I have sown several milk jugs of California poppies and they are really very tall in the jugs and need to be planted out in the flowerbeds within the next day or so. I took the tape off the milk jugs on Monday when it was 82 degrees, kept them in the shade and let the containers stay open for most of the afternoon, then I retaped them back up. Today, I did the same thing to Patty's purple plum poppy as that too had grown quite tall in its milk jug container. Our last frost date is still a few weeks away and if I wait till then, these seedlings will be coming out of their containers. I have to plant them in the flowerbeds..but I am thinking of putting the top of the milk jug over the seedlings at night and when there is a heavy rain or wind. I figure I could also put a cardboard box weighted down or one of those black nursery pots that you buy mums or azeleas in if really bad weather shows up. Temps will be in high 40-50's at night for next week, and daytime temps in 50-60's. Rain predicted Friday I think.
Any any wintersowers had any experience like this. The White foxgloves are really HOS..never had this plant before..I can wait on those but have to figure out how to seperate some of them before I plant out.
California poppy growers
I don't know about Wintersowing. My California poppies have sown themselves from dropped seed and are comming up all along were I had them last year.
My friend's california poppies self sow in her garden every year. They are growing now, unaffected by chilly nights.
Last year, I wintersowed Patty's Plum poppy. The slugs devoured the seedlings. This year I am keeping my wintersown seedlings in pots for a while, until they are big enough to survive slugs and rainstorms.
You could always plant some seedlings in the garden, some in pots and see which performs better.
I transplanted some California poppies from cracks in the sidewalk bordering my friend's garden to my garden near my daffodils. They are enjoying this morning's chilly rain. Winston the pug, however, is sulking because of the bad weather. He begrudgingly "did his business" this morning.