WHEN TO PLANT

In Mild Winter Climates, where ground does not freeze hard, sow in late fall to overwinter.

In Cold Winter Climates, where ground freezes hard, plant in fall for winter die back, then incorporate in spring, OR sow as early as possible in spring.

TO PREPARE THE PLANTING AREA

Remove weeds, grass and large stones. Break up soil clumps and evenly loosen the top 2 inches of soil with a rake. Scatter seeds thinly, 1 to 2 inches apart. Using a rake, cover seeds with fine soil 1/4 to 1/2 inch deep and lightly firm the soil. Water thoroughly and evenly.

Keep soil moist while germinating and when seedlings are small. Growing plants thrive best if watered regularly.

INCORPORATING YOUR COVER CROP

Method 1: When mustard is 5 to 6 inches tall, use a garden fork, shovel or rototiller to turn plants into the ground to break down and enrich soil for planting, which takes about a month.

Method 2: When mustard is about 1 foot tall, pull plants out, shake off soil, and then compost plants to incorporate into soil later as finished compost. Timing depends how long your composting process takes.

Method 3: When plants are 1 foot tall, weed whack the mustard to chop it down. Cover the chopped crop with black plastic to hasten decomposition and then turn the nutritious residue into the soil 2 to 3 weeks before sowing garden crops.

START SEED DIRECTLY IN THE GARDEN

Sow seeds directly in fine textured, well drained soil in full sun as early in spring as the ground can be worked. Plant as early as possible in spring, as poppies can handle light frost and bloom best and longest when plants get a good start in cool weather.

Except in very poor soil, these California poppies will flower readily with no added fertilizer.

Sprinkle seeds thinly, cover or rake in lightly, 1/4 inch deep, and firm soil gently. Be sure to keep the soil moist while awaiting germination and when seedlings are small. For best results, thin well-established seedlings to a final spacing of 6 to 8 inches apart so plants have room to grow, develop and bloom.

In Mild Winter Climates, where ground does not freeze hard, poppies can also be sown in late fall to over-winter for spring bloom. Be sure to protect fall-grown seedlings from slugs, snails and marauding birds.

GROWING NOTES

When mature, poppy plants can handle dry conditions, but will thrive and always bloom much longer if watered regularly. Poppies are lovely cut flowers if brought indoors just as buds begin to open. At season's end, allow spent flowers to form pods and drop seed if you want poppies to self-sow.

TWO DESIGN IDEAS

Plant your hummingbird flower garden in a rectangular bed or border with tall, medium and low flowers from back to front, OR plant in a circle garden with the tall climber in the center, surrounded by the middle and then lower growing flowers.

At the back of the border OR climbing up a central trellis in a circle garden, climbing Scarlet Runner Beans offer abundant coral-red blossoms that hummers love to sip.

At mid-level, Scarlet Flame Zinnias bright red flowers make a splash of color easy for hummers to see from a distance.

At front of the border OR on the outside of the circle, low mounding Summer Charm Nasturtiums are a sure fit for hummingbirds' nectar-seeking bills.

CREATING HUMMINGBIRD HABITAT

Plant as big an area as possible to create explosive bursts of color that can be seen easily from the air. Hummingbirds expend an extraordinary amount of energy for their size, and require an enormous amount of food – you just can't have too many flowers! After locating convenient nectar sources, these intelligent little creatures follow a foraging routine in a relatively small area despite their ability to roam and will return for ongoing meals from your garden.

These flowers offer complete natural meals: while nectar is their primary food source, blossoms also harbor small insects that are protein sources for the diminutive birds, so hummingbirds will help in your garden by dining on aphids and other tiny insects they snap up in their sharp pointed bills while simultaneously pollinating them.

Design elements such as a handsome trellis for your climbing runner bean blossoms provide a convenient, stationary perch where these territorial little birds can survey their entire domain. Enjoy watching them as they dine, hover, socialize, argue and perch, wings vibrating with amazing speed and grace, flying furiously up and down, backward, forward, even upside down amongst your colorful flowers.