This is good to know!
Annual Poppy talk
I dont remember who posted that information. Might have been Neal.
Gives me hope to try transplanting again. :)
I have transplanted opium poppies in trowel sized clumps with sorta satisfactory results, were always smaller but most lived and bloomed, just not as well and later. You have to thin after they establish themselves. Worth doing and a good way to give away starts.
Bermudakiller :
Those are large clumps. I seem to remember the transplants didnt do as well as just thinning. Transplanted ones were smaller,those that lived.
I have not done this myself. I will make a note for this spring. The Venus's that self sowed will produce clumps, I'll thin them.
Got a pack of seeds in the mail yesterday...it is a mix of colors called "OOH LA LA" Poppies, they look like this........
Found the package picture too...
http://hirts-gardens.amazonwebstore.com/OOH-LA-LA-Somniferum-Poppy-500/M/B000Y8BKO8.htm
This message was edited Feb 8, 2011 7:57 AM
Great peonie type mix.
Note to self: time to sew poppy seeds!
Will you get germination in a few days?
I think of your area as always warm.
I am waiting a little longer to sow my poppy seeds. I will plant mine the last of February.
When do you suggest sowing the seeds?
rosymom:
you are in the same zone as I am.If you are talking about annual poppies You probably have tons od snow on the ground. Wait until the ground is bare and sow them ASAP. they need a cold period ( weeks not days) in order to germinate.
good luck
I scattered seed in November and it looks as though I will have a true "field of poppies". I have literally thousands of seedling already up. I can hardly wait.
I actually think the opportune time to plant poppies is with snow on the ground. The seeds sink right down into the soil. No watering, no seed blowing around (like today's gusts are 35 mph.) To each his own.
yup !
Thanks for the advice. I will split the difference and wait until there is about 3" of snow on the ground and sow them then :)
Just finished sowing the last of the poppies, an old fashioned salmon peony with a purple center, it's my favorite.
I cant wait for june here. Thats when poppies are blooming
Rosy, you don't "have" to wait until there's "three inches" of snow. I'm just saying it's real easy that way. I think the important part here is, you need to plant them around the last of February. If there's snow on the ground, well, that just makes sowing real easy. I don't think I am going to have snow at that time. So, I will rough up the ground a little on a calm day, pat them in gently, give them a gentle sprinkle--otherwise the seed will wash as it's so tiny.
Again, that's just the way I do it.
Roby: I have the very same poppy! Isn't it beautiful? I just love the color combo, and it goes with all the spring colors. I received this seed from my mom as an orchid 'pompon' poppy. As it has re-seeded and re-seeded, it evolved from orchid pompon, to a rosy pompon and some light pink pompon, to the salmon with lavender eyes. Soooo gorgeous.
The Goldfinch absolutely love the seed. My poppies were practically covered in Goldfinch when the seed was ripe. I could hardly save any, because they would eat it as soon as it was ripe. Just a side note.
OMG I never thought Goldfinch would get to them.
All the angst over my early germinated annual poppies and I checked where they have been revealed from snow cover. They are there,teeeeeny 2 leafed thingies.
That is just the way you want them right now.
Ohhhh yes. We will still have freezing and snow for another few weeks. April is really when the other annual poppies I sowed in Dec. will germinate and hopefully these early germinated ones will have 2 sets of leaves.
Its all a mystery.
But, it's all fun, exciting, rewarding and educational!!
I agree. now to pound a trellis leg further into the ground.
I am going to find a spot for my bonus annual poppy from One Stop Poppy. Doing that today.
I think she sent me the Venus peonie type that is so prolific here.
I put lots of poppies out by the fences for the birds, that way they leave the ones close to the house alone.
The lady that gave me the seeds for the salmon poppies had been growing the same one for 47 years. It was the only one she liked.
Wierd
Wish I had pics of it. I couldn't find my seeds last year, so I didn't have any blooming. I will this year.
Here is a pic of the poppies that i have, i got seeds from moms brother in w virginia. The first couple of years were iffy. They reseeded but not many plants. First chance i got, i scattered seeds in a bed with rich dirt that is protected from north winds. They sprouted and grew! Last year, i had a bed full of seedlings!
Now i know what the babies look like and they are already coming up.
This poppy is not like the old fashioned one mom had. Hers was they red type with papery petals, black in the middle. Someone 'noticed' that she had that one and it mysteriously disappeared.
Anyway, i am delighted with what i do have, poppies are gorgeous, i love having them in my garden:) They are probably 5 feet tall at maturity, am hoping that now i do have a start and they will reseed and flourish on their own, and still give me enough seeds to start more groups around the yard.
lovely
I tried direct sowing for the first time last fall and now have a few seedlings emerging. At least I think so. Could you please say a few words about what the baby plants look like, so I can be sure I know them from weeds? Thanks!
Here are some newbies
That was April 6 in Zone 6
This was a few weeks later. The leaves will be blue green or pale green
Pandora, you should have plenty of poppies from now on. It's getting them going for the first time that sems to be the challenge. They will probably eventually "evolve" to slightly different colors and probably go to single petal verses the peony style poppy.
I went to sow my poppies today and got a little nervous, lol.
Is it ok to sow them in the same area where I grow spring blooming bulbs? Thanks!
ABSOLUTLY do it before its too late. I sow mine where I grow tulips and daffs.
The poppies cover the dying bulb leaves in June.
Hang in there, dont be scared of the garden.
When in doubt if there is time, I always put my seeds in the freezer for a week, then in the soil. Another thing I have done is put them in a pot with dirt, water and then put in the coldest part of the fridge.
good advise