"Martin & Anna Sykes" wrote in
:

Don't the seed companies do a lot of the pre-chilling etc. in advance
for you so the inexperienced gardener can just sow the seeds without
the fuss?

No idea, sorry. I think usually inexperienced gardeners would be
encouraged to go for seeds of things that don't need special treatment.

I've certainly seen plenty of seed packets that specify chipping, soaking
or chilling, but haven't noticed any that say they are pre-treated - but
maybe I just shop in the wrong places!

I'm not sure how pre-chilling by the seed company would work - how could
they be sure to chill for the right length of time? What about seed sold
in garden centres that just sits there on a rack for months?

And wouldn't the seeds need to be damp while chilling, not just in a
packet?

I'd guess the difference with your oriental poppies was more to do with
different varieties of the same species - they are certainly easier from
seed than things like cowslips, which I find fiddlier (I could be wrong
though!).