Blue Poppy

Hi all, I sowed some meconopsis seed the first week of November, once sown I put them outside as per growing instructions, it looks like they are sprouting so do they go into the greenhouse now?

 

yes in the greenhouse keep a eye for slugs and snails

 

Thanks @Spruce

 

Picking up on an old post.
I really haven't bothered with these, I've had them behind the pergola but they seem to not want to give up, might see if I can give them a bit of tlc.

 

Flourishing through neglect!
I spent about 6 years learning how to grow these beauties, once established they bulk up and are quite easy.
Bearing in mind I live in Scotland, I grow lots in both full sun and shade to prolong flowering but further south I would suggest semi shade.
For success you must not let Meconopsis get smothered by other plants, they like lots of air circulation so they are not a good subject for an herbaceous border, much better planted between the likes of Rhododendron or Azaleas. They will rot off if planted too deep and unlike poppies they enjoy a good feed of something like a mulch of horse manure. If you can get them established then they are really easy and bulk up. My absolute favourite herbaceous plant and only true blue flower. Worth giving them what they need.

 

Yours are lovely @hailbopp I haven't got a spot to plant them in the ground it has to be pots for me. I'm quite surprised they have survived to be honest I've seen them covered in snow and the smallest seedling was probably only an inch tall, I'll see what I can do for them.

 

Just watch planting depth and yes no issues with hardiness. Pretty good drainage is essential hence why yours in pots are fine. You have done the worst/ trickiest bit! Yours should flower this year with any luck

 

I didn't know any better and just stuck mine in among the rest of my crowded "forest". Don't think they will like that from what has been said.

 

I can honestly say you never know, and if you don't try then obviously you will never know.

 

Maybe get the secateurs out to attack their neighbours @Jocko , they dislike any leaves of other plants touching them. A little late now but you can move them quite easily. Best done in the spring but I have lifted and split clumps in the Autumn for my charity sales without too much bother. That said tho I keep the split up sections in a cold greenhouse over winter with barely any watering as when newly split and not in active growth they have an annoyingly good ability to rot!

 

Love them. tried growing from seed one year, not successful. will give it a go again one day.

 

Given one of the plants a bigger pot so I'll see if it makes a difference.

 

This looks promising

 

It is recommended to not let them flower at a young age but personally it seems criminal to pinch it out.

 

As your plants were sown last year and are not this year’s sowings, with this being the case then it should be fine to let the plants flower and yes you are definitely going to have flowers. Your plant looks reasonably big enough to survive flowering.@Perki is correct though, if the plants are quite small and going to flower the same year as sown then it is not a good idea to let the plants flower. I let some fairly small plants flower and they duly died post flowering. Unless you were desperate to collect the seed I would strongly recommend you remove the dead flower heads post flowering to stop the plants using energy to produce seed. You are sure to enjoy the flowers and as the plants get older they do produce a good number of flowers per stalk. Unless it is very hot weather the flowers do last for a good period of time.