Just so we dont confuse newbies.I would like to propose an annual poppy thread so we can answer questions about sowing and identifying them.
First I need to say up front I am not a botonist and only can talk about what my good and bad luck has been in growing Somnifariums and maybe one other variety of annuals
The photo is of Venus poppies ( PAEONIFLORUM) that I direct sow in November - early March.
Peony flowered annual poppy.
This is a picture of poppies direct sown 2009 fall.
Somnifariums from a Heirloom collection bought from One Stop Poppy Shoppe.
I saved the seeds of the red poppies in that group.
Very nice Ge1836
This will be the 3'rd season for poppies .
I had bad luck last year. Some of the OSPS seeds didnt germinate.
This spring should bring tons of seedlings I hope.
I'm watching this thread. I don't have any problem with the perennial poppies, but the annuals give me fits and starts. Last year I didn't get much at all, a lot of the seed came from One Stop Poppy Shop, and it might just have been a bad year with their germination, or I might have planted them wrong. The ones I got from friends on here germinated, and did fine.
I sowed quite a few this year from various sources, and kept track of where they came from, and I'm anxious to see how they do.
OSPS might have a problem.
I am not positive but I think Neal had no germination rom his and he and I had the same varieties.
I mailed OSPS but no reply,that was months ago.
I have the place marked where I sowed their seeds so we will see if it was just a bad batch or not.
I begin to wish thete was another company that sold the same number of varieties OSPS does.
Keeping our spirits up with this pic.
Annual Venus with lilies.
Hi Ge & Polly! I hope to have a large patch of poppies this year, last year's poppies did well and i've bought more seeds this winter. I'd like to have an entire field of them but we shall see if MN allows me to :)
Good for you. I hope our poppy dreams come true. I did the same thing. Just incase.
One Stop Poppyshoppe has one mor chance and if these November sowen poppies fail to germinate ,thats it no more of my money.
I've bought from One Stop, and several other places. The best one for me last year was a mixed packet of Shirley Poppies, I had some eye popping poppies. ^_^
I'll say. I grew them 1 year but didnt resow. I dont have a space where they look to their best advantage.
Its pretty full here.
Hi Pixie! That's a lovely one.
Thanks for this thread. I am trying to grow poppies for the first time this year. I also bought my seeds from OSPS. I hope they germinate!
I am a natueral obcesser so I am also waiting to see if any germinated and the ones I sowed in late October that germinated in Nov. are going to survive.
Believe me I will be out there in April peering at the ground.
We can all check and report.
Select Seeds has a decent variety of poppy seeds. J.L. Hudson does too.
Tats great to know. I have a sneakiee feeling OSPS will not be on my list.
Just sayin,jury is still out.
My seeds came from Sheila year before last as a freebie. You will not believe the beauty. This years crop is already above ground,
any photos?
Here is another daily poppy pic
Uh oh, I feel a poppy obsession coming on! I love those feathery petals.
Thats Venus a peonie flowering type.
Here they are with Lily Fata Morgana
That's a nice pic Ge1836. The anticipation of things to come.
yep
Some Poppy and others eye candy!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/anniesannuals/sets/72157625675374579/show/
Here in SE MO zone 6, I direct sow my annual poppies in late February. If it doesn't rain or snow either right before or soon after, I would give them a "gentle" spray of water to give them a start to germinate.
I understand one is to sow oriental poppies the same way.
I really like poppies--- all of them. They are so showy and once you get them going--they carry on by themselves.
Birder, I do mine starting in Nov. I usually put them were I always do and then maybe a week or two later I find another place, so I put them there. I love poppies too and can't have enough of them.
I sprinkle a little in Nov. then again in March just in case :)
The year we had the cold rainey spring /summer I didn't get out there until late May first of June to spread the seeds...had little hopes of getting any blooms, but i was wrong!
I am looking forward to your poppies Pixie.
Mike the Annies Annuals show was such a treat.
Absolutly loved the vintage dresses.
I only sow plants seeds that dont need to be fussed with before they germinate. I also buy local plants because our enjoyment season is so short plants need the greenhouse raised foe a good headstart.
Here are the best shots from 2010
https://picasaweb.google.com/jgentle4/JustPoppies03
In past times, I have sown my poppies way too thick. That was a mess. This year, I am going to scatter them with sand and mark where I planted them. I think I will try to do some larkspur that way--just as an experiment. I did not get all I wanted to plant in Oct. So, I thought I would try. I just had a little "work" done on my toe so I am hobbling around today. There's about a two inches of snow on the ground and it is melting: a perfect scenario for planting poppy seeds. The seeds will "melt" right into the ground when the snow melts. I get best results that way.
I sow too thick too and have to thin plants.
Seeds are expensive when getting a poppy patch going so now I scatter them more broadly.This is my 4he year so by next year I should have some nice patches.
I have a real problem thinning--just hate to pull it out and toss it.
They dont transplant well.
Me too, and they don't like to be transplanted either :(
Ha ha, we crossed GMTA
I thought I was going mad for a minute.
I read a few years ago that someone transplanted the really teeeeny shoots in clumps of 5 or 10.
And they made it?
I have transplanted poppies when they are quite small. The roots are about 2".
pixie: I believe so.
