a close eye on them as they continue to grow. We are not even close to our frost date, but some other poppies I sowed last year are growing vigorously. I'm very new at trying to grow poppies, so am trying to do this right the first time.

well I keep thinking about the frost date thing... my poppies in the ground are growing already... maybe it doesn't matter with them... hopefully someone with more experience will chime in... last year was my first time with them

I planted them out early, long before last frost. They didn't even mind a deep freeze. It's the heat that kills them, so best to plant before the weather is too hot. I planted mine when tiny, too, maybe 2 true leaves. I just planted in hunks.

That was in 2006. Never planted them after that because they were BIG plants, died when weather got hot, and I had to yank them leaving big holes in the garden beds.

I tried a few California poppies last year, they took the heat very well (though it wasn't a hot summer). I have some volunteers that have been out there since fall and they didn't mind freezing winter weather at all.

Just plant out soon as you can reasonably handle them.

Karen

experience has spoken!!!... thanks

Glad I read this. I was going to wait too long.

here are mine, taken yesterday.

they will probably go out Monday or Tuesday.

Looking good!

Karen

When I transplanted my poppies a few weeks ago I watered them with Fish E and they didn't miss a beat. I didn't even lose one seedling and within a week they had doubled in size! Some of the seedlings I seperated and some where in hunks, they are all doing well.