Poppy Seeds - How To Grow Poppies From Seed

Poppy Seeds - How To Grow Poppies From Seed
By [https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Julie_Calhoun/760066]Julie Calhoun

How to Grow Poppies

Poppies are one of the most colorful flowers to grow in the garden. Knowing how to grow poppy seeds will make sure that they survive in your garden for many years.

Most poppies are grown from seed. Poppies also self seed so that each year you will have more and more to enjoy.

Growing Poppies from Seed

Start your poppy seeds by spreading the seed outside in fall or very early in spring. Scatter them sparingly or you will need to thin them later. The seed needs light to germinate, so be sure not to bury the seed. The seed also likes a cold spell, so sow in late Fall before the cold weather arrives, or you can sow the seed in very early spring.

In early spring, the cold weather will give way to warm spring sunshine and the seeds will receive sufficient moisture to germinate. In warmer areas where winters are mild, it is better to sow the seed in fall or in your coolest months. The seed will stay dormant until the weather starts to warm up. From germination to bloom is just a few weeks and the late spring show will be spectacular.

Grow the poppies in full sun and in well drained soil or the plants will become waterlogged and keel over. Make sure that you amend the area well with compost to give lots of nutrients to the plants as well as help with poor drainage. Use a slug and snail bait as those critters have a tendency to gobble up the tiny shoots as they emerge.

The middle of a perennial border is an ideal place for poppies as they will be taller than many edging plants, and with the oriental varieties dying down after bloom time, the vacant space they leave in the garden will not be noticed. If planted at the middle of the garden you could fill the gaps with other summer perennials such as phlox or salvias. If planted in the front of a garden bed you could fill the gaps with summer annuals.

After the poppies flower they produce an equally attractive flower head that contains heavy black, brown, grey, blue or white seeds. These will drop around the mother plant to give you more poppies for next year.

Alternatively you can harvest the seed head for fall crafts because they dry beautifully and hold their shape. Of course some of the seeds such as the annual breadseed poppy 'Papaver somniferum seeds' are edible and can be used in cakes, breads and other recipes.

Types of Poppy Seeds - Varieties

There are several basic types of poppy seeds and they are all grown the same way.

Oriental Poppy Seeds -  The most common poppy and comes in reds, oranges, purples and whites. Perennial.

Peony Poppies -  Spectacular fully double flower in reds, oranges, purples and white. Annual.

Meconopsis Poppies -  Sometimes called the blue poppies but come in reds, yellows, purples and white also. Perennial.

Taffeta Poppies -  Pastel colors and a feathery flower head that is very attractive. Annual.

Papaver Somniferum seeds -  The bread seed poppy and a stunningly beautiful flower in a wide range of colors and shapes. Annual.

California Poppies -  These are a totally different botanical family to the other poppies and are characterized by the name Eschscholzia. Shorter than the species poppies and self sow to cover an area in just a few years.

Whether you are planting a new garden space, or adding to an existing garden, grow poppies in your garden for early Spring colorful blooms. Poppies are carefree plants that will continue to grace your garden year after year. Soon you will wonder how you ever got along without those Poppy Seeds.

So now that you know more about adding [http://www.onestoppoppyshoppe.com/servlet/the-View-All-Poppy-Seeds/Categories]Poppy Seeds to...

...your home flower garden, stop by and visit the experts at One Stop Poppy Shoppe. [http://www.onestoppoppyshoppe.com]http://www.onestoppoppyshoppe.com. We carry a full line of both the Annual Poppy Seeds and the Perennial Poppy Seeds and are eager to show you our catalog and share our knowledge about poppies.

Article Source: [http://EzineArticles.com/?Poppy-Seeds---How-To-Grow-Poppies-From-Seed&id=5394962] Poppy Seeds - How To Grow Poppies From Seed

Start Your Flower Garden Today!

A lot pf people wonder whether or not they should start a flower garden and I am here to tell you that you should definitely start a flower garden. There are many benefits that come with starting a flower garden and that is why you should start your flower garden toady.

First, I would recommend that you should start your flower garden from seeds. Starting your garden from seeds might seem intimidating but it isn’t as bad as you think. There are instructions on the back of the packages that tell you things like how often to water the plant, how much sunlight it needs, and how deep to plant the seed. The benefit from planting seeds is that you get to see the progress of the plant and feel more accomplished of what you’ve done. Another benefit to starting a flower garden is that it gets you outside. Having an obligation to take care of your makes you be more active by going outside to take of your plants. Getting outside and getting some fresh air is healthy for the mind and body. Also, the benefit of having a flower garden is that it helps decorate you house. Flowers are the best thing when it comes to improving your house without spending a lot of money. They add color to your house in a very inexpensive way. Overall, there is no really downfall to starting a flower garden. So go to your local store that sells plant material and get started on your flower garden today!

Tomato Seeds or Grown Tomato Plant

One of the most popular plants to buy when starting a vegetable garden are tomatoes. Tomato plants are one of the easiest plants to take care of when it comes to starting a garden, but the question is whether you should buy a tomato plant that is already grow or buy the seeds and start the plant from scratch. Here are some pros and cons to buying a tomato plant already grown or buying the seeds for a tomato plant.

A pro for an already grown tomato plant is that you don’t have to wait long to get tomatoes from the plant. Having to start from scratch means that you will have to wait six to eight weeks for the plant to be able to start producing tomatoes. After the seeds have grown for six weeks, then you’ll have to wait for the tomatoes to grow. If you are impatient, I would recommend to buy a grow tomato plant so you don’t have to wait as long to get tomatoes from it. A pro for buying seeds is that you get to see the progress of the plant slowly growing to maturity. It makes you feel more satisfied since you started the plant from a seed and now you are getting tomatoes from it. Another pro for seeds is that they are cheaper than a grown plant. A grown tomato plant is around 20 dollars while seeds are around 2 dollars. A pro for a grown plant is that they are easier to take care of rather seeds. Seeds have to be watered a lot and need to be looked after much more than a grown tomato plant. Those are a couple of pros and cons to buying a grown tomato plant or buying tomato seeds.

Garden Interview

Here is an interview with my friend Briley who is a plant fiend and is majoring in Agriculture Business.

What is your experience with plants?

I have taken care of gardens at my grandpas. Plants included strawberries, rhubarb, and peppers. I worked at the Green View Nursery back at home over the summer which has variety of plants.

What are some easy beginner plants?

Geraniums, marigold, petunias is what I recommend for beginners. These are easy potted plants to use as home décor. Also, roses bushes are great because they are hardy plants.

Where do you get your plants?

Local nurseries because you can have a more personal interaction and it’s more informative. Also, it helps give back to local businesses. And if you want organic seeds I would look online because it’s the easiest.

How often should you water the plant?

If it’s a hot season, water every single day. If it’s raining be careful to not over water the plants since that could kill them too. Overall, if the soil is dry water the plant.

What are some tips that could help take care of your plants?

Promix soil mixed with the original soil is a good start. If you notice the plant still isn’t doing well, then you can use a synthetic or organic fertilizer, but only in a small amount.

Benefits of having a garden?

At home gardening is very therapeutic to the mind, body, and sole. If it’s a vegetable garden then you can produce your own produce. It helps give back to the environment and it helps make your back yard look pretty.

Hopefully this interview gave you a better understanding about gardening.