Blue Poppies

[Rosa_Mundi]

After about 15 years of having blue poppies in my garden, I have no flowers this year. I know that they're short-lived perennials, so replace them as they fail, and usually have something flower about now.
However, this year I have a handful of small plants, but nothing more. As far as I know, they're all m. betconifolia; I didn't do anything different last year than I have any other. Anyone any idea what's gone wrong? And should I feed them generously for the rest of the summer? We've had heavy rain here, but no flooding, and are on sand, so they're unlikely to have been waterlogged.

[Rosa_Mundi]

[valmarg]

Rosa, I have a few meconopsis plants in the front garden.  The betonicifolia have been flowering well.

I also have a meconopsis x sheldonii.  The plants are very lush, but I have been searching, but I don't think they are going to produce any flowers this year.

I think if you give your plants a good feed, particularly a high potash fertiliser, such as tomato feed you may have more flowers nexy year  Also a general feed such as growmore or blood fish and bone would be helpful.

valmarg

[Kepouros]

Rosa, I think that the problem is actually last summer`s drought.  I too have sandy/gravel soil, and despite my best endeavours with water and mulch my own Meconopsis suffered very badly.  This year I have many less plants and they are all much smaller, with no blooms yet in sight.

[Rosa_Mundi]

Thank you both. I'll be out with the food as soon as it stops raining (if it ever does!) Kepouros, I'm interested to hear about your small plants - we didn't have a hosepipe ban, but it was still impossible to protect things from the intense heat. Good luck with yours for next year, too = perhaps we'll get a summer to suit them better this year.

[DadnDom]

I have some giant red poppies which have bloomed beautifully for the last 3 or 4 years but this year they have just thrown up the leaves and done nothing. It's got to the point now where one has virtually died right back now. It's such a shame as they are so beautiful. :(

[kenkew]

Rosa'...If you do get seed from your Blue's...save me a few. I have red and one yellow...no blue.

[Rosa_Mundi]

Kenkew, I will if I ever get a flower, although I have to warn you, they're not easy from seed. Now, m. cambrica, I'm forever pulling those out...

[Rosa_Mundi]

By the way, that should be M. betonicifolia, of course.....