The Lauren's grape poppy plants are finished blooming, the leaves have all but dried up and are like paper, leaving what looks like a thick stalk, like a corn stalk and I would love to be able to gather the seeds for next year but don't want this ugly stalk left. It is first time growing this variety so I'm at a loss what to do. Does it have a long tap root; can I pull it up with my hands or do I have to cut it off at ground someway. I am not sure my loppers will even cut this down.

If anybody grows this variety of poppy, would appreciate your input. I want it gone today!

Sorry, I've never grown that type. But that's the very reason I gave up on poppies altogether. They're beautiful but for such a short time, then they bolt as soon as summer heat arrives. They'd be butt ugly, frying, and then leave gaping holes in the garden after I yanked them. And by then it was too late and hot to establish a replacement plant.

But yes, most poppies do have long tap roots.

Karen

Gather the seed head when they're ready and then just cut the stalk down to ground level. No worries.

Can you throw the seeds out somewhere else in the garden this year and they will come up next year, or do they have to be started in pots and planted out next year?

Scatter the seeds into the garden where you want them to be next year.