Gardeners are always looking for the best way to stack the deck in their favor and have the best success growing a plant. But sometimes, there are many ways grow a plant well. Rather than cause confusion, this should ease gardeners’ minds, because the more ways there are to grow something, the more difficult it is to screw it up.
The more I learn about poppies, specifically annual breadseed poppies (Papaver somniferum), the more ways I learn to grow them.
Breadseed poppies get more beautiful the closer you get.
TOSS ‘EM IN THE GARDEN
The simplest method is one I’ve been employing for many years: Direct sowing directly in the garden in winter. I simply sprinkle the seeds into garden beds (which are not heavily mulched, if they were I’d pull some of the mulch back to ensure the seeds could reach the soil). Doing this in winter, often directly on top of the snow (I sow between January and March, sowing repeatedly because if you grow poppies you’ve got plenty of seeds), ensuring good moisture, which is a non-negotiable necessity for poppy seeds, also takes care of what I thought was a required cold stratification period.
But it turns out the cold period might not be necessary at all. Many books and most seed packets say that P. somniferum needs at least two but probably four weeks of cold in order to germinate, but Matt Mattus says there’s no reason to think that’s the case. Mattus, the author of “Mastering the Art of Flower Gardening” is a thorough researcher, always seeking out the best information on growing anything, and he says he can’t find any reference to P. somniferum needing a cold period. In fact, his own trials (backed by some heavy duty horticulture texts) show that they germinate in four days at 70 degrees and even faster at 80 degrees, without any cold period.
So that brings me to the next method.
With saved seed, you don’t know exactly what you’re going to get. These dark red poppies were real winners, and the bright pink that crashed the party wasn’t a slouch.
MATT’S METHOD
Sow poppy seeds thinly in a tray on a germination mat kept at 70 degrees or higher. Keep them consistently moist and grow them out under lights.
When the seedlings are a quarter inch tall, very gently tease them out and plant them out where they’ll grow for the rest of the season. Matt plants into the 20-inch pots, but you could plant out into the garden at this point.
For more information, check out Matt’s Instagram post outlining the process.
WINTER SOW IN JUGS
If you’re a fan of winter sowing in milk jugs (or water, juice or any other transparent container that you can seal up), poppies are a good choice with one caveat. Poppies don’t like root disturbance, which is why the Mattus method calls for transplanting seedlings early. The same advice holds for sowing in jugs.
There are many articles on starting seeds using this method, which is inexpensive, easy and doesn’t take up room in your house, but the general process starts with a transparent jug or container, that is cut along the equator (leave a little attached for a hinge effect). Poke holes in the bottom, fill with several inches of potting mix, then sow seeds thinly at the appropriate depth. Water in the seeds, seal up the jug with tape, remove the cap and set the jug outside in a sunny spot. Other than adding a little moisture if necessary, there’s nothing more to do until seeds germinate in their mini greenhouses.
Lauren’s Grape is an excellent purple variety.
WHICH METHOD IS BEST?
They all are, in their own way. Direct sowing is incredibly easy and takes just minutes to do. There’s nothing to buy or tend, but you will need to thin seedlings when they emerge, usually in a big, weedy-looking clump in the garden. Mattus’s tip is to mix the seeds with sand to help sow them thinly.
If I had some really special poppy seeds that I didn’t want to take chances which, I’d be inclined to follow Mattus’s indoor starting method. This also has the benefit of having more control over where they plants will grow.
Winter sowing in jugs is nearly as simple as direct sowing, but there is the transplant issue. I personally don’t have a lot of success with sowing in jugs, but I am by far the outlier and most people have great luck with it. You do need to keep an eye on the moisture levels inside jugs, which means checking on the when they are stuck in a snowbank.
All of which leads me to one conclusion: there are a lot of ways to grow poppies, so you might as well try at least one and go for it.
Watch my direct sowing method here:
Poppies! I grew my first poppies from seed last year. Love them. Thanks for the chance of new poppie seeds.
Julie
Very interesting but I’m still sure what to do. I think I’m just gunna throw em at the ground, see what sticks and enjoy what ever may “poppy” 😄
Me! Me! please! Thank you! I had no idea it was so easy!! We had orange in our yard when we moved in and I stupidly moved them. I didn’t know they resented being moved.
I would love to have some of the pink ones but love any color
Erin was excited to possibly receive some pink poppy seeds and then heard you say in your video 2021! 😳 Well in case you still have some pink poppies to send out, count me in! 😊 and thanks. Great suggestion to germinate poppy seeds – have not had luck either winter sowing poppies so will try the other two methods.
I love poppies and would love to have some seeds from your beauties. Thank you!
I have tried for years to grown poppies and have never had success. I live in South Dakota, zone 4. My gardens are in full sun. I would love to try your poppy seeds. Thanks so much!
Thank you for offering a few of us your extra poppy seeds! I appreciate being considered here in Black Earth (WI) and would give them a good home in my front yard. Vickie
I tried to direct sow poppies last year from some very old seeds and wasn’t surprised when I had no success. I’d love to try again!
I just love following you! And am very interested in any seeds you might share. Thank you.
I would love to try growing poppies. It’s something I have never tried. I wouldn’t need very many as most of my yard is shade and part shade, I do have a couple of spots in the sun they would look great in! Thank you for offering to send them out to a few of your followers. Whomever gets them will be very lucky.
Sue
I have tried to direct sew with no luck, but would love to give it another try this year. Milder winter here and no snow so far, but I have my fingers crossed that this is my lucky year. I love poppies!
I would love some of your poppies please! I actually bought some seeds early this winter and did scatter them just like you said. I can’t wait to see if it works and would love to add some of your seeds to my already scattered seeds! Also, our dogs name is Poppy so how cute is that?!
I would love to try and grow poppies. I have tried a few times but have never been very successful. Maybe the moisture needs ? Your seeds would certainly be successful as they have been touched by your green thumbs!
I would LOVE to grow poppies. I live in Washington State and have recently retired…working on my garden.
Yes, Please!
I am a new gardener I would never think of growing Poppy Seeds it just seems too difficult with all the cold germination stuff. But you make it sound so easy I am going to try this year. Thanks for all your inspiration!
I would love a packet of Poppy Seeds. I tried direct sow last year but didn’t have great success but you have given sone great new tips that I will try again this year! In fact I will get out there this morning and plant them. Love ya
Yes please! Winter sowing poppies has been on my “gardening bucket list” and it would be super special if the poppies came from you!
would love some of your pink poppies. Gorgeous. And I think I can handle that method 😉
Anna
I would love to try these at our summer family home north of Toronto. I would keep them chilled until late April when we will go north and “open up the place” . I have some orange ones which pop up here and there. I would love new seeds, to join the lupines which I encourage through the lake side property. We now live in West Chester PA. We love visiting gardens around here, but our townhouse doesn’t allow the luxury of growing plants., so off to the lake I go!
Hi Erin, I too have had luck with just tossing the seeds on the snow. I absolutely love poppies! Kathy Szeremet
Definitely interested in getting a stand of poppies going!
Would love to try this method and add some of your seeds to my garden. Thank you.
Never have grown poppies but love this method. Thanks for sharing if you have enough. Cathi
I’m ready to direct sow my seeds-to scratch the itch to bring on Spring!. If I sprinkle the seeds on the snow will our local birds take them ?