I direct sowed them in the fall and they are getting ready to bloom now. Just sprinkled them in the soil. I know here they are for fall sowing and spring bloom to be treated as annuals. Not sure about there but you are not that much further north of here. Might be the same for you.
Theresa

Theresa's right -- sow them in fall and early enough for them to germinate and grow a little before real winter sets in.

I know a man in Moncks Corner who has a big bed of tall poppies. They reseed themselves every year, he said.

I haven't had much luck with the perennial, Oriental types. Two winters I planted a dozen crowns only to watch them melt in the heat of summer both times. Bummer.

Theresa and DixieRose, what about growing them in the spring? I've just planted some. Will they grow?
I ordered the seeds from tenderseed compant. I also have some that I got from American Seed Company. Should I wait until fall to plant them?
Thanks for your help.
Bobbie

I sowed my seeds in the fall also . I read that they need light so I didn't cover them. They are all up and doing well. They are annuals but are supposed to reseed very well. The oriental poppies are not good this far down Shirleys ,Icelanders, and Flanders kinds. This is from my book on Southern Herb Growing by Madeline Hill and Gwen Barclay.(A really great book, as is Passalong Plants by Steve Bender.)

How about iceland poppies? I've sown a bunch of seeds recently (in the past 2-3 weeks).

loves roses,
Maybe in 8a you could grow them in the spring. And I'm not sure but I THINK Iceland do okay in the south. Let us know how they do....
Theresa

Last year in October I planted shirley poppy seeds directly in a flower bed. They germinated before Thanksgiving, but stayed small until mid-March. Then they began growing and bloomed in early May. The blooms were kinda skimpy and I wasn't impressed. As soon as the weather got hot, they turned yellow and I pulled them out.

DixieRose, thanks a lot. I've got mine planted, so I'm just hoping for the best.

So maybe I should ship my poppy seeds up to my son in Ohio and let him enjoy them and collect seed for me for next fall?

girlsaylor

Girlsaylor, I am still trying. I planted more seeds today.
I DO so want some poppies!

Well, either way, do plant some in the fall, they are worth it as annuals. I took a photo. This link will show you at my "little" website. Just started it so only a few pics so far.
Theresa

Here is a link that might be useful: Theresa's Garden

Very nice pics Theresa! Your website's gonna be killer.

Do you know if I can grow poppies in containers? If so, what size?

girlsaylor

Iceland poppies work if planted in the fall or seedlings in winter. They do melt/die in the first summer heat in my experience. I think it is very late to start seeds now.

Thanks, mickimako! I'll save the rest of my poppy seeds until fall. :( Boohoo, I did so want to have poppies.

I winter sowed a ton of poppy seeds in a milk jug and every one of the buggers must have germinated. I think they are oriental poppies and I'm looking forward to seeing what they'll do!

Sorry I did not see this one sooner, I tossed mine into a new flowerbed in January, and they are blooming now. Funny too, plants are all diff. heights and bloom size. But pretty!

Cheri

I have grown the california and iceland poppies and they did well--from seed sown in fall. But the heat & humidity finally does them in. Last fall I happened on
a container of poppyseed in the grocery store on clearance--must be hundreds of seed for about 50 cents, I think it was. On a lark, I decided to throw some down in one of my beds, not really expecting anything & forgot about them. They now have some amazing,
almost tropical looking greyish-green foliage from 2-4
feet high and huge flower buds. Don't know what they will look like when they bloom but the foliage has been
a wonderful filler to cover up dying bulb leaves and bare
spots until the perennials get to full size. Don't worry-
fall will be here before you know it (at least that's what I will be telling myself everyday through July & August!)

Hi, still play! I'll try this fall and again in January. None of the ones I threw out have even sprouted, and I ordered 1 oz. from American seed co.
:(
Thanks!

Also, as an sfterthought, this year has been much milder, last year we seemed to go from winter straight to summer.....this year have had cool nights.

Cheri

The breadseed poppies are blooming now--huge white flowers with a lavender brushstroke mark on each petal. Very delicate, though. I think each flower will only last a few days. The seed pods will be neat though. If I remember correctly, the icelands are biennials? If the birds don't get your seed, you might have blooms next spring. Some have reseeded for me in the past-esp the californias.