Topic: Meniconopsis betonicifolia

[landimad]

Blue poppy in my book.
Been given these to try, not sure how to grow :-\
All tips and knowledge of these would help in succeeding in a difficult task.
Any help from the sages amongst you would be of a benefit to me :-[
A beautiful colour and I think would go well in our garden.
Thank you in advance.

[Robert_Brenchley]

Extremely hard to germinate! Keep experimenting, you might strike lucky.

[valmarg]

The best method of germination is to partly fill a seed tray with compost and top with coarse grit.  Sprinkle the seed on the grit, and leave outside to get the benefit of frost.  This was from an old telly programme, which was the advice from the garden that kept the meconopsis collection

valmarg

[Robert_Brenchley]

That's exactly what I did last autumn. Half the seed buried, the other half on top. No sign of germination yet.

[daitheplant]

Wrap the seed in kitchen towel and place in the fridge ice box for a week. Then sow on a seed tray of compost and cover lightly with vermiculite ot perlite. They will probably take about 14 days to germinate.

[valmarg]

Well R_B, I should say it could still be early days.  The plants I have in the garden are only just beginning to show their noses above the parapet, so maybe you could have success yet. ;D

The only other comment I would make is that fresh seed germinates best.  I have collected seed from the plants I have and have had very good germination rates.  Packets from seed companies are very 'hit and miss' insofar as they have gone into dormancy, and it can be very difficult to get any to germinate.

valmarg

[Robert_Brenchley]

Maybe I should raid a botanical garden.

[landimad]

Maybe I should raid a botanical garden.

RB you little tinker you ;D
As to the advice given from all you other peeps, Thank you and I look forward to a long and trying time waiting to see if the seeds germinate or whether it is all in vain. :-\
Will keep you updated. ;)

[shirlton]

I have tried both seed and plants but  still no joy.

[birdsrfun]

Don't forget acid soil best for these.

[laurieuk]

If you can get a seed pod from someone who has meconopsis growing in their garden you should have no problem it germinates very easy. If you stop the plants flowering the first year they do survive much better ,as in the first year they only have one crown and often if that flowers the plant dies but in future years there are more crowns some of which flower while some stay for the next year. I had several white plants when I last had a seed pod and I am told it is not unusual.

[Robert_Brenchley]

When I was a kid I knew ever so many people who had stuff which originated from bits taken from Oxford Botanical Garden.

[valmarg]

Oh dear, I just sent a message, but it vanished somewhere into the ether.

What I said was that I have a few plants in the garden, and could let anyone who wants it have some seed.

Bearing in mind that they are only just coming into growth, and they flower in May, it will be July/August before the seed is ripe enough to collect.  If anyone is patient enough, I can let them have some seed. ;D

valmarg

[sunloving]

I found that its very difficult if they go into dormancy , but if the sow the seeds in july/august straight from the pod on top of the compost (no freezing or anything) they germinate well. but you have to get them through the winter alive as small seedlings but then rocket away come spring
 good luck
x sunloving

[worldor]

Valmarg - I would be truly grateful to try some of your seed. I have bought them year after year and tried all the recomended methods to no avail.

[valmarg]

No problem, PM me your address, and I'll let you have some seed as soon as ripe.

valmarg

[landimad]

They are in the fridge at the moment and the OH seems to think they are not good for the food in there. :-X
At least it is better than my maggots which were kept in there before. :-[

[landimad]

Further question on these beauties, How long do you keep them in the fridge for as there is no instructions on this? :-\
The reason for asking is that there is less of a chance of a good frost from here on out.