Clematis: Hardwick Hall More Summer Blooms, 0 by ClematisGuru

ClematisGuru wrote:
wrapping up the fourth....deep watering while it rained a light spotty mist. not relying on rain is a big garden lesson i have learned the last few years; unless rainss are soaking and heavy it is not adequate deep hydration for clems..deep watering every 3 or 4 days in hot weather really compounds return on investment with clems.
anyway as bugs chewed me and plants while i finished up , i noticed that the poppies are virtually finished blooming and the giant seedheads are settling into the backside of the propagation process....to dry out and let the plant finish it's job , winding down with the season.

i leave these on stem until you can hear seeds rattle inside the head. then i harvest on a long stem, strip the leaves and place the long stemed seed heads in a vase in the house until march if the new year. in march , i crack the seed heads, mix the soil with sand and distribute them in the area i want them to grow....these poppies need full sun, neglect, drainage, thin porous soil and little water. that is a hard proposition in a garden where pampering is the status quo. one year i was down to one small seed head as the crop was only one plant. have built back up to this motherlode of seed heads. i really appreciate these poppies, have worked hard for 15 years to keep them going from the gift of seeds form a local source, and everything i know about that i have learned the hard way.....you can only imagine their beauty in their natural surroundings in the mid eastern countries. .....