Poppy cross-pollination question

Okay, for the first time EVER, I'm finally going to have a cleared spot (new beds around my new GH) where I can plant poppy seeds I've been errr....accumulating (hoarding???) for a couple years. I have about a dozen different varieties (mostly peony-flowered), and they're destined for a bed that's 12' long by 2' wide. Soo they'll be pretty close together (room to tuck a few pansies here and there in between.)

If they do well, I'd like to harvest the seeds and repeat the process next year. But will they cross-pollinate if planted that closely together?

If you're talking P. somniferum they are both self fertile and will cross pollinate, particularly with a little help from Mr Bee rubbing himself about in there! When they've all hybridized freely and settled a little, you can begin to make selections of favourite colours and forms. Ours is something like 97% red and fully double now although it has put paid to sowing any other somniferum.

Terry, do you intend to replant every year or let them self-seed?

I'll most likely replant the bed each year, as I'll replace the poppies with something else after they bloom.

Ah, I see! You know, you are welcome to get new seeds each year from me, or store them in the fridge or freezer for each year's planting. They should be viable for several years... unless, of course, you are trying to develop your own strains.

Awwww - thanks so much! In fact, a couple of your packets are among those I'm planting in this bed ;o)

I'm not looking to develop any strains - in fact, I'd like to maintain a variety from year to year, so I think I'll try saving seeds from these, and see how their offspring do. If they all look the same I'll know I need to plan on new seed each year instead of saving mine.

My poppies are "free-range" and I have not had much color blending. I am adding Weezingreens poppies to my garden this year too. Yippee!

Both somniferum and rhoeas poppies are such prolific seeders that I'm sure you can always be assured of getting more seeds than you'll ever need. And, if you are not looking for specific colors, you can always get all the mixed seeds you want from others.

I grow my poppies to trade, so I grow them three to a pot and put them as far apart as possible... from one end of the yard to the other. There is always the chance that some industrious bee could cross pollinate them, and sometimes doubles will come out single from collected seed, but generally I know what I've got.

If you were just letting your poppies reseed on their own, it is possible that, within a few years, you would end up with mostly one color... the hardiest or the one that was hardiest in the gene pool. Since you will be harvesting seeds, you can mark the plants and harvest from the preferred ones for color, size, etc.

At any rate, I've got more poppy seed than I'll ever use, and it is viable for years, so just give me a holler if you want more.