How to Plant Purple Poppy
The purple poppy, or purple poppy mallow, is a perennial flower that sprouts long stems, similar to vines. On these stems, the purple poppy produces buds, which bloom in late spring with the wide purplish flowers that give the purple poppy its name. They can be planted in a variety of locations, but do best in USDA hardiness zone 4, where the average minimum temperature is between -30 and -20 degrees Fahrenheit. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Wait until late spring to plant purple poppy seeds. A temperature of 70 degrees F is ideal for planting.
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Place purple poppy seeds in a shallow dish. Heat water to just below boiling and pour the water over the seeds in the pan, so that the seeds are fully covered. Let the seeds soak in the water overnight.
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Select a planting location that receives six to eight hours of full sun throughout the day. If you do not have any spots on your property that gets this amount of sunlight, choose the location that gets the most sun (and choose a location with partial shade over a full-shade location).
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Use a spade to break up the soil in the area where you want to plant the purple poppy to a depth of about 6 inches and mix 1 to 2 inches of compost or fertilizer into the soil. Though, according to Illinois Wild Flowers, purple poppies can grow even in poor soil conditions, the plant thrives in soil rich in the nutrients that compost or fertilizer provides.
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Place the poppy seeds 12 inches apart to allow room for the plants and their roots to expand. Brush the soil over the seeds so that the seeds rest ¼ inch beneath the surface. Press lightly to establish firm contact between the seed and soil.
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Water the newly planted seeds until the ground is moist around the seeds. Allow the ground to dry completely before watering again, and wet the ground just until it's moist. Always let the ground dry fully before watering purple poppies, as they grow best in dry conditions.
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