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Post by Shrubrose on Jul 12, 2008 17:53:20 GMT
Lots of activity in the GH earlier this year - what with veg and flowers, lots of trays with goodies in - all known, labelled and nurtured. Then, something appeared that I didn't recognise. Left it, made sure it was watered and potted on (desperately hoping it wasn't a weed). Looked like a cabbage sort of plant so I plonked it in the veg. patch. It shot up and I wondered if it was the walking stick cabbage that I had had such high hopes for but had never germinated (I have a habit of re-using compost from failed germinations). Anyway, it started developing big flower buds and I thought 'aye, aye', started to get an inkling, and today when I was walking down to the veg patch I stopped in my tracks at the sight of this...... Not exactly a vegetable is it? ;D  Question is, how did it get into my GH in the first place? I haven't any poppy seeds. And what sort of a poppy is it? I'm not complaining - honest - as it's a lovely flower (though my pic doesn't do it justice TBH). |
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Post by Barbara on Jul 12, 2008 17:59:34 GMT
i call them oriental poppies, i have lots and i love 'em. but where you got it from  but they freely seed themselves around |
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Post by Biggles on Jul 12, 2008 20:12:43 GMT
and Poppies don't usually transplant very well either. Lovely flower but as you say how did it get there?
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Post by Rosefriend on Jul 13, 2008 5:02:44 GMT
Lovely Shrub - I knew that I knew what it was and couldn't remember - the same thing happened to me last year. I can only think that the birds have had a helping hand. I was hoping that the poppy that I had last year - a wonderful deep deep red, would show again this year but it hasn't.
RF
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Post by Shrubrose on Jul 13, 2008 8:36:50 GMT
Thanks folks. Well, it has about three other huge buds on it so more lovely flowers to come ;D I'll collect the seeds and then dig the plant up.
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Post by Weeterrier on Jul 13, 2008 8:42:38 GMT
My neighbour grows them Shrub, she saves the seed every year. They are gorgeous.
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Post by owdboggy on Jul 13, 2008 8:44:36 GMT
It is an Opium poppy rather than an Oriental poppy and as such an annual. Let it seed at your peril! The seeds come in the bought in compost I reckon. We get ones popping up every year and we never allow them to set seed, but still they appear. The seeds can remain dormant in the soil for a very very long time, decades even.
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Post by Shrubrose on Jul 13, 2008 8:51:38 GMT
Ooo thankyou OB. I hadn't considered that newly bought compost could be 'contaminated' but I reckon you could be right. They're real survivors then aren't they?  |
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Post by Ruthie on Jul 13, 2008 18:51:30 GMT
Definately opium poppies and definately don't let them seed unless you want them all over your garden. Having said that they are rather attractive and I would miss them if I didn't have them anymore.
They may be in the right place in the veg garden though. Afterall they do produce opium/morphine which is a crop of sorts!!! Not in this country though, thank goodness.............however would they police a ban on growing them?
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but they freely seed themselves around
