I ordered some poppy seeds for the garden, and am especially happy as they are beautiful, but the bees and butterflies love them, too. Oredered from Rare Seeds, some pink ones and an odd colored grey one, the pictures look like old fashioned watered silk colors almost. I may have to save seed from those ones!

Anyone else grow poppies?

I ordered several varieties last year but didn't get to sowing them. I plan to get them going this year. Did you direct sow or start them in pots first? How easy were they to start from seed?

I used to grow them at another house. They sure are gorgeous when they bloom. Bees adore them.

I direct sowed them into prepared soil. I just sprinkled them on top of the soil and kept them moist. It worked quite well. The following year I did not disturb the soil and just scattered seed. I did not have good results.

I don't suggest starting them in pots as they have a long tap root which does not like to be disturbed. They bloom soon enough from direct sowing. They do need some chill in the air for germination so I always plant mine on Mother's Day weekend here in Wisconsin.

I've always sort of did a sloppy pass with a lawn rake to scratch the soil a little and scattered them . As MissS said, they need to be chilly at first for best germination.

Is it okay to cover the seed a little or is it best to leave them at the surface. I'd prefer to give them 1/4 inch of soil on top to keep them from drying out, but don't want to smother them. Thanks for all the help.

I dunno, I never did, just pressed down so they made good contact with the dirt.

Anyone else know?

Poppy seeds need light to germinate. Just rake your soil, scatter the seeds and when it rains or when you water the soil will lightly cover them. Your ground soil holds more moisture than you think, it does not have to appear wet to your eye to still hold enough moisture for germination. Growing in ground is far different than growing in a pot with sterile medium. Poppy seed needs cold stratification, you can even scatter them about now, then they will germinate when temps are at 55 degrees.

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I planted a couple of Poppies in some flower boxes that were next to my raised beds 2 years ago this picture is from last year. I have a lot of little poppies coming up all over place this year.

Those are lovely eyegrowtom. Those are the California poppies which are shorter and flower more abundantly in spring.

You planted "a couple of poppies" 2 years ago?? They love you!

Nan6b wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2020 8:53 pm You planted "a couple of poppies" 2 years ago?? They love you!

I planted around 20 of them. Every plant has at least 10 seed pods on them with lots of seeds in each one. With help from the wind and the Birds now I have 100 's of them now!
They are still small now when they get bigger I will Post some pictures. Mike

I ordered the Supreme, the Pandora, The Frosted Salmon and the Grey, pictures are at:

https://www.rareseeds.com/store/flowers/poppy

I think they will be pretty against the darker brick of the house and mixed in near the Okras and the rosemary plant.

That grey is striking!

I really liked the picture of the grey ones that are doubled or tripled, will try to save seed from them for next year. I thought the colors would be lovely together, especially since the house is that old dark red brick.

The grey is elegant.

I scattered a few bread seed types and a big mixed packet of California types on some loosened patches of soil a couple weeks ago. No sign of any germination yet, but I expect that wouldn't be happening for a while. But I am worried about them getting washed away by all our rain lately. The garden has a slight slope and I'm hoping the seeds haven't all washed down under the mulch I had pulled aside. Oh well, hopefully at least a few germinate and make it to flower this year.

I scattered portions of three packets of breadseed poppies, Hungarian blue, Flemish Antique, and a purple one I forget the name.

I scratched the soil with a bamboo stalk and let the seeds fall where they may from about five feet overhead and these seeds have now sprouted like crazy. We had some rain and cool weather and I suppose that’s the conditions these poppies need to germinate. I’ll have to do some thinning at some point. First time growing poppies, hopefully at least a few make it to the flowering stage.

The Salmon poppies from RARESEEDS produce huge flowers . i just scatter sowed them - only a few came up. If i ever get my SWAP package sent, it will have poppy seeds from this kind.