Friends, fall is here and our heads are in the pumpkin patch, the apple tree and the spice aisle of the bulk section of the grocery store. Take a short break from the fall frenzy to think about spring.

Now’s the time to plant your poppies directly in the ground in southern regions (zones 7 and higher, find your zone here). Poppies are frost tolerant and germinate well in cooler soil conditions. For other, northerly zones, you can sow seeds as early as you can work the ground in spring. Alternatively, for early season blooms, you can plant poppies in wooden flats or boxes and keep them in a protected spot and watered weekly throughout the winter. They transplant well and even do well in containers.

Come March or April you’ll be in for a treat.