Poppies

[Rosefriend]

Just a quick question for all you poppy growers....

I have got loads of seeds and although I will throw some in the garden willy nilly, I would like some to be "just in the right spot" between things and/or in tubs.

Can I sow the seeds in compost now and then bung them in the GH - how much frost can poppy seeds take.??
I am assuming they are pretty hardy if the seeds can be planted in the autumn, but UK winters aren't German winters??

RF

[Jasmine]

I have never had much luck with poppies. I rescued some seed from the poppies at school before the plants were flattened when they came round to mulch the beds...in July They are field poppies. I've scatterd then before but had no luck but we'll see if anything happens this year. I've read that they need to be disturbed in spring time which is what a farmer might do with a tractor sowing seeds or turning fields over, hence them growing well in fields.
I've never tried oriental poppies but have some to try this spring.

[andy]

Yeah Jas is right, poppies have to be sown on disturbed ground so probably best to fork the top few inches over with a border fork and the break it down to a fine tilth and sow.

I'd probably wait until it warms up a bit RF before sowing....they're pretty quick growers.

I also think that the hardiness depends on the species. I have some Welsh poppies (meconopsis cambrica) and they die down each year yet i have a similar orange poppy which will stay evergreen through everything (frost, snow, flood, glyphosate !!!!)

Never grown oriental poppies either but this year, im growing a variety called "coral reef" from T&M

[Rosefriend]

Thanks heavens that I asked - I was going to sow them this afternoon.
I had no idea that they needed disturbing - probably accounts for the seeds that I have been trying to grow for years and nothing has ever happened..

I'll wait a little then - thanks to you both for the advice..

RF

[Chuckles]

I've never had any luck just scattering them willy nilly or sowing in trays. They just seem to grow were they want naturally in my garden, always were I don't want them I always seem to get them in the veg bed and being a softy I tend to leave a couple or three ;D I've scattered them round and about too but not seen them grow either, maybe the birds get the seed.

[JennyWrenn]

I love Poppies - Jasmine sent me a link to a website and I have just got some Yellow Welsh poppies - same as the ones Andy mentioned above

I broadcast mine last year willy nilly and they all came up - and lived all summer - died back later tho

FB and I bought a Blue Poppy - his died <cackle> but I think mine is still there - it is in clay soil

I got one flower from it which was broken off by ?? so popped it in a vase and posted photo of it in Jenny Wrenns Garden Thread

[Ladygardener]

I've heard that poppy seeds can still be viable after 50 years laying in the ground. Perhaps one day someone will see the ones which have been scattered. I shall be growing my Burgundy Frills and as last year Tallulah Belle something.

[Ladygardener]

Has anyone scattered any poppy seeds for this year yet?

[Rosefriend]

You just beat me to it LG - I was thinking about asking as well...I have a couple of spots that I could throw a few in...I suppose they can stand the cold, can't they??

RF

[Ladygardener]

Great minds Rf.... Yes they can stand the cold. I was reading somewhere that you can scatter them in the autumn time.I think I'll rough up a few bits and give them a go this weekend.

[Rosefriend]

Good idea - it is cold here this mornig b ut once the sun comes out (if) I shall go and scatter a few abouot.

Just one thing - I have never sown them directly - do I scatter and rake or rake and scatter...??

RF

[andy]

Ive sown a few varieties this year....

Dwarf allegro
blackcurrant fizz
candy floss
coral reef
venus

All were grown indoors in the heated prop and all came up within 3 days !!!

I think if you're sowing them outside, just rake the area to a fine tilth, sow then water in with a fine rose...no need to rake really.

[Rosefriend]

Thanks Andy...how much do they mind being moved if you do them inside - are they OK when getting pricked out etc??

RF

[andy]

well this is really the first year ive grown poppies RF but im sure a colleague of mine who is a top wild flower grower (named in the sunday times top 50 wild plant growers in the UK) said that they don't like being disturbed.

However, ive already pricked out my "coral reef" and they've taken fine.

[Barbara]

All my shirley poppies are up, they self seed they're in the big bed at the back and in every flowerpot in the back and the front garden.

[Ladygardener]

You'll have a great display then Barbara.
Rf glad Andy had answered your query I'd not bookmarked this thread.
I scattered a few at the allotment today on rough soil. It gives rain for tonight. I've heard they don't really like being transplanted, I've done it but they have a single thin looking root mostly and did'nt do that well. Some of them did ok but the majority did'nt.

[Auricula]

I have some seeds of Welsh poppies to sow. I'll do it in a couple of weeks when I've revamped the border they're going into. I don't usually have much lick with poppies...but we'll see

[Tig]

I'm a lazy scatterer, usually in autumn, but I had done them in early spring. There are loads through already in the front garden, despite the harsh winter. I don't think they mind the cold RF

I've sown and grown the oriental ones, but not outside. I did them in modules so that I could move them on without any root disturbance. However I reckon it is only the annuals that are fussy, afterall the orientals can be progagated from root cuttings and I've moved mine several times with no problems.
Talking of poppies, the Icelandic ones I rescued last year were split (3 colours one pot) and planted out in a shady West facing bed by the garage. They have stayed green and leafy all winter and I noticed today that one has a flower bud on it!! Cripes, that's early innit?

x Tig

[Missredhead]

I have never had much luck with poppy seeds but the plants that I brought from the school sale last year are coming up again....

[jb1982]

Has anyone attempted to sow poppy seeds around daffodils? My daffs are on the way out now and want to grow something in the border so that I have flowers all year round. It's quite a shady moist area of my garden.

Is this a good idea?

Thanks

[Tig]

What type of poppy seed are you thinking of sowing JB?

Annual poppies would be fine, the perennial oriental poppies will take a lot of moisture and nutrition out of the ground and they can become big clumps over time

[JennyWrenn]

I love poppies and have some from Lady to sow shortly; will broadcast some and then sow some in pots - my cousin sowed her Welsh poppies in pots first and they were fine but those she broadcast didnt come up she has good soil too

My Welsh poppies self seeded but these are quite small flowers and look very pretty mingled in with my other flowers - clay soil

[carolann]

I have sown a lot of the Victoria Cross poppies seeds which Tig sent me and I have thousands left to sow ;D but will leave them for another year as I'm not sure where to put the ones which have come up as there is quite a lot of them they have been pricked out and put into pots of about 10 or even more, I will put some in the garden but most will be put on the mole hill as I call it. The large Oriental Poppy doesnt seem to spread its seeds anywhere if it does I cant find any new plants growing and its been in the ground for 4 years now.

[Ladygardener]

I thought the Oriental Poppy Tig had sent me at the end of last summer had died over the winter but I went searching for it today and see a couple of new little leaves just showing so it's not dead at all. ;D
My Burgundy Frills have self seeded in a couple of places and I'll be broadcasting more at the end of the month or so both here and at the allotment.

[JennyWrenn]

Some of mine I thought had died have sprung up out of the ground and have to say they do look a little like dandelions

[Auricula]

My one from Tig is still there

[Jasmine]

I've got burgundy frills popping up in the borders and I sowed Cherry Glow that came free with AG and they're doing well too.

[Tig]

Some of my oriental poppies self seed - I spotted two new 'clumps' appearing in the border where one of the Royal Weddings lives - they'll have to come out though, I've got enough

Pleased that your root cuttings of the frilly bright orange one have survived LG & Auricula

I've had to thin out some of the Victoria Cross seedlings that have self-seeded - there were too many too close together. The front borders should be a riot of red, yellow, orange and pink this summer as there isn't any soil visible for all the poppy, calendula and candytuft seedlings ;D

x Tig

[JennyWrenn]

Candytuft lovely Tig one of my fav flowers

[isabella]

Barry doesn't like Poppies - I love them! I have a freebie pkt of Ladybird Poppies that I am going to just chuck around the garden ;D Don't tell Barry ;D