In the wild, the red flowers of the corn poppy only rarely dance across meadows and fields. Reason enough to offer the annual summer flower a home in a natural garden. The following answers to frequently asked questions show how uncomplicated the delicate beauty is.

The poppy is poisonous from head to toe

Table of Contents

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  1. Plant poppies correctly
  2. care tips
  3. Which location is suitable?
  4. The right planting distance
  5. What soil does the plant need?
  6. What is the best planting time?
  7. When is flowering time?
  8. Cut poppies correctly
  9. Water poppies
  10. Fertilize poppies properly
  11. propagate poppies
  12. Corn poppy in the pot
  13. Is poppy poisonous?
  14. How do I harvest and sow poppy seeds?
  15. What is the effect of poppy flowers?
  16. Beautiful varieties

    17. Plant poppies correctly

    Ready-grown poppies can be planted from mid-April, provided the weather cooperates. As long as the ice saints are still threatening to be there at night, the flower should not be placed outdoors. While you are weeding and raking the bed soil, the root ball is allowed to soak up water. Dig small holes 45-55 cm apart and mix the excavation with compost and horn shavings.(32.93€) Then pot out the young corn poppy and place it in the ground up to the lower pair of leaves. After watering, a layer of mulch made of leaves, bark mulch or grass clippings contributes to vital growth.
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    care tips

    The minimal care program of a poppy can be managed excellently even by hobby gardeners with little time. We are talking about these manageable measures:

    • In the event of a drought, water the corn poppies directly at the roots
    • In poor soil or in pots, fertilize every 4 weeks from April until the end of the flowering period
    • Cut off flower stalks once they have withered

    Since the corn poppy takes care of the propagation itself with bulging seed pods, the last flowers of the season remain in the bed. After the petals fall off, the pods ripen and burst open, scattering the fine seeds throughout the garden.

    Which location is suitable?

    If the poppy is spoiled by the sun's rays for several hours a day, it does its best at the location. In the semi-shade, the bloom usually falls short of expectations. A wind-protected location prevents disheveled flower heads, so a location in front of the south wall of the house is wisely chosen. The soil should be loose, permeable and rich in nutrients so that the long taproot can conquer the soil up to a depth of 1 meter unhindered.

    The right planting distance

    With an average growth height of 30 to 80 cm and a clump-like habit, we recommend a planting distance of 45 to 55 cm. If you arrange corn poppies in small tuffs with 5-10 specimens each, the enchanting cup-shaped flowers come into their own.

    What soil does the plant need?

    Corn poppies thrive in any good garden soil. The poppy plant shows itself from its most beautiful side when it is offered a sandy-loamy to gravelly-loamy and calcareous soil composition. Since waterlogging is a poppy's worst enemy, close proximity to a body of water should be avoided. If you cultivate the poppy in a window box or bucket, it will thrive in standard compost-based potting soil, enriched with a handful of vital lime.

    What is the best planting time?

    From April, specialist retailers will be offering young plants in containers that you can plant straight away in beds or pots. If you want to plant corn poppies in the garden by sowing, the planting period extends from mid-March to the end of May. Autumn sowing in September/October results in extra early flowering, but is regularly threatened by the inclement winter weather. If you decide to sow in autumn, you cannot avoid winter protection of the seedbed in the form of straw, brushwood or garden fleece.

    When is flowering time?

    Corn poppies display their bright red or white flowers from May to July. A terminal single flower lasts 2 to 3 days and then withers. As new bud sites continue to develop throughout the flowering period, the colorful magic continues seamlessly. Cut off wilted flower stalks to attract extra corn poppies. However, if you want to self-seed this magnificent summer flower, you should be given the opportunity to form the seeds. In this case, the withered flowers should not be cut off at the end of summer.
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    Cut poppies correctly

    As an annual summer flower, corn poppy does not require pruning in the sense of a shape and maintenance cut. However, if you take the time to cut off wilted flower stalks, the effort will be rewarded with a long flowering period. If you feel disturbed by the dead leaves in autumn, cut them off close to the ground. Please consider the toxic content of the milky juice and put on gloves to be on the safe side so as not to cause skin irritation.

    Water poppies

    Corn poppies know how to cope with short periods of drought, whereas waterlogging means the premature end of the atmospheric bloom. Water the natural beauty during dry summers, avoiding pointed shots from the garden hose. Ideally, give the water from the spout of the watering can directly to the roots. In contrast, the pot and window box (€16.99) is watered regularly, since the flower cannot stretch its taproot down to the groundwater here, as it can in the garden soil.
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    Fertilize poppies properly

    At the nutrient-rich location there is no need to add fertilizer, since the table for poppies is richly laid here. If in doubt, start fertilizing in April with compost and horn shavings gives the poppy the desired growth spurt. If the soil turns out to be too acidic, remedy this with a repeated application of lime or rock flour (14.13€). In the pot or balcony box, apply a diluted concentration of liquid fertilizer for flowering plants every 4 weeks until the end of the flowering period.

    propagate poppies

    The propagation of poppies succeeds without much ado by direct sowing in the bed. Prepare a finely crumbly seedbed in a sunny, nutrient-rich location. As soon as the temperatures exceed 15 degrees from mid-March, sow the fine seeds widely. If you mix them with a little bird sand beforehand, the seeds will spread better. Sieve the seeds thinly with fine soil, sand or vermiculite. After the substrate has been showered with water, spread a close-meshed net over it as a precaution. You can look forward to the first seedlings within 8 to 14 days.
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    Corn poppy in the pot

    In the pot, corn poppies attract everyone's attention with their picturesque flowers. In order for it to spread this magic over many weeks of the summer, everything in care revolves around the following measures:

    • If the substrate dries up, pour directly onto the roots
    • Fertilize every 4 weeks from April until the end of the flowering period in a diluted concentration
    • Immediately cut off wilted flower stalks to encourage reblooming

    Leave the last poppy flowers in the pot until the seed pods have developed. It contains valuable seeds for the next generation of flowers.

    Is poppy poisonous?

    Corn poppy is poisonous in all parts. The white milky sap in particular contains a high dose of toxic alkaloids. If a large amount of the seeds is consumed, considerable stomach and intestinal problems occur. First and foremost, children fall victim to the bright red temptation, stuffing the flowers and seeds into their mouths. The result is stomach pain, vomiting and diarrhea. The same goes for domestic animals and grazing livestock, as well as horses. Therefore, only cultivate corn poppies in locations where children and animals cannot access the flower.
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    How do I harvest and sow poppy seeds?

    When a poppy has finished this year's flower festival, the withered petals fall off and the seed pod develops. Once this has reached maturity, you will see several small holes in the lid of the capsule. Carefully cut off the capsule and place it in a fine tea strainer so that the tiny seeds are not lost. Take the seed out of the capsule in a dry, wind-protected place. Now it is up to you whether you sow the seeds in the bed immediately or wait until the following March. In any case, the process of sowing proceeds in the following steps:

    • Weed the soil in a sunny, wind-protected location, clearing stones and roots
    • First with the rake, later with the rake, prepare the soil until it is finely crumbly
    • Sow the seeds widely to cover them lightly with sand, soil or vermiculite

    After wetting the bed with a fine spray, spread out a tightly woven net, otherwise the seeds will end up in the beaks of pecking birds or in the hungry stomachs of animal garden dwellers. At a constant temperature of 15-20 degrees Celsius, germination begins within 8-14 days. During this time, keep the bed free of weeds and constantly slightly moist.
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    What is the effect of poppy flowers?

    Although conventional medicine vehemently denies it, healers have sworn by the calming effect of poppy flowers for generations. Dried and prepared as a tea, poppies soothe tense nerves with no harmful side effects. However, the plant does not contain any morphine, as is the case with opium poppies. Collect the flowers once they have opened. Dry the harvest in an airy, not too bright place. With a bit of luck, the red color will remain. Sometimes, however, the petals turn greyish, which does not detract from their effectiveness. Pour boiling water over it, let the tea steep for 15 minutes and enjoy it in small sips. Those suffering from skin problems repeatedly wash themselves with the tea to get relief.
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    Beautiful varieties

    • Angels Choir: Magnificent variety with bright red, lavishly double flowers
    • Cabrita: Historical variety from 1800 with pure white cup-shaped flowers, ideal for the romantic cottage garden
    • Pierrot: Red bowl flowers with conspicuous black spots characterize this variety
    • Ladybird: Delicate dwarf variety with red cup-shaped flowers marked with black; ideal for balcony boxes and tubs
    • Silk Poppy: Large-flowered mix of red, white and pink flowers with double flowers

Category:

Herbs