Hello!

So, I'm new to peony poppies, but I just got a seed packet of 'em for Christmas, and I want to grow them in our wildflower garden we're going to have this year.

Should I plant them in the ground six weeks before frost? Are they deer resistant? And how much sun will they need here in SD?

I'm not sure if I understand...

Yes you can sow them in winter directly where they are to flower. I think they germinate in about 20 days. Lovely annuals. If you dead head you may get more blooms.

Thanks Sue.

What about deer? Will the deer leave them alone? We have white-tailed and mule.

I believe the deer will leave them alone. Poppies need light to germinate so maybe just barely scratch the surface and sprinkle the seeds on the surface. The seeds are so tiny, it is best to mix with sand and then sprinkle the seeds. I have found that I had the best luck sowing in January or February. They like cold weather for germination. I don't know if I would wait until six weeks before last frost. I think it would be too late.

Ok, to both of you for the help. Much appreciated!

Johannian said:Hello!

So, I'm new to peony poppies, but I just got a seed packet of 'em for Christmas, and I want to grow them in our wildflower garden we're going to have this year.

Should I plant them in the ground six weeks before frost? Are they deer resistant? And how much sun will they need here in SD?

Wow, peony poppies are really pretty, be sure you post some pictures when they bloom - i have never planted any of them so i can not give you advice on when to sow them.
Grow in the grace and knowledge Christ everyday -- Jesus is coming soon and He will keep safe and in His care.

Thank you @JesusGirl, true words!

I'll make sure to post pictures.

Johannian ~ Did you know that peony poppies are opium poppies and it is illegal to grow them anywhere in this country?

evelyninthegarden said:Johannian ~ Did you know that peony poppies are opium poppies and it is illegal to grow them anywhere in this country?

If that was the case I doubt the seeds would be readily available.

It is not illegal to sell the seeds, it is just illegal to grow them. Check with your authorities and see what they have to say. Or the DEA....or Google!

Deleted (double post)!

@evelyninthegarden

If that is true, thank you so much for telling me! Kind of rotten to sell seeds that your customers can germinate and grow...they were from WalMart. I have some words for them if so.

I'll make sure to check.

People say lots of stuff that really isn't credible...
I've heard that it's legal to grow them, just not to harvest opium from them... in truth, you would need a way larger patch than you could possibly grow from a single packet... Plus... the seeds available to us are supposed to have far less of the active ingredient compared with those grown for medicinal use...

The police aren't especially interested in raiding a cottage garden... unless you've planted marijuana...

I prefer the singles... These actually started out as doubles some 30 years ago when I originally planted them... they crossed with some single whites, and I've encouraged colours rather than petals.





As far as poppy culture?
up in South Dakota... You would probably plant in the Spring as soon as soil can be worked...

At my house? Spring plantings die with the heat, without blooming.
So... common information is to plant in the middle of October...
By experimenting, I've found that by planting additional patches each month through March, I get extended bloom time...

As far as cutting the flowers off the plant? Dumb idea. They bloom as much as they bloom... cut the flowers off and miss out on collecting seed for next year... Plus, those mature seed pods make attractive dried arrangements!

Of course... at my house, the goldfinches show up as soon as the seeds are ripe and chew up those pods... makes it hard to pick any pretty ones...

I agree with Stone, these plants are cultivated worldwide as pretty annuals, you'd be hard pressed to obtain any actual opium from them. Grow and enjoy and don't worry about them.

In my town (Seattle), those "peony" poppies, unless discreetly grown out of the public view, are likely to attract
druggies who will not only steal the pods or even whole plants, but may totally trash your garden in the process.
This has happened several times to my community garden plots. I've even had poppies sown by unknown persons
in my plot in Spring, and the criminals returned in the Autumn to harvest the few I let grow.

Thank you for this info, K! We're in a remote country place in SD with no history of drug dealing, so I don't think we'll have a problem with that. The garden criminals around here are the deer and rabbits, LOL.

Growing poppies that come in every year is what is something to look foreword every spring. The flowers are so delicate with the style and color color fashioned for a Queen.

Every season I save the poppy seed heads paint them bright colors to mix in with dried floral arrangements. The critters never bother the poppies…above or below ground.
One of the few flowers that have survived many years.

I would imagine it's tough to put up with plants stolen right from the garden in the city. Poppies have very deep root systems and once removed they don't do well. Most poppy plants grown in US gardens haven't enough medicinal properties to develop into any drug content .





More info on different poppies grown for medicinal purposes . So many variations…
https://www.frontiersin.org/ar...

Beautiful blooms! We did have an ornamental poppy over here, but within the second day of it blooming the deer mowed 'em clean off. Just the plant was left.

bumplbea said:Growing poppies that come in every year is what is something to look foreword every spring. The flowers are so delicate with the style and color color fashioned for a Queen.

Every season I save the poppy seed heads paint them bright colors to mix in with dried floral arrangements. The critters never bother the poppies…above or below ground.
One of the few flowers that have survived many years.

I would imagine it's tough to put up with plants stolen right from the garden in the city. Poppies have very deep root systems and once removed they don't do well. Most poppy plants grown in US gardens haven't enough medicinal properties to develop into any drug content .





More info on different poppies grown for medicinal purposes . So many variations…
https://www.frontiersin.org/ar...

Moral of story, if you don't get arrested for growing them, and your poppy patch doesn't get raided by druggies, don't eat poppy seed muffins before taking a drug test...for whatever reason.