Ginny, thanks I will post doc. I lost images.
NOTE, I have sewn annual poppy seeds as late in the season as March. They need a cold period in order to germinate.
Sorry about the caps and font.
STARTING ANNUAL POPPIES
BECAUSE THEY RESEED THEMSELVES THEY ACT LIKE PERENNIALS. that IS THEY WILL COMEBACK IN THE SAME PLACE THE NEXT YEAR IF SEEDPODS ARE ALLOWED TO STAND AND SPRINKLE FROM THE SEASON BEFORE.
HERE'S HOW TO START :
FIND THE PLACE IN YOUR GARDEN WHERE YOU WANT TO SEE POPPIES BLOOM (THESE CAN BECOME 4 FEET HIGH)
MAKE SURE THERE IS NO MULCH OR WEEDS IN THE SPOT. CLEAN THE AREA AND SCRATCH THE GROUND.(NO DIGGING TO PLANT SEEDS THEY MUST BE EXPOSED TO COLD AND LIGHT)
poppy seeds are direct sown in cold weather January to early march.
SCATTER SEEDS ON SCRATCHED AREA AND PRESS INTO THE GROUND.
DO NOT COVER WITH DIRT OR MULCH .POPPIES NEED COLD AND LIGHT TO GERMINATE.
I START LOOKING FOR SPROUTS IN APRIL.
DONT BE DISCOURAGED IF YOU DONT SEE ANYTHING VISIBLE UNTIL REALLY WARM WEATHER COMES.
EARLY SPROUTS ( TWO LEAVES ) MAY BE THINNED WHEN SECOND SET OF LEAVES APPEAR.
GIVE POPPIES SOME SPACE, THEY WILL PRODUCE SMALL AND WEAK LOOKING PLANTS IF CROWDED. TAKE CARE WHEN THINNING .THESE PLANTS CANT BE TRANSPLANTED, THEY JUST DONT LIKE TO BE DISTURBED.
MANY PEOPLE LOOSE THEIR CROP BECAUSE THEY THINK THE SPROUTS ARE WEEDS.
NO WEEDING IN THE AREA UNTIL PLANTS HAVE 4 LEAVES OR TALLER.
NEW PLANTS ARE BLUE - GREEN IN COLOR,LEAVES HAVE DEEP CUT EDGES.
