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When to sow annual poppies and sweet peas

9 years ago

I've had great luck sowing larkspur in the fall. The tiny seedlings winter over, and are robust and early blooming the following spring. Can anyone tell me if I would have the same success with annual poppy seeds and sweet pea seeds? I either forget in the winter, or the snow banks (for poppy seeds) don't cooperate. Thanks, Louise

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Comments (6)

ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
9 years ago
my annual poppies are just peaking bloom ...

which means mine.. will self sow within the next few weeks ...

except for forgetting where you put them.. i dont know why you would need any better time...

and if the seed winters over for me.. in z5 mi... i dont know why they wouldnt in z6 ...

when i doubt.. be the plant.. ooohhhmmmmm

ken
docmom_gw
9 years ago
I agree with Ken, in principle. However, the longer the seeds sit out on the ground, the more chance they have of being eaten or washed away or forgotten and mulched over and dug into. I'd try to wait until at least late fall. Though, if you have plenty of seed, planting them now might allow some to germinate immediately and put down enough roots to have a head start next spring. I'm not being very helpful, am I? There's probably no absolutely correct answer.

Martha
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Both these plants are hardy annuals, which means it will take a hard frost to kill them. The packs may give you those months but it depends where you live and no seed provider can cover all growing conditions. Planting in zone 9 or 10 will be at a different time than it will be in your zone and it will be much later in my zone 3. You plant these plants as soon as the ground can be worked. Sweet peas in particular, like regular peas like to germinate in cool, amended soil. A few degrees of frost will not kill either one, but planting too late when the soil is hot may cut down on germination. You can also plant Larkspur outside in the fall, but early enough that it grows a small plant before freeze up. If your last frost date is April 15th you could plant outside sometime around the first part of March. I don't know what your climate is like or how it warms in spring, so this is just a guess based on how it is here.
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dbarron
9 years ago
I plan on planting such plants that could overwinter as rosettes, about first of September if we're getting rains. I'll delay if not, just because of the birds and critters, since nothing will sprout without moisture.
floral_uk z.8/9 SW UK
9 years ago
Poppies can be Autumn sown, no problem. But the Sweet Peas I would sow in the winter (time depends on your climate) under shelter - a cold greenhouse, coldframe or a bright windowsill in a cool room is sufficient. I grow them in TP roll centres to accommodate the long root. Then plant out in Spring after frost. They are pretty hardy but will not survive winter outdoors, at least they don't in my climate.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sweet Peas from seed
SouthCountryGuy Zone 4b-5 SE BC
9 years ago
If you remember in winter that you forgot to sow the poppy seeds toss them on the snow! I haven't sowed poppy seeds in one of my beds for two years and still have poppies coming up. I don't want them there and pick them like weeds. So everyone here is right and sow them whenever you want.

I never direct seed sweet peas so can't help there.

SCG
trinquette
Original Author
9 years ago
Thanks everyone for the words of experience. I'll sow the larkspur and poppies in the fall, and continue to start my sweet peas in the winter, using the tp rolls - great idea and a good way to recycle.

I'll let you all know what happens!

Louise

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