I just sowed a poppy mix.Seeds swept up after designated colors went into plastic bags after gathering a couple of years ago.
Grandson and I transplanted a oakleaf hydrangea and the bare spot was asking for poppies.
Here's how:
Sowing annual poppies

In January when there is a good day.
Scrape away any leaves or mulch to make a bare spot..
Seeds sown on mulch or anything but the bare ground ,wont germinate.
Sprinkle the seeds and press into the ground.Dont bury seeds

I have sown them and covered with screen held down with rocks.This protects the seeds from birds or washing away with rain.




I also made “bottle greenhouses”



Cut the bottoms off of plastic milk bottles and place the bottle over the sown seeds.I put 2 plant supports into the mini milk bottle green house so it wouldnt blow away.

These are the new poppies. DONT WEED THEM OUT.I have done that more times than I want to admit.
Also poppies dont need to be sown this thick. This picture was taken in March but we had a weird spring.
In April check your sites for germination. Dont be discouraged if you dont see anything,I have seen poppies emerge in late May.

If seeds are sown early like November ,and they germinate,leave them they will survive the winter.
In spring when the milk bottle plants are a few inches high,remove the bottle or screen covering so the plants can stretch and grow.
I thin by cutting out plants I dont want.I dont pull plants as this disturbes the tender hairlike roots.

I like the idea of the milk bottle greenhouse.

It keeps the birds out and prevents wash outs.

ge1836

thank you for the info, I especially liked reading about applying a screen over the seeds to keep the birds or washout from happening.


Anyone from Central FL, could you suggest the best time to plant the poppies in our area?

Thanks

It is my understanding poppy seeds need special attention when planted in a hot climate.
They need at least a month of very cold weather after sowing or they wont germinate.
Hope there are Florida gardeners here who have tips on if they grow poppies and how they do it.

I'm in Texas, not FL, but in the same zone 9a. I tossed seeds of the red Flanders out just in Jan. and they have germinated. We usually don't have have very cold winters - and they have self-sowed the last few years. Those that self-sowed this year are about 2" tall. Fall is optimal time to sow them along with the bluebonnets.

Betsy,thanks for your info. for the southern states. They must find a cool enough period for germination.

I noticed a bunch of self sowing poppies when I was in the garden last week as well. I think they were Breadstick but by this time I am so mixed up, who knows what they are!

It sure is nice to know someone sees something growing.

Yes, it is nice to see, but even so, it's still way behind here, for temperatures. Night time temps are still really low. And the rain! Much too wet to even think of starting to work in the garden even if it was warm enough.

I am trying to set my internal clock back so it's more like when I was in MD or even MI so I am not so depressed that I can't start planting yet. I am starting seeds, so that helps a little. But when the seedlings are big, where the heck can I plant if it's still too cold outside?

Midsummer poppy note: The seeds I sowed last winter ,showed up in late April here. It was a huge patch of over sowen seeds due to wind at the time of sowing.
I thinned what I could but the whole area never really took off as I dreamed it would. There were many thin small plants and a few nice big ones but no "show stoppers"
On the other hand ,in another garden there were 3 plants left all winter and as we composted so heavily I didnt think there would be anything to see.
It sprouted poppies of all colors and huge plants. It made a beautiful display that included blacks.
Note to self : Let nature do tha planting.