On Fri, 11 Jul 2003 18:43:19 +0100, (sw) wrote:

Ron wrote:

snip
They need frost to break dormancy, and like to
gorw on cultivated ground. Best sown in the autumn (when poppies the
seedheads ripen naturally) for growing the next year.

Snip

Oh right, thanks. I sowed them in spring. Perhaps they will come up next
year if I dig over where I planted them.


I believe they can remain dormant for up to fifty years so you might have a
long wait!

But it might be worth it.

I don't think it will be that long! I don't know if it's the soil but
they,ve naturalised themselves in the patch I look after (originally sandy
chalky organic matter chucked in). They spring up everywhere, sunny spots,
shady spots. I too think they're good value though I have to remove all but
the ones that have happily found themselves in a suitable gap. But if their
depriving another plant of sun they have a swift yank (easy-peasy).

All mine used to be the mauvy lilacy but suddenly this year some sports
have arrived. They have tagged them with string and will do much more poppy
dead heading this year but collecting the seed from the sports when the
heads have turned into peppercorn shakers.

A beautiful deep purple one is tagged so if you send me a mail I can
arrange to send you a small envelope. Also some which are veering off
dramatically (and thankfully) into the red spectrum.

Honestly, strew the seed on a tilthy patch very late autumn and forget
about them. The seedlings are fairly unmistakable.

Since it can only be last year's seed (none of this year's have shed seed
yet) it seems that the delayed germination is quite a bonus to the gardener
because even though the year's first are already senescent, their are ever
more seedlings sprouting up everywhere. As far as the observation that
cultivated ground helps (soil disturbance), I am, in fact, not an earth
turner except when planting or moving.

Good luck

Hussein
We had several tons of soil removed from our
garden to a nearby field (soil level had been raised in the past, we
wanted to get back to the original). That was one summer; the owners of
the field spread the soil over an area of several 10s of square metres.
The next summer the soil was covered, absolutely covered, with a
magnificent display of opium poppies... the pink shaggy ones I detest,
the pale pink/white singles I like, and the shaggy maroon ones I
absolutely adore. It was a fabulous sight all through the season, and
the birds loved the seeds.

regards
sarah

Grow a little garden

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