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, 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
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.
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.
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. :(
Rosa'...If you do get seed from your Blue's...save me a few. I have red and one yellow...no blue.
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...
By the way, that should be M. betonicifolia, of course.....