Can anyone guide me through the process of removing seeds from poppies once they have flowered?
The poppies have flowered and all the petals have fallen and has left the seed head behind.
Whats next?
I've never grown poppies before and wanted to save the seeds for next year.
Thanks in advance.
I don't know if this is THE way to do it but I leave them until they are totally dry and you can snap the head off the stem easily. Then it's quite easy to pull the 'lid' off and pour out seeds. I store mine in those schwartz herb jars as the time i used a small tupperware i pulled the lid off and the box flew up and the seeds went everywhere. ::)
talking of poppy seeds.....this is slightly off topic......yesterday I went on a coach trip locally and travelling towards our country Pub for lunch (in the Berkshire countryside towards Newbury way) we drove thru 2 massive fields of 'white poppies' (either side of the road)....something I've never seen before - didn't realise you could get white poppies.....the centres seemed to have a slight blueish tinge. Very lovely!
Presume they were being grown for food purposes altho it's possible they could also be for medicinal purposes.
Once the petals are off it is worth picking the plant and hanging it upside down inside... let it dry for a day or two and then put it into a large brown paper bag so when the seed head dries and the pod opens the seeds can fall into the bag outside I've noticed a lot have "flooded" this year..
::)
If you save the seed indoors during the winter months you can get very poor, if any germination next spring. You can sow them in the autumn so that they get weathered or put them in the deep freeze for a couple of days before sowing in the spring.
Quote from: Lavender lover on July 19, 2007, 21:23:53
Can anyone guide me through the process of removing seeds from poppies once they have flowered?
The poppies have flowered and all the petals have fallen and has left the seed head behind.
Whats next?
I've never grown poppies before and wanted to save the seeds for next year.
Thanks in advance.
Quote from: Hot_Potato on July 19, 2007, 23:19:44
talking of poppy seeds.....this is slightly off topic......yesterday I went on a coach trip locally and travelling towards our country Pub for lunch (in the Berkshire countryside towards Newbury way) we drove thru 2 massive fields of 'white poppies' (either side of the road)....something I've never seen before - didn't realise you could get white poppies.....the centres seemed to have a slight blueish tinge. Very lovely!
Presume they were being grown for food purposes altho it's possible they could also be for medicinal purposes.
I passed those fields last week. My passenger who was local told me they are opium poppies for the medicinal trade and are supposed to be a big secret. I thought they were a bit close to the road to be 'secret'
Pick the stems after petal drop then allow them to thoroughly dry, use them in a dried flower arrangement if you like (but don't add water to the vase)
You can either wait till they are dry and break the pods when you hear the seed rattling in the pods or just leave them intact until sowing time, at least this way they are in the perfect environment.
have just caught up on this topic....interesting Ace what you've said.....the location was 'very rural' I must admit and I was high up in a coach but obviously could be seen from a car (not behind high hedges) as you saw them too.....the fields were huge and a lovely sight.
guess these 'opiates' have to be grown somewhere and these days our farmers have to diversify?
following a stroke, my Mother had to use Morphine for years for the terrible 'nerve damage' pain she experienced so a vital 'pain relief' for many.
Saddad! Is there any particular 'stage' after the petals have fallen off that you harvest them to dry?
I've always tried the 'wait 'til they're dry on the stem' method - by which time they've all escaped of their own accord ::)
And what Laurieuk said about low germination rates keeping the seed indoors: Could I dry out the seeds I've got now ready to sow this Autumn and if so, where would I store them? Indoors or out?
I've got the most beautiful pink poppies on the allotment that WERE growing everywhere (between the potatoes etc) until my Father-in-law decided they were weeds and dug 'em up ...;. ARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!
(http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e350/Trixiebellemadmum/poppy.jpg)
I managed to save that one!
I take them when the pods start to change colour... any plant will have heads at varying stages of ripeness and the ripest are not difficult to spot. I've never had trouble with germination rates either 50% of a million is still loads!
;D
Thanks!