Trouble growing poppies

miss choc

bought some poppy seeds a month ago and was delight to see small seedlings I had them on the windowsill in direct light and gave them a light misting every day. All the conditions seemed fine light, temp etc and fresh compost however, after a weeks of sprouting they have just dried up and wilted. I also got bigger seedlings about 6cm from a colleague I carefully divided them and put them into pots kept them inside and misted them too. Unfortunately I had to got away for 4 days and I came back today and they too have all wilted I immediately misted them and am hoping they will be ok again, can they be saved? I've tried googling whats happening but cant get any answers. Too much/little water? direct sun or shade? the only reason I grew them in the house was cos the weather is crap and I didnt want any birds/snails eating them. Think I may buy poppies full grown in future didnt realise poppies hard to grow from seeds.

planetX

probably damping off disease - a fungal infection. Misting every day wasn't a great idea. Better to stand the tray in water when they begin to dry out. Poppies don't like damp. They also don't like being transplanted, so much better to prepare an area outside and sow them direct. They're easy that way.

redser7

+1 for all of the above. They should be sown direct, they'll be fine. Just make sure to thin them according to spacing on the seed packet. They do sprawl and grow big. And put a stake or twiggy branch in early for them to grow through for support.

miss choc

Ahh thanks for that was killing them with kindness! thought it would be madness putting them out in this weather and didn't want anything eating them. Good idea about the tray of water was sure giving them a light misting was helping. There are some green in the flower pot yet worth saving think I should leave the pot outside (let the strongest survive) and leave them or carefully transplant them into the ground? seeds are so temperamental :rolleyes:

redser7

Let them dry out but as you've started them indoors leave them indoors till the weather picks up and then harden them off gradually. But they might die when you transplant them into the ground, poppies dont like to be transplanted. They are best sown where they are to grow. Research preparing a seed bed and sow some outside now. YOu can pop plastic bottles with the ends cut off over the ones outside as mini-greenhouse and also protects them from slugs.

miss choc

I managed to salvage a few that I hope arent infected they look ok, carefully picked out with a tweezer and used new pots and compost and spread them out going to leave them on the windowsill till they harden up them will put them outside. Fingers crossed if they grow big enough I can transplant them each into a bigger pot. I take it I should lay off the water for a while and maybe put a tray of water underneath in a few weeks (if they survive!)