Need some thought on this project.

Yesterday I was in town at a nursery asking for a price on some seed. I have three acres of land that is to be a flood plane area. Want to grow some Poppies on it. So the people who come down from Nevada can see the beauty of them. After all I live in California L.O.L. so my project is to figure out how I get them planted and how to irrigate them. I first thought trying to run a water falcate down to that spot and then run rain birds Or run Drip system. I will be the first person in a small town who looks like he lost his mind. That is why I am asking all of you out here in tractor land for help. thank you for your suggestions. Brent
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Don't have a clue how to plant and raise them. But if you have to use domestic water for them,It will most likely 'bankrupt' you.especially if you are metered. Can the domestic water system/company supply the water needed?Here,some of the small private 'companys' limit how much water you can use. Like household only,no yard,garden or livestock.Do you have irrigation water available? A well? Do your homework on water.IMHO,water will be the decideing factor.
 

I think poppies must be fairly resilient because there is a patch of them growing wild on the road bank just a short distance away. They bloom every year, even though they get mowed off at least twice every summer. I dug a few up and transplanted in my backyard. THOSE are not doing nearly as well.
 
Yes they do claim it is a flood area but it is 8 feet away from my building. They tell me that nothing is to be build on it because it was flooded last 25 years ago. Mono county That I live in makes Shure that nothing gets on it. I guess if I get a lot of snow on the high Sierras and the California whites that this water can enter this dry area called a flood zone. Go figure.
 
WE all have wells in this area. That is why I bought out in Benton Cal. instead of Bishop cal. area. D.W.P has control on water in that area not Benton Cal. They are still trying to get control of our water for L.A. but it is hard because the Indians and us do not give in to them.
 
Try native California poppies. You might research the areas they are growing in now and compare the habitat with your location.
They are beautiful but short lived.
From the picture I can make a wild guess to your location. South of Julian and slightly west of the Arizona border? How far did I miss?
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Lucky you have a well for now. With the new law Cali passed limiting people to 55 gal of water a day.
 
Glad that really isn't the law. They passed something that says 55 gallons a day INSIDE the home, but since there is only one water meter, they can't enforce it. It was simply a ploy to try and convince people to save water in the house.
 
The LOST Z ranch is located at 112 Clark ranch rd. Benton California. I am between the High Sierras and the California white mountain range. I am on highway 120 that goes to highway 6 that leads across to Nevada like Hawthorn city. It is a small town of 280 people plus Benton hot springs and the Indian reservation.
 
Yes I do have a well like every body else. Department of water and power is trying real hard to try to get in this spot for are water. The good point is that we are a farming and ranching town with some active mines. they Indians reservation has say over all the water in the Benton Hot springs area because government say's so. This area I live in we understand our water is very important to use. It is sad to realize that the High Sierras water is Department water and power. they pump all of it to L.A. California.
 
I was born and raised in Riverside California. We use to order our water for our Citrus Groves. When Riverside started to grow in the 1970's they wanted to get to our wells and control them. They got the wells we used by 1980's with in the late 1990's all the groves where taken out of the town. I had 1 acre of land that I grew vegetables on with drip systems I used less water than a block of track housing did.
 
Just my understanding of wild flowers. Here in SJ I propagate coriopsis wild flowers. Big yellow about three inches across and around 28 inches tall. They are a biannual. First year they don't always bloom but after that away they go!. The easiest way is to dig up little clumps of them and then transplant them. They grow like crazy and come back for several years no problems. NOW... they are a broadcast type of seeder. The flower forms a pod full of seeds that get broadcast as animals or a very strong wind shakes those pods. Field critters will eat the seeds because they are on top of the ground. If there is a heavy rain they will get covered. Poppies are very close to coriopsis as to how the seed pod works. Most of these wild flowers thrive where the ground is total crap. If you do some research on line you can find Bulk seed vendors and I would guess you would need to broadcast them with a spreader and then take a chain link fence drag and run around a couple of times. Give folks like this a call and ask about your area. The prices are roughly $30 per pound. That sould do 100 sq. ft. With no trouble. Any of the daisies or "tick weed" are very tough and look beautiful . Hope I helped. Give them a call.
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Yes..but that is why I advised to try tickweed flowers. They are tougher and can last for weeks. The other type to try is Oriental poppies. They are very resiltant. My mom used to raise them. Make for beautiful cuttings. He needs to call a professional outfit to see what would do the best for his area. They might even recommend a prairie blend of native flowers. Everything is going to depend of his annual rainfall. He could have a veritable wildflower kingdom.:)
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I'd expect you to lose about half your water to evaporation using Rain Bird-style sprinklers in the dry desert air. I don't know how well drip irrigation would work with poppies, but I reckon it's worth a try.
 
Bret I have ordered seed from the bulk seed guys and got good seed. Thankfully here in Tennessee we do not have your water problems. Will be interesting to see what you can get to grow there. I looked at it on google earth , really a pretty place, but more importantly looks like a good area. Maybe 250 or so North west of Las Vegas ? We get out to Yuma and west side of Az. ever now and then. I may just have to venture on farther north. LOL
 
Thank you Mr. Jim. Your information has been a big help we will just do that and see what we can find out. I am going to do some reading up on this subject in to poppies in my old but trusty sunset western gardening book. I got the information of that Bulk wildflowers. com I plan to look them up.
 
When I lived in Riverside I was around a university on Monroe street. the city worker never read that meter of mine ( I guess they where lazy). My water in the summer time would run for two hours every night I had 16 valves and 7 of them where drip systems. This water timer would start at 12 at night to 2 in the morning. living in Riverside I had learn in summer time night irrigation was the best why to go. I like the comment No sorry do not have a water meter on my well up here in Benton Cal. My well is 250 feet deep for the best water supply.
 
I enjoyed this thread, sorry I have nothing to add of value.

My heavy deep cold wet ground in southern Minnesota is such a world away from what you got going there!

Paul
 
For what it's worth, I climbed White Mountain Peak almost 30 years ago. It's the only "fourteener" I've actually climbed. I think that's the only time I've been snowed on in August. It looks like you can probably see the mountain from your house.
 
There is a lot of river bottom ground around here that's irrigated. The flood water can get 3 feet deep around the pivots.
 
I don't think California poppies take much water. If you get any rainfall at all they should grow. Good viable seed is important. That local outfit is probably best. I planted a lot of seed last year and got very little germination, seed was old. I think now is a good time to plant, spread seed by hand, cover lightly, wait for a little rain.
 
How far will people be willing to drive to look at a field of poppies? If you want people to look at the poppies, it might work better to plant them closer to where more people live.
 
You bring up a good point. To really tell you I really do not care if they even come around to see them. I am only doing an experiment to prove to my self I can grow some thing besides The bushes that is are around me. Go figure that I tried Cucumbers last year and failed. One farmer down the road grows potatoes and does a great job. So this year I just decided to have some fun in a small town and do some thing that is totally crazy. L.O.L.
 
Thank you for your suggestion. We are to have cold weather on Sunday 40% chance of snow is said to be on Sunday. We will see today was a nice warm day got to be up to 63.
 
Yes you are right. I moved up here because I enjoy the beauty of the area. I have views of the California white mountains and of the high Sierras. You might say I fell like I am in haven.
 
I first would like to say thank you for your replay. You say Minnesota (my mom had some Relatives that live in that area). Use kids hardly met them but we had one that every five years would make trip and come to California to see her. He would just stay for one night and then be gone.
 

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