Part II |
Growing Papaver Somniferum Poppies
(Part 2 of 5):
Be sure to visit our Law Section for Answers on whether or not it’s LEGAL to Grow Somniferum Poppy Seeds in your Area.
Some people prefer to start them indoors under lights, but be sure to start them in Peat Pellets, as poppies do not transplant well because they have very sensitive root systems and one very long Tap Root that can be damaged easily; killing the plant.
But once they sprout, you’ll need to acclimate them to the Outdoor Temperature Fluctuations, and all the Atmospheric changes. So for the first few days, leave them outside during the daytime ONLY (at first), then maybe cover them at night for the next few days. But this can about 2 weeks in Total, and can “Stunt” their growth for an additional 2-3 Weeks.
Which is why, I personally suggest keeping them outdoors from the beginning. Since you might be wasting more time than the amount of time you think you’re saving by starting them indoors..
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Week 3
Protect Sprouts Outdoors:
Be sure to be aware of all the creatures that will ruin your poppy growing experience. Birds, for one, like to eat poppy seeds. So, since they’re Planted right at Surface Level, and it can take up to TWO Weeks for them to Sprout, it gives them PLENTY of time and opportunity to snatch ’em up.
2 to 3 Weeks So you may need protect against them using Plastic Domes (Cups), Netting, or Framed Fabric (depending on temps).
WE WILL GO OVER THIS SHORTLY.
But, NEVER UNDER-ESTIMATE BIRDS!
They will Mock you!Another slimy Pest to Watch for are SLUGS (some are VERY TINY and only come out at night) and they like to eat young, tender Sprouts, and I’ve even seen them devour entire Seedlings in ONE Night.
SLUGGO is “PET SAFE”, and seems to work but must be applied regularly, because of course, BIRDS will eat it the moment you apply it.
So just be sure to mix in a piece of X-LAX or Xanax here & there
(in case the Birds get Constipation or Anxiety). -
Week 4
Alternatives for Warmer Climate
The Video above, and for most of this Tutorial, we show methods used mostly in a “Cooler” environment (from just above Freezing – º35 ºF or º1.6 ºC, to about º65 ºF or º18 ºC).
But not to worry!
Thanks to Global Warming, we’ve had our share of Early Springs, or times we were just TOO BUSY to get things planted in time. That’s why we have made a COMPLETELY Separate Tutorial, along with Videos and Photos, to help anyone struggling with warmer temps. No matter whether you’re Planting a bit Late this Season, or the Weather came a bit Early.
Just Click on the LINK (above), or continue onto the NEXT Page (Part 3), for Links to other Tutorials.
01/07/2017 @ 5:42 pm
Hey man I thought that I had sum poppy plants
Turns out that i think that I’ve been growing the wrong plants now
For 4 months and I live in southern Louisiana.. So by now I should have sum nice healthy plants with giant
Pods right? Wrong not one pod.
I thought that I had sum at first with little
White lowers that made purple berries which turn out
Not to be them bc then the berries started to fall off.. i
Dnt know what I’m doing wrong I’ve tried the just spreading them on the ground, 5 gallon buckets, filling and my entire back yard then speeding
The send. I’ve had sum sprout but they always end up dieing. Made should I try an in door set up? I’m willing to try almost anything. Advice wouldn’t be appreciated maybe a raised bed? It hasn’t snowed yet and it
Hasn’t rain in 2 weeks until today I’m gona try in the 5
Gallon buck maybe go get some sand and rocks and layer it with soil.. I figure I’ve done
Grown everything from fruit trees to can nabis from seeds I’m gona get the hang of this…
01/08/2017 @ 2:25 pm
You should read some of the replies I have answered to other Users (@ ‘Part 1’)
Cuz you’re not the only person who has had a hard time getting past the “Seedling” Stage with Poppies.
And I’ve answered every Variable possible.
But most of the time, the THREE most Common mistakes people make, are these:
1.)- The “Temperature” (they will ONLY thrive in Cool Temps during the seedling stage, yet, they like FULL Sunlight. (which is why I wouldn’t suggest trying to grow indoors).
Sometimes people associate Poppies with Cannabis (maybe it’s a “Drug” thang) but they are NOTHING CLOSE.
Growing a “Weed” is MUCH easier, in fact, I put more effort into KILLING weeds than I do growing them! LOL
However, I DO have experience growing Cann. (both indoor and outdoor) several years ago.
Try to remember this next time you grow: Poppies are “sensitive little bitches”.
They hate transplanting. Sometimes they do better if left alone.
2.)- Another common thing that happens is, when growing outdoors, Birds will eat the seeds before they sprout almost 100% of the time unless you use protection (as seen in Part 2 of this Tutorial- And IT’S Youtube VIDEO
– As well as Part 3 -Also SEE VIDEO #3
That’s because poppies can take up to 2 weeks to sprout and they require Light to do so, therefore, you have to leave them outside that whole time.
Humans tend to “under estimate” the ‘Bird’, but Birds know how to survive, part of such survival includes eating your Seeds.
And they know when humans have planted something in the ground or in pots.
And they have TWO whole weeks to snag them.
Then, what ends up sprouting, are usually native weeds flown in by the wind, or by the bird’s poop.
So unless you have experience growing poppies, you’ll be growing weeds.
I’ve actually had someone accuse me of sending them “Fake Poppy Seeds” once because of this.
(which makes no sense since it doesn’t cost me anything to send someone Poppy Seeds that I grew, whereas, I’d have to go buy seeds somewhere if I were to do that – Not to mention that anyone who’s had a Bagel, knows what Poppy seeds look like- LOL)
3.)- If it’s not Birds that eat the seeds, it’s Slugs that can eat them right as they sprout. Sometimes the slugs are really small (like 1/4″ long), so, again – PROTECTION.
If you live in a warmer area, don’t follow the plastic Cup method shown in this Tutorial.
Instead, see our “LATE BLOOMERS” Tutorial.
Thanks!
-OrgBot
02/15/2017 @ 5:13 pm
Hello,
Great website, I found it through youtube. Okay so two things. First off, I put my seeds (a few each) in an ice cube tray and froze, then thawed, then refroze them. I read that will help them germinate, not sure if that is true. Is that okay?
Secondly, I thawed them out and put them in the little peet moss pods tonight. Right now they are in the fridge but I am in a quandry as to what to do next. I live in the Southeast, if I make a greenhouse out of tupperware the temps will likely get too high during the day if they are in the sun (we are having days in the mid to high 70’s now even though it is February). Should I use netting instead of a tupperware container? Should I shade them to keep the temps lower? I could also put them in a back room and use a reptile full spectrum light, if I keep the light a ways away it may stay under 65 degrees.
Any advice? Thank you so much! Your videos are very helpful too.
02/15/2017 @ 7:28 pm
Hi. If you scroll up to my reply to the Comment RIGHT above yours, most of your answers were there for you already. LOL
But Yeah, the Plastic Dome is for COOL Weather ONLY. And they need FULL SUNLIGHT. If they began to germinate during the first time you thawed them (I’m talking on a Microscopic level), then they may not sprout if you re-froze them.
I have NEVER put seeds in the Freezer or Fridge (this will be my 17th Season now), and I get 6′ Foot+ Poppies every year. Must be another one of those “Poppy Myths” people spread.
But I like to give FACTS. Ones I can back.
I have created TWO Additional VIDEO TUTORIALS on how to go about Planting Seeds Directly into Garden Rows using NETTING and/or MESH, and Twine tied to posts at each end of your Garden rows for support (but I am still editing the Videos).
However, I have provided a FULL TUTORIAL on this CALLED “LATE BLOOMERS”. (as I mentioned MY REPLY) to a previous Comment. (WHICH IS RIGHT ABOVE YOURS!!).
You’ll learn a LOT more about Growing Poppies from reading the 100+ Comments on this Tutorial then you will anywhere.
Okay, well I’m off to create a F.A.Q. Section before Google Penalizes my Rankings for Duplicate Content.
Thanks!
-OrgBot
02/16/2017 @ 5:34 am
Thank you. Please don’t get mad, but how long do I need to keep the seeds cool? Until the sprouts are a week old or??? Since I will be artificially cooling them (probably using ice in a styrofoam box outside) I would like to know how long this is necessary.
02/16/2017 @ 3:08 pm
It takes 7 to 14 days for them to sprout WITH LOTS of LIGHT.
They won’t transplant, so be sure they are in bio-degradable pots or in final planting place.
-OrgBot
02/17/2017 @ 10:40 am
Great. Thank you so much. I think I will sow some outside, and also try to sprout some in a styrofoam cooler inside with a full spectrum light which may or may not be bright enough, though at least the cooler/ice keeps the temps in the 50s. Hopefully one of the methods will work. Thanks again for your time.
03/07/2017 @ 10:29 am
Poppies will transplant. One must be very cautious not to destroy tap root. This requires finesse but entirely feasible.
03/07/2017 @ 8:00 pm
True. Thank you.
But I wouldn’t recommend trying it unless you’re VERY Experienced. (and since most people who read a TUTORIAL about growing them, probably aren’t that experienced, is why I suggested against transplanting)
But if it MUST be done, it’s better to do when plants are YOUNG (4″-6″ Max.)
As shown in our “Poppy Laws” Article, we buy LIVING Somniferum Plants (and even LIVE, GREEN PODS in water) sometimes.
Sold right at our Grocery Store in the USA!!
So it CAN be done, and we do it all the time.
But I would hate to hear about everyone’s Poppies Dying, if I were to “Suggest” it in this Tutorial.
But thank you Wm, for your input.
We welcome it!
-OrgBot
04/01/2017 @ 3:16 pm
FYI the first set of seedlings is thriving in the garden. Just started a second set indoors and yes the ice cube thing works! I did not use ice to cool this second set of seeds, just froze them in ice cubes and put them in pods with a light. My house is 60-85 degrees every day and these little suckers not only sprouted but they seem to be growing faster than the first batch that were kept cool.
Try it and see for yourself!
04/05/2017 @ 7:24 pm
Glad to hear! Yeah, I’ve done the cube thing, but sometimes it can trap them in and constrict them until all ice melts. But, yeah, indoors, they will thrive better at first, but you will experience a delay when acclimating them to the outdoors.
Even if the outdoor temps are almost identical, Seedlings just happen to be very sensitive to an type of change.
But you did things the right way.
By not planting all your Seeds in one Basket!
Very nice!
05/05/2017 @ 8:50 pm
Please help, something horrible is happening!
My poppy plants are now about 2.5 months old. They were doing sooooo well and now suddenly they are dying! It started on one plant with a couple of brown leaves, at the time I wondered if I had accidentally stepped on the leaves or something. It spread and now that plant is completely shriveled as is the one next to it. One plant a ways away is having the same thing happen.
I am in Georgia. The plants are in a completely fenced area (even has avian netting) so they aren’t being peed on by the dogs or anything. They get watered about once a week either from rain or the hose. Only thing I have fed them with is some liquid “start and grow” fertilizer, but not much and the last feeding was a couple of weeks ago. I thought maybe it was “nute burn” but that isn’t it. Temps have been in the 50s at night and 80s during the day, but if it was temp related I wouldn’t expect only some to suddenly keel over from it.
I can’t believe this, it was soooo much work to get them to this point and now they are all dying? Not sure if it matters but there are tomato plants and beans nearby. The beans have been getting eaten by what I assume is grubs/cutworms but the poppies don’t look chewed by bugs. Do you know what is causing this and if it can be stopped? I will pull out the dead plants, should I trim off the brown leaves on the others? Odd how it is affecting plants 6 feet away with other currently healthy looking plants in between.
Photos below at links:
http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac295/Sonya610/poppys_2_zpsbxupo0p2.jpg
http://i909.photobucket.com/albums/ac295/Sonya610/poppys_1_zpsvtwlblnn.jpg
05/07/2017 @ 10:20 am
Update to my previous “they are dying” comment. I think it is the mulch, I pulled one of the dead plants and it came up like it had been sliced from the root, the base was all wet/soggy . Just ripped most all of the much out of the bed and will try to dry it out. Ugh, I thought the mulch would keep them “happier” and now I think it almost killed them all. Some still look good so fingers crossed. Hope we don’t get rain for a few days.
05/10/2017 @ 6:00 am
Ya, that happened to once too. Which is why made this VIDEO that only talks about keeping all things clear of the base: https://www.facebook.com/OrganicalBotanicals/videos/2340567439309389
05/12/2017 @ 6:30 pm
Thanks. Wish I had seen that video before.
I lost about a third of the plants, another third look awful but are growing new leaves from the center.
It is a steep learning curve!