I have sowed poppies using cloches.
Since its still not too late to winter sow and there is some curiosity about how to do it.
Here are some threads to a few ways it's done.
http://garden.org/search/index...
and
http://garden.org/search/index....
This is my method for sowing annual poppy seeds ( somnifariums )
Sowing Annual Poppies
In January when there is a good day.
Scrape away any leaves or mulch to make a bare spot..where you want poppies to grow.
Seeds sown on mulch or anything but bare ground ,wont germinate.
Sprinkle the seeds and press into the ground.I just step where they are or use a board to press.Buried seeds wont germinate.
I have sown them and covered with screen held down with rocks.This protects the seeds from birds or washing away with rain.
I also made “milk bottle greenhouses”
Cut the bottoms off of plastic milk bottles and place the bottle over the sown seeds.I put 2 plant supports into the green house so it wouldnt blow away.
One support wont work because the wind will twirrel the bottle around and scatter the seeds who knows were.
A 1 gallon jug with plant supports for anchors.
These are the new poppies. DONT WEED THEM OUT.I have done that more times than I want to admit.
Also poppies dont need to be sown this thick. This picture was taken in March but we had a weird spring.I usually see new shoots in April.
In April check your sites for germination. Dont be discouraged if you dont see anything,I have seen poppies emerge in late May.
I also sow poppies on the bare ground and lay screen over the seeds,anchored down with stones.
These new sprouts were under screen.
I buy storm door replacement screen at HD it comes in rolls.
The half gallon jugs with poppies.
I only sow poppies this way. I usually buy annuals from a garden center.
SOME PIX OF GERMINATED pppies a couple of weeks old
This is a too thickly sown clump,it has a May 21 date
Really moving along
