Poppy Talk 2013

Thought I would start a new thread. The other was getting huge.

Here's where we came from: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/1149346/

This message was edited Mar 10, 2013 6:06 PM

Thanks for starting the new thread, the other one had gotten really long.

Great Oberon.I didnt notice the length.

Thanks Oberon46 for the new thread, could you please add the old thread onto your header post for those that may need to return for already mentioned tips that everyone has shared. On my end, today the weather was up in the mid. 70'ish and a bit windy. Thus far the transplanted annual poppies are fairing out well, I think I've five individual plants, the one that was exposed bare root, looks a little wilty. But the rest of them are looking good.

JoAnn, that's how it is when you are having fun!

nice

Jo Ann, on the last thread you mentioned that you haven't had good luck with transplanting annual poppies. Here goes; what I've found is that if we dig up the 4" or so young plants in a clump--rootball and all without breaking soil that holds the root ball together, transplanting becomes a breeze. That said, this is but the 3rd day of transplantation. There is no obvious transplanting shock to the young plants. You've mentioned that it usually takes about a week to find out the damage? I've got a window of 4 more days to assure these transplantation is a success or not. Hang in there with me folks, I'll report the final result soon.

I also plant in clumps of about 1" square. let them grow and then thin them out. never fails

I hope you are right.I resowed black poppies and the wind caught the bag and the seeds were sown heavy.I flicked at the spot but they are going to be thick.

OHhh yeaahhh. get out the scissors. Easiest way to thin without hurting the rest of the seedlings. In case you didn't know but you probably did

Whaaaat? Scissors? huh? explain?

Well, if you get big clumps of seedlings, you can't let them all grow, so I use small scissors to snip and thin the seedlings. Otherwise they are all competing for food and water. You can't just pull them or you might uproot all the others or damage roots.

Thats a great tip.Thanks.

The poppy Black Cloud that I direct sowed in January is doing well. We hit 76 degrees here yesterday, and it will be the same temperature today, so I expect all of the plants to start taking off. Annette

You can count on it.I am so jealous.

Great going Annette, like JoAnn I'm so jealous because, I had all the intention to sow poppies every year but when comes winter I failed to do it. Will Fall sowing in the garden work just as well?

Here are my thoughts on sowing any time.
The seedpods dry out in August or whenever in your zone.
The seeds scatter if you dont harvest the pods or deadhead. I dont know what the difference is if they self sow or we sow.I have sown in October here but didnt have great luck.The seeds germinated in November with a warm spell and grew too much and just froze out in winter.

Kim, I would sow the poppy seeds in the winter when it gets cooler. I broadcast my first set of seeds on December 22, and the second set on on January 2, which was Black Cloud. I did Black Cloud again on January 26th, because the people who trimmed my yellow cabbage rose stepped on the seedlings. I was not happy. Thank goodness I had some extra seeds saved.

I'm sure I also lost some of the seedlings sown in December, due to the freezing weather that we had. There are still some there, but not nearly as many as I saw originally. I'll definitely be sowing in January of 2014, after the roses have been trimmed.

I hope your potted poppies continue to do well. Annette

Thanks to JoAnn and Annette for both of your comments. I need to go and mark my calendar on those days you've mentioned Annette. lol My potted annual poppies was "thinned" out by a Mallard duck searching for a place to nest--I think. A shallow hole was noticed in my poppies container yesterday. I so loved those wild ducks that have used my big container by the lake the last couple of years to raise their young. So I lost a couple poppies, and that's okay. I still have two left. Hope the ducks will spare those poppies. Bad, bad ducks!

On the other hand, today was a beautiful day down here. DH and I worked in the garden all day long. Happy spring everyone.

A picture tells a thousand words? Sniff sniff. Thus far I've but one plant left as you can see here.

Whats a woman to do?

My heavens! Is that a duck in the pot? He/She ate all your poppies? Unbelievable. If it isn't mice, it's ducks.

A little garlic, some olive oil, and a large skillet will take care of the problem.

Kim, just kidding, let the little duckie add to the Mallard population. You actually have the "Picture of the Week", it's soooooo cute. Have the eggs been laid yet?

Annette

Oh I do love duck breast. I went duck hunting with a bunch of guys many years ago. I couldn't hit the side of a barn if I was leaning against it. So I popped out the duck breasts and cleaned them, they shot my limit and I came home with a bag of duck. Yum. Oh, wrong venue? oopssss. :) I love little duck or chick babies -- heck most any animal has cuter young that we do.

Hey Lily (Pot roast!!! lol kidding there I could hear one of my sisters now as before, from someone
""ISN'T THAT JUST DUCKIE , NOW!!!! lol




Proofread oops..

This message was edited Mar 22, 2013 9:58 PM

Awww, I'm glad "MY" mallard brought some joy and laughters to so many. Isn't she cute? Not to mention her ducklings are even cuter (this is the 3rd year Mallards picked my planter(s) in the garden to call it their home). Like the gentleman that was generously shared those poppies with me; "I'd be honored if they chose my garden to nest". He further stated that Wood ducks used to nest on his yard, but no longer do so at present. So, needless to say. I savored every moment I am blessed to enjoy nature such as this.

juhur7, "ISN'T THAT JUST DUCKIE,NOW!!!" Tehehehehe. It's DUCKIES alright. lol Oberon46, no no no. The Mallard momma didn't eat the poppies, she simply dug a shallow hole to build her nest, and the poppies were just in the way. lol she didn't eat them for I saw the plants were scattered outside the container. As we all know, there were no saving those plants once the tabroot were exposed. It has been nearly a week, and the surviving Poppy seem to have tolerated all the disturbances. So I may have one last one to brag about after the ducklings hatch and move on their way. Oh yes, Annette, there were a total of 3 eggs thus far. One was victimized by some sort of predator. But two seem to be intact. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for the clutch to be a success this year. Hang in there, I'll keep everyone posted on both the plant and the ducks progress as I find time to share.

It must be a joy to witness Mother Nature up close, and personally. You are fortunate to see such an event.

I hope the other eggs stay safe, and the ducklings make it. Thanks for sharing.

Annette

In spite of my comments I am rooting for the baby ducklings to be safe and hatchout. Wish there was someway you could put a cage around them to keep them safe from predators until they are mobile behind mama duck.

I am not a master where mother nature is concerned but it seems the mother might relocate her babies after awhile.They look exposed in the pot.
It sure is a nice conversation photo.Keep us in the loop as time goes on.

This was in the garden area today . A sleepy roosting baby perregrine falcon . Right as I got the good camera it flew hunting small birds . , I walked up to it earlier,, it hasnt lost it's fear of people as yet (full grow fledgling today)

How neat. We have an eagle that has set up housekeeping at the top of a tree downtown. Just sits there. I have seen him repeatedly. No nest in site

We have falcons that nest in the trees across the street, behind my neighbor's house. They come to my backyard, chasing the birds at the feeder. Boy, talk about feathers flying.

That Falcon is neat.
Just Hawks here.Fledglings come across the street from the nest and roosted in our evergreens and chimney top.

This hawk hangs out in the tree my bird feeder is hanging from every once in a while. You can tell when he is around, the birds keep up a racket until he/she leaves. My neighbor call me to come and look at his new friends in the yard. LOL!

nice hawk.Pretty soon the small mammals will emerge and hawks add them to the menu.
We have Geese that dont migrate.What a nuisance.
The migraters have been over the house for a week until the big snow.

Great photo !! i love their look .. That I find interesting as three real large geese came over me yesterday also . Honking and squaking as they did their fly by ... lol

Saw these at the local nursery grand opening/garden show today. The labels said icelandic. The sleeper, 4th pic.

Very pretty Mike, and LOL, what a cute doggie. I had the Icelandic poppies last spring. I unfortunately was not able to save any seeds. I hope some of them come back this spring. They were so pretty. Unfortunately, the nursery that I got the plants from in the fall of 2011, did not have them last fall. Annette

Well, my first poppies are up --- in the garage nursery. I planted them last winter in an old salad container and put them in the hothouse on the porch. I brought them in a few days ago and watered them and put them under lights. The seeds are Venus which a nice fellow DG'r sent to me. I am so anxious to see them bloom. When they are big enough I will pull small clumps and put in individual pots, then out to the garden. My lobelia is also growing -- so very tiny to start.

That's wonderful Mary, I'm glad your seedlings are doing well. I ran in between the rain drops this evening ( LOL) to get a picture of the Black Cloud seedlings. They seem to be loving all this rain we're getting.