POPPY - FRUIT PUNCH

The strong, upright 24" plants produce dramatic 5" blooms in shades of red, bright pink, pink, orange, and even an unusual plum. Blooms are ruffled and centers are dark. Perennial Zones 4-8. 50 seeds   PLANTING Papaver orientale Perennial, Zones 4-8 Germination: 10-30 days Germination Temperature: Optimum soil temperatures 60-65ºF Seed Planting Depth: Sow on surface, light aids germination Starting Indoors: Difficult to transplant. Roots and stems are fragile. Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost.  Sowing into individual biodegradable peat/cow pots reduces root damage when transplanting. Sow 2-3 seeds per cell/pot. Transplant a few weeks before last frost.  Sowing Outdoors: Early spring as soon as ground can be worked or in the fall. Sow a few seeds every 6-9" or prepare a weed free seed bed and sprinkle down seeds. Thin the seedlings 6-9" apart. Do not start poppies in hot weather. Germination and growth will be poor sow them in late fall and early spring. Growth Habit: Upright Height and Width: 24-30” x 18-24"”   Spacing: 16-20” apart Light Needs: Full sun  Soil Needs: Average to fertile, well-drained  Approximate days to flower from seed: Blooms the second year, but often blooms the first season when started early indoors. May-June  Uses: Flower beds, cottage and wildflower gardens, attracts pollinators