When Oriental poppy flowers are in full bloom, they definitely can be the focal point of your garden display in late spring to early summer. The Oriental poppy is the most striking of the perennial poppies. Their blooms are huge - some may reach up to six inches across and are on the top of stems as tall as four feet. These huge, cup-shaped flowers are delicate and paper-like in texture coming in a wonderful warm palette of color including red, salmon, orange, crimson, and white. Even though the plants' pedals seem to indicate it to be fragile, the perennial is actually known for its hardiness and durability. It is a favorite subject for artists because of its special beauty and color.
After blooming the plant goes dormant. Their beauty does not last long, but if enough varieties are planted they will bloom at slightly different times. Oriental poppies perform poorly in regions with hot summers. If the flowers are big they tend to flop over so the plant might need staking. However, generally poppies are easy to care for and require little maintenance. A special feature: deer do not like them.
Depending on the variety, plan to plant your poppies in the spring spacing each plant two to three feet apart. Using a garden fork or tiller, loosen the soil. Prepare the garden bed to a depth of twelve to fifteen inches. After this is done, thoroughly mix in a layer of rich compost about two to four inches deep. Then dig a hole for your poppy twice the diameter of the pot the plant is in. Remove the plant carefully from its container and place it in the hole. Make sure the top of the root ball is level with surface of the soil. Carefully filling in dirt around the root ball, gently firm the soil around it. Then, as you do with any newcomer to your garden, water the soil thoroughly around where you have just planted.
The care for this showy perennial is easy and simple. Each spring apply a thin layer of compost. To retain moisture and control the weeds, also apply about two inches of mulch on top of the compost. Watering is needed only during periods of drought in the summer months after the plants have bloomed and are dormant. In autumn, poppies will resume foliage growth until frost, and these green leaves will remain over the winter. To protect them over the winter months, after the soil has frozen, apply a four to six inch layer of mulch. This will prevent heaving during periods of temperature fluctuation. When the weather warms up in spring, gradually remove the winter mulch. The time to divide poppy plants is in the spring or early summer.
