poppies for wintersowing?

Does anyone have experience growing the Himalayan Poppies (papaver bracteatum) from seed, and are they good candidates for winter sowing? The little bit of information I have about growing them from seed suggests that they need a cooler temp. after germination:

http://www.jelitto.com/english/PA062.htm#anfang

I've never gotten them to germinate, but there are many on here who have WS'd them successfully.

xxxx, Carrie

I only w/s California Poppies. I did have wonderful success with them and plan on doing a larger variety this year.

I did breadseed poppies, oriental, and flanders and had excellent results. But I don't know if that carries over to the Himalayan.

Karen

Karen,
Got pictures?
As a beginning WSer, I'd love to see them.

xxxx, Carrie

Carrie: these are some pics on an old thread:

http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/615192/

Karen

Thanks, Karen. Did you notice I had commented twice in that thread on your pretty pictures?

xxx, Carrie

I'm trying poppies this year too - my neighbor always puts out full grown plants every year (he's a landscaper...sigh)
I love the look, and I know they'll grow in the zone, just not sure if by me...LOL!

~Sunny

I have an aquaintance who has a big of red Flanders-type poppies in a corner of her yard. They've been there forever, she says, and she never touches them one way or the other. Maybe I should offer to help her divide them!

xxxx, Carrie

Hmmm, from what I've read, poppies don't like transplanting :/ Maybe that's only when they are seedlings though? At bare minimum I think she needs to snag you some freebie seeds!

:)

~Sunny

I agree, but she's not much of a gardener, nor actually really a friend. We both happened to be on a committee that met at her house once when they were blooming. Are seeds from Poppies easy to collect this time of year, or should I have made my move iien June?

xxx, Carrie

I think poppies were the easiest and hardiest flowers I did. I started WS in the last week of December last year. First container of poppies germinated a month later. They survived a zone 6 winter, even single digit temps in March (inside a sterilite container). I transplanted when very small with no problem.

Karen

What is sterilite?

xx, C

It's a brand name of plastic ware, like rubbermaid or tupperware. You know, those big plastic trays and boxes in the stores....

The top monstrosity in this picture is the top of a dog cage. Going down, they are sterilite containers. They're large plastic tote bins which are clear. The tops are solid white, but in this photo the sterilites are upside down, making the tops clear. (well, when not covered in snow). I bought them last winter for a late freeze- single digits in March. I put all the germinated jugs in sterilites (holes drilled in tops and bottoms), and just left the ungerminated ones open the the snow and cold temps. Worked like a charm. This was suggested by a WSer on GW.

Karen