Growing Red Poppy Flowers

Red Poppies are vibrant flowers that can be grown as an annual or a perennial. This showy flower looks wonderful when grown in masses with other wildflowers in an open field or large garden area where you can enjoy watching butterflies.

Red Poppy flower/image by Pixabay

A few years ago I bought wildflower seed that was formulated with partial shade flowers. To my surprise, the red poppy was mixed in with this seed. 

I planted the seed in early spring (end of March) as it was in the time period recommended on the seed packet. (March-May)  The seeds were sowed on turned-over soil that was amended with organic matter. I did not cover the seed with soil. I watered the seed after planting them daily until the flowers were established in the garden. Then I watched to make sure the flowers did not dry out and watered the flower garden as needed. Be careful to not overwater as this flower does not grow well in soggy soil.

When fully grown your poppy will form a clump and the flowers will be 12 to 14 inches in height. 

My poppies bloomed in June and continued to provide my garden with color for four weeks. If you reside in an area that has deer know that they will leave this flower alone.

The poppy flower is beautiful when grown in masses or in a small garden. This flower does attract butterflies, hummingbirds, and honey bees. So you will want to plant and grow where you can enjoy viewing the flowers and the wildlife.

Note

1. Poppy flowers do not last long when they are cut for a floral arrangement or in a vase. On average they will last for the day but no more than 8 hours. You can try a fresh cut on the stem and fresh water and they may last a little longer.
2. Fertilize poppies in the spring. Use an organic fertilizer that is applied to the soil around your plants.
3. You can cut back the poppy flower when it dies off or you can wait for the seed pod. 

About Flowering Shrub – Forsythia

If you like flowering shrubs that bloom in the spring then you should grow the Forsythia. This shrub is not fragrant however it does produce branches that are covered with flower buds in late winter/ very early spring.  This flowering shrub is the first to bloom in my yard. When the buds bloom the bright yellow flowers are so cheerful.

This showy flowering shrub can be grown as a hedge, free-standing accent plant, or foundation plant. This shrub is long-lived and the flowers can be cut for lovely centerpieces for your home. If you plant it as a hedge plant the forsythia is six feet apart.

I grew up with Northern Gold Forsythias in my backyard so when I moved back to the Midwest I planted this shrub in my yard, I joined an organization and received two bare roots that were four inches tall. The shrub took years to grow and to produce multiple branches. Of course, that was 8 years ago and now my forsythias are mature. My shrub is 10 feet in height with a similar spread.

Growing wild forsythia should be pruned after the spring bloom to keep in shape.

Forsythias are not hard to grow, as long as you plant them in full sun (at least six hours daily). Choose a growing site that has well-drained soil. I recommend growing this flowering hedge where you can enjoy seeing the showy flowers.

To prevent this shrub from getting out of control you would prune it in the spring after it has bloomed. If you prune in the summer or the fall then you run the risk of having fewer blooms the following season.

There are many varieties of forsythia some grow best in cold climates others are hardy when grown in zone 3 to 9.  

Learn more about pruning your forsythia here

Treating Transplants with Neem Oil Concentrate

Today we worked in the garden by digging up herbs and transplanting them into containers. We always bring our culinary herbs indoors to enjoy them throughout the winter months and think it is best to bring them in before the weather turns colder than 60 degrees. Herbs are heat seekers and when the days and nights turn cool the plants are stressed.

We transplanted Rosemary, Sage, Oregon Basil, Peppermint and Parsley today. But before bringing the plants indoors we sprayed all with Garden Safe Neem Oil Concentrate. Neem oil is an organic way to get rid of a variety of garden pests; aphids, whiteflies, powdery mildew, and spider mites.

It is best to treat your plants with the Neem oil solution a day or two before bringing them indoors. It takes approximately 24 hours to get rid of the pests on your plants.

Neem oil organic concentrate is easy to use because this natural product is mixed with water before applying with a garden sprayer to your plants. Spray your plants, and saturate them with pest control. Then wait a day or two before bringing your transplants indoors for the winter.

Note: Oil does not mix well with water so you need to shake the formula often before and during application. Refrain from using neem oil on any flowers or buds as it is toxic to bees.   

Indoor Growing Tips for Chives

Chives are a delicious perennial herb that is in the onion, leek, and garlic family. You can grow chives outdoors and indoors in a container as long as it gets ample light in a room that has good air circulation and the soil does not dry out.

Start the chives outdoors on the ground or in a container. The chive is easy to grow from a bulb or you can plant it by sowing seeds in the spring. When fully grown chives tall sword-like leaves will reach a height of 10 to 12 inches. When planting it is best to grow a clump of chives in a container or on the ground and I recommend planting 5 or 6 bulbs so the plant can grow into an attractive clump.

Harvest the leaves of fully grown chives for your salads, soups, 

stews, dips and herb bread recipes

The best way to grow chives indoors is to dig up chives from your outdoor garden after a hard freeze and replant them into a container. Clip back the foliage before setting on your sunny spot. Water and fertilize the chives and wait for the new growth. You have tricked the chives into thinking it is spring and chances are there will be pretty purple flowers on your plant. Learn more about herbs here

View recipes for chives below

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Planting Oak Trees with Spouse

When it comes to planning the gardens and landscape I usually do all the drawings then my husband will help me with the labor. My spouse is someone who would rather watch the garden shows on TV than actually go out in the yard and create a specialty garden or plant a tree. However, if someone asks him a question about gardening he will give an expert opinion.

Oak trees planted 20 feet apart

Overall I like my husband helping me in the yard and garden but that is not to say that he does not get under my skin when he disagrees with me on how and where to plant trees.

A few years ago we both agreed that our landscape needed some shade trees plus we liked the idea of having a wind block in the winter and shade in our yard in the summer. We decided to plant oak trees.

I wanted to plant the trees 20 feet apart from each other and 15 feet away from the house. My husband wanted to plant the Oak trees in a row; 8 feet from the house and 12 feet apart.

I disagreed because an Oak tree needs room to grow and if it is grown too close to your house the branches will constantly need to be trimmed and the roots will grow into the foundation. Besides trees that are grown too close to each other are competing for sun, water, and soil nutrients. Too close means an unhealthy tree. So we disagreed about how many trees should be planted and where they should be planted.

If my husband thinks that he is right about where to plant the oak shade trees; in a row, 5 feet from the house and 8 feet in between the trees, then nothing I say will convince him otherwise. He has his mind made up that these trees will provide a wind block in the winter and aid in conserving energy in the summer.

Whenever my husband and I disagree I make a point to convince him otherwise by going with him to the tree nursery. Once there I will seek the tree expert and ask him for his assistance. This is the best way for me to put an end to a disagreement.

If you have a husband like mine then ask the tree expert, master gardener, or another garden expert for planting tips. Your husband will know then that you were correct, and instead of arguing with you, he will heed the expert advice on planting.

Know that I won the disagreement because the tree expert confirmed what I said was correct. He was diplomatic and did not say your wife is correct, he just repeated what I had said. My husband knew I was right and he will never question me again about planting trees, but he will never admit that I was right because it’s a “guy thing”.

Learn more about growing Oak trees.