34 replies to this topic

[terbium]

I have a couple of dozen 3" peat pots of an assortment of varieties from various vendors. I planted these without having cold treated the seeds. My conditions have been 55-60 deg F night, 70-75 deg F day. Some seeds that I sowed on the 19th have germinated and plants are a 1/4 to 1 inch high now, nine days later. Some of the seeds that I sowed on the 21st are just barely showing signs of germination.

 

Some of the varieties I have: I have a number of varieties of of peony poppies - double purple, double red, double black, scarlet and Flemish Antique. Also, I have Lauren's Grape from several vendors, Hungarian Blue and various whites. I have no idea which ones will be my favorites. How about other people here, which are your favorites?

Edited by terbium, 28 January 2021 - 02:08 PM.

[terbium]

At night I let the humidity drop to 50% in the greenhouse where I have the seedlings, so by evaporative cooling the temperature of the pots should drop almost 10 deg F below ambient.

 

I plan to grow the plants in pots in the greenhouse, one plant per pot. What size pots do people recommend?

[scott_1971_h]

I have a couple of dozen 3" peat pots of an assortment of varieties from various vendors. I planted these without having cold treated the seeds. My conditions have been 55-60 deg F night, 70-75 deg F day. Some seeds that I sowed on the 19th have germinated and plants are a 1/4 to 1 inch high now, nine days later. Some of the seeds that I sowed on the 21st are just barely showing signs of germination.

 

Some of the varieties I have: I have a number of varieties of of peony poppies - double purple, double red, double black, scarlet and Flemish Antique. Also, I have Lauren's Grape from several vendors, Hungarian Blue and various whites. I have no idea which ones will be my favorites. How about other people here, which are your favorites?

Sounds like good germinating temperatures. Good luck.

[Mycol]

I Just sprinkled my two pods out in the snow . I think they are just regular old poppy’s but they’re nice to have around .

[terbium]

The seeds that I planted in mid February are growing quite well so far. I have plants with leaves a foot long and 3"-6" wide. Hungarian Blue is one of the varieties with these huge leaves, other varieties are more compact and upward growing. Some are now bolting. No flowers yet. 

[pharmer]

terbium, what grow zone are you in??

 

mine, planted two weeks ago in cold temps and cool since are sprouting

 

they're said to be Gigantheums but I suspect they're just common breadseeds. a flower that's delicate pink to almost lilac in color

[terbium]

I am in zone 10a and I am growing in a greenhouse that has supplemental heating so I don't have to worry about minimum temperatures. It is high temperatures that would be more of a possible problem later in the season. I have evaporative cooling and a large exhaust fan but by July or August I would start having trouble keeping the temperatures below 80. Hopefully my plants will have mature pods by then.

[terbium]

"Common Breadseed" poppies I think are what I am calling "Hungarian Blue". From pictures on the internet it seems that a "Hungarian Blue" might produce as many as a dozen pods.

 

I have some other varieties that are growing straight up without spreading out. Particularly the plants claimed to be pharmaceutical varieties are like this - "J&J Tasmanian", "Merck Tasmanian" and "British Pharma" (names are those supplied by the vendors) I wonder if they may produce only one flower per plant. I suppose that this type of growth habit would facilitate mechanical harvesting of the seed heads.

 

I have several varieties that are claimed to produce giant pods - "Burma Giant", "The Giant" and "Giant Florist's Pod" (again the names are those supplied by the vendor).

Edited by terbium, 18 April 2021 - 11:58 PM.

[terbium]

My plants are starting to flower. Since this is in a greenhouse and pollinators (bees) are excluded I am wondering about hand pollinating. From what I have read, these poppies can self-pollinate just with air movement of the plants. I do have fans but I would like a little more certainty with the pollination so I have some small brushes to use for hand pollinating. My question now is how long after a flower is open would be best to perform the pollination - immediately after the flower has opened, later in the day or perhaps the next day?

[Skywatcher]

IMO, Later in the day would be best. When the flowers first open, the stamen are pretty tight. As the day progresses, they loosen up and the pollen is more visible. I also see pollen on some of the petals near the end of the day so I know it falls.

 

You would undoubtedly have some pollination occurring if you did nothing, but I always have grown outside, and the bees and bigger bumble bees go nuts feasting on the pollen in the afternoon.............

 

So will you be sharing some pictures of these beauties? I love poppy pictures....................

[terbium]

I have been pollinating usually on the afternoon of the first day, sometimes on the second day. I am using an artist's paintbrush with a flat tip.

[pharmer]

Mine are growing like weeds. Had a rabbit problem for a while but they're sleeping with the fishes now

[pharmer]

Jeez, I went away for a week and it rained every day for  a total of seven inches with lowish summer temps in the low 70's and my crop is BANGIN'

 

They doubled in size and have gone from growing smallish pods to what I'd call the largest I've ever seen, maybe the size of tangerines when they've dried

 

And joy of joys they are full of my bees. At any moment in the early morning there are four to seven bees on each flower. Oh joy :)

[rockyfungus]

I apparently have poppies in my backyard, I believe it's the common poppy. I sowed a wild seed max last spring and nothing happened, and now poppies in 90+ weather

[Grunta]

Lovely! I miss my poppies! Too hot here to grow them. I did grow them under artificial light once......I wonder? Should I again?