I enjoy growing poppies from seed in zone 7!

I planted papaver poppy seeds for the first time last year (2 kinds) and a few more this year. I am amazed at the amount of seeds is produced in each pod. I can see it taking over the whole yard if you are not careful

I did learn that with the hot summers here in Sacramento, they need some afternoon shade.

The seeds are so tiny and do tend to spill out everywhere! I thin mine out because you're so right about them taking over.

Poppies are very easy to start from seed, either directly sown or wintersown.

Karen

I love the flair of the full and frothy ones, but the little orange California poppies are so reliable! They bloom here a couple of months in the spring, and then again in the fall.

Your pictures are beautiful, sarahbugw!

Welcome to ATP.

Photos are very nice. Planted Flanders Poppy seeds for the first time over the winter. Had some seed 'balls'. Really liked the ones that came up. Not had too much luck with plants. Probably because I practice a strong form of benign neglect gardening. But I do like poppies in any form or color.

Thanks so much for the warm welcome! I'm really enjoying reading the different forums, and the photos are spectacular. Happy gardening everyone!

Hello Sarah!!... yes can't help but love poppies!!!

We collected poppy seeds one year (in self defense!) and ended up with 2 quarts of seeds!
Which reminds me, gotta go snag the seeds off those fluffy ones!

wow that is a lot of seed!!

Two quarts! I'm visualizing acres and acres of poppies

Karen

Nope. Just 2 or 3 large raised beds that got taken over by poppies one year. Wish I'd gotten a picture of it tho. These huge pink and red poppies were mixed in with some dark purple irises and it looked just wonderful!

I bet it did, woofie.

I've been trying to recreate that on a smaller, more controlled scale, but neither the iris or the poppies will cooperate.

2 quarts! I can't imagine. What is type is the pretty wild red ones you see planted on the Interstate hwys? Anyone know?

Think those are Flanders Poppies, also called Corn Poppies, if you mean these:

Debra, yes those are the ones I believe. I would love to put a few along our road. We have a hayfield of maybe 3 acres, I wonder if they would be ok after bloomtime in the hay.

Mine dried up and turned brown. Don't know how much of that is normal--and how much was due to the extraordinarily hot summer we had. These are supposed to easily reseed, and I am looking forward to finding out next year if they do.