Poppies

[1066]

Hi
I never seem to have any luck with getting poppies to a) germinate and b) live / flower. Don't really know why, and I know lots of you do nothing and they self-seed everywhere!
So I have some poppy seed heads from other plots on my site, what should I do next?

Thanks

1066

[landimad]

Hi,
Wait till they ripen off a bit then bag them upside down until they have released their seed into the paper bag.
All I do is scatter them over the ground where I would like them to grow.
I still have problems in trying to grow the Menicopsis type. They say it could take months to germinate.
Paperva types are the easiest in my mind. California ones that grow all over me garden.

[1066]

Thanks for that - I had thought the paper bag thing would be good, but what about after that? When and where should I sow the seeds? I've tried them before in pots inside, in pots outside, directly in the garden!  This time its the allotment's turn  :D  They are papaver

Thanks

[landimad]

If you grow annuals then sow direct where they are to flower in April.
If biennials then do the same as above but in August.

[Rosa_Mundi]

I find that annuals do much better when sown outside in late February - any later, and it seems to be too dry for them to germinate.

[1066]

Thanks for the info and tips. I've wondered what time of year is best as if you look at seed packets they say early spring or autumn. So I'll give early spring a try this year

Fingers Crossed


1066

[GrannieAnnie]

I tried for YEARS to grow poppies with no success til I began seeding them on top of soil in a pot and covering with clear plastic wrap and just putting the pot outside in early Spring.
Then I had total success and transplanted them carefully.

But also this year I threw some seed on top of a dirt mound of the poorest type soil that got a little shade from an old butterfly bush and it looks like all those germinated- the triple petaled pompom purple poppy- was given seed so don't know the name.  we had a wet Spring which would have helped.

Now there are 3 different species of poppies growing happily, so don't give up yet.

[1066]

Oh thanks for that GrannyAnnie, and no I won't give up. I just love poppies, but I'd like some in my garden or up at the allotment pleeeaase !
I'll give your way of germinating a try in Spring, so thanks for the suggestion.

Fingers Corssed

1066

must remmber to bookmark this post and set a reminder for myself  ;)

[GrannieAnnie]

Poppies on my dirt pile

[Heartysoup]

Poppies don't like soil that's too fertile...treat them mean !

[1066]

How beautiful GrannieAnnie, you must be so pleased!

[GrannieAnnie]

How beautiful GrannieAnnie, you must be so pleased!

I'm happy looking at them because of the memory connected with them. The seed was given to me by a park ranger in Calgary Canada. She'd explained a vegetable garden to me and when she saw how interested I was she said, "Oh, then you have to see a garden by an old building  across a bridge where there are  beautiful poppies!"  She walked me over to see it and snapped off a  seed pod  so I didn't know what they'd look like for a year because they were well past blooming.  They didn't disappoint.  If you want some seed 1066,  PM me and I'll send you some.

[1066]

I love plants with a story or a history, makes it personal doesn't it. Thanks for the kind offer but I now have a few seed heads from various people round my site and I'll try these 1st.

1066

[landimad]

I love plants with a story or a history, makes it personal doesn't it. Thanks for the kind offer but I now have a few seed heads from various people round my site and I'll try these 1st.

1066

Now Tonybloke you have started your own bit of history by accpeting the seed from others. Thats how we get our stories, from others in our locality and sowing them around for all to enjoy.
Keep it up and your plot will have the biggest story to be told.
Bless all who spread the seed of health and happiness.