Winter Poppies

Not sure if we can post Poppy growing, but I am gonna try. Since I live in the south, these things can grow outside all winter. They say to plant them outdoors in late fall (now) down here. I have an outdoor crop, that just germinated (germinated when the temperature was 20 degrees F)! This is gonna track my indoor crop. Never tried these indoors! So here we go!

Persian White (papaver somniferum)
12/14/08 - 2PM. Planted the seeds last night in Fox Farm Ocean Oragnic soil. Did not bury the seeds. Put them in a cool west facing bedroom, in the sunlight (when it streams in naturally). Temp in there is about 65 in the day and 60 at night. Not sure why that room is so cold, but whatever! LOL. No artificial light yet. Just gonna let them germinate, get the first true leaves, then throw some light on them 12 hours a day. Misting with lukewarm water daily. Seeds have already started to swell!

bro that temp mit give them stress being so cold

The outdoor ones? It was a quick cold snap, its gonna be in the 60's and lows in the 40s for the next few weeks. Weird weather! If it drops below 20 again I will put them in the greenhouse I suppose (the outdoor ones).

12/19/08 5PM. Well, since its going to be in the freaking 70s and 80s for at least 2 weeks in December in this god forsaken state (miss my colorado snow), the plants have now been transferred outside. This is now an official outdoor grow in containers. Dammit, Georgia, you are killing me with these damn temperatures. Should have kept going to Miami if I wanted the heat.

Anyway, seeds have not sprouted, but they are swollen with what looks like a taproot starting. Outside it is 90% humidity, misty cloudy rain for the past week, and forecast for the same. So they will be watered well. Next post will hopefully have pictures of the sprouts. Certainly hope they dont die, Poppies love cool temperatures (50's and 60's) with a 20 degree drop at night. We will see.

12/27/08 10PM. Still have not germinated. Took a look around, and the seeds rotted in the soil it looks like. I am putting the "rotted" seeds outside, to see what happens. Not wasting any more time on them. Going to plant a fresh crop tonight, in the same pot to see what happens. Keeping them inside again, moist, and cool. Tiny seeds are hard to deal with sometimes. Also going to soak some seeds to see what happens. Going to grow both Persian White and Persian Blue varieties and keep them separate to prevent cross pollination so I can have pure seed from one or two pods from each variety.

poppies need cold weather they thrive in cooler are 50-67 is ideal for them but those high temops where a bit much for them right off so try and control temp do you know your llight cycles for them? what type of lights

Well the ones outside are growing good, (been in the 60's, lately in the 50's, forecast for the 40's for a while now). They are on a west exposure. Poppies are like me, they indeed love the cooler temps.

The new batch, planted indoors, is in the basement where it is a constant 55 degrees. No light yet. Thats what puzzles me about the first batch not germinating under those cool conditions down there.

Thanks for the reply!!

Awesome man i want to grow some soon. they really are awesome and get you feeling good naturally. Well man ill keep an eye on your grow and see whats up and apply your lessons to my future grow...so learn well! lol. well man best of luck to you and goodluck!

Thank you for subscribing and using some ideas I gain from this, that rocks! I agree, feelin good naturally rocks, there is a reason god put them on this earth! Thanks for the good luck, stay tuned!!!

poppies like drier climates, just sprinkle your seeds on the dirt and cover with a thin layer then soak the shit out of the dirt then wait for germination, keep 12/12 lighting schedule for vegging

Awesome, thanks for the advice/tips! Will do!! They still have not germed, thinking I might have bought sterile seeds, lol. Which would suck!! Gonna try your method tomorrow morning.

Onto the sterile seeds thing, has anyone ever bought poppy seeds from Bouncing Bear Botanicals, and if so, any luck on growing their strains? I bought the Persian White, and Blue. Damn I wish these things would germinate.

On a side note, put 20 seeds in water, still no swelling or a root appearing after 14 days in the soak. Hmmm.

Gonna till up a piece of land out back, and try an outdoor sow, since here in GA its not cold ever! How does anyone suggest sowing outside? I heard just let them fall where they may, others say careful planting and planning. Just dont know. I am tempted to grab a pinch of seeds and just throw them on the dirt and see what happens at this point!!

the easiest cheapest method to obtain poppy seeds are to go buy McCormicks in the spice aisle at the grocery store

LOL my wife loves to cook, and what do ya know, huge bottle of them in the cupboard, lol!

potheadsmoker said:

the easiest cheapest method to obtain poppy seeds are to go buy McCormicks in the spice aisle at the grocery store

Click to expand...

?bread!!!!!!!

good deal, not positive but i believe those are supposed to be Tasmanians

03/17/09 - 9PM. Ok bought 2 bags of white, and blue poppy seeds from Bouncing Bear. They are oriental somniferum. Got them today, and planted a handfull of persian white outside (dont want to intermix for purity) this afternoon. Its cool, not hot. I tried like hell all winter to get them to grow, maybe this will work.

Here's a pic of one of mine started in late December. This pic is a few weeks old and it's a bit bigger now but you get the idea.






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NIIICE CrackerJax!!!

I'll snap a more current pic tomorrow... click.


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