Description of types and varieties of garden poppy, planting and care in open ground

Garden poppy is popular among gardeners. The flowers of this culture, due to their bright colors, will become a decoration for any summer cottage. The poppy blooms for only a couple of days, however, by sowing the seeds, you can get two dozen plants that will bloom one after another, thus decorating the area for a month. Poppies are absolutely undemanding to planting and care.

Description

Poppy (Latin name Papaver) is a herbaceous plant belonging to the Poppy family. The plant is rarely found in northern regions. Among the varieties there are both annual and perennial plants. The stems reach one meter in height. The flowering period is short - the plant blooms for one or two days.

Features of cultivation

The plant is unpretentious to air temperature and can withstand both warm and cold temperatures. It is better to plant seeds in loose soil. The plant needs to be provided with good lighting and not allow fluid to stagnate at the roots.

Varieties and varieties

There are different varieties and varieties of plants that differ from each other in terms of life, fruiting and external characteristics.

Alpine

This variety has white or yellow flowers. The stems reach a height of up to ten centimeters. It is grown as a one to two year old plant.

Holostem (Siberian)

A variety of alpine poppy that grows in the valleys of Siberian rivers. Characterized by early, long flowering. The stems reach a length of 35 centimeters.The flowers take on shades of white, yellow and orange.

Samoseyka Shirley (field, wild)

The stems of this variety reach a height of half a meter and have a bristly covering. The flowers are up to 10 centimeters in diameter and take on a uniform color of various colors. Shirley blooms in late spring, early summer.

Oriental

Perennial variety. It is considered one of the most beautiful varieties. It reaches a height of one meter. The flowers are characterized by their large size and rich bright red color. In addition, there are artificially bred subspecies that have flowers of different colors and textures.

Decorative

Decorative poppy includes more than a hundred varieties, reaching a height of up to one meter. There are both annual, biennial and perennial subspecies. Characterized by large flowers, resistant to temperature fluctuations.

Terry

This subspecies is also called peony-shaped. It is an annual plant. The stems reach a height of 90 centimeters. The flowers are large, double, similar in appearance to peony flowers. Most often pink, but there are varieties with various shades.

Icelandic

It is a perennial plant. The flowers take on a variety of colors: white, yellow, red, pink. Flowering begins in May and continues all summer until autumn.

Why is it useful?

Many people have the misconception that poppy is a narcotic drug. In fact, only the milk of immature plants has a psychotropic effect. The seeds have beneficial properties and are used for medical, culinary and cosmetic purposes.

Medicine

Poppy seeds contain substances used for medicinal purposes.

Codeine

A substance used to combat cough. Has an analgesic effect.

Papaverine

Antispasmodic; used to weaken the tone of smooth muscles of muscles and internal organs.

Morphine

Used in medicine as a strong pain reliever. Extracted from the juice of the opium poppy.

ethnoscience

In addition to official medicine, poppy, due to its beneficial properties, has become widespread in folk medicine. The plant is used as an analgesic, hypnotic, and helps with diarrhea, fatigue and other diseases of the body.

Hypnotic

An infusion of boiled poppy seeds is used as a sleeping pill. The seeds are infused in a thermos for three hours. The tincture is consumed before going to bed.

Painkiller

In addition to its hypnotic effect, poppy has a strong analgesic effect. The seeds are added to food, their juices help to cope with headaches and speed up the healing of the body after injuries or illnesses.

For diarrhea

The plant fibers contained in the seeds regulate the functioning of the stomach, eliminate constipation, help relieve abdominal pain and relieve diarrhea.

From fatigue

A decoction of poppy seeds, among other things, helps reduce body fatigue.

For migraine

Poppy infusion is used to combat migraines and frequent headaches. Migraine is treated by taking the infusion three times orally in a volume of 50 milliliters.

Boosting immunity

Eating poppy seeds helps increase the body's resistance to diseases. The seeds contain zinc, which helps reproduce white blood cells and enhances the body's defense against bacterial invasion.

For bronchitis and laryngitis

A decoction of poppy, thyme and violet helps thin mucus. One spoon of the mixture is poured with boiling water and infused for ten minutes.

Stopping the bleeding

Preparations based on poppy seeds have a hemostatic effect, so they are used to stop bleeding.

Oncology

The seed extract is used in oncology to prevent the appearance of metastases.

Fighting sweating

Poppy-based preparations reduce excessive sweating.

Cooking

In addition to medicinal use, poppy seeds are actively used in cooking. The seeds have a spicy taste and complement mushroom dishes and various sauces. Poppy seeds are widely used in the bakery and confectionery industry: buns with poppy seeds can be purchased in any supermarket.

Landscape design

Due to their unusually beautiful appearance, the flowers of the plant are used in landscape design. They will decorate any summer lawn or garden area.

Cosmetology and creativity

Essential oils obtained from the seeds of this plant have become widespread in cosmetology and are used to make homemade masks and body lotions.

Contraindications for use

Due to the opium content, the seeds can cause addiction and side effects such as poisoning. It is not recommended to use poppy in food if you have an individual intolerance, as well as with alcohol dependence, liver disease and heart failure.

Planting and care

Poppies are undemanding in terms of planting location and care, but following certain rules will allow them to develop better and bloom faster.

Selecting a location

Poppy grows best in areas that receive full sun. Most varieties require fertile soil, so the soil needs to be dug up with compost.

Deadlines

In regions with mild climates, seeds are sown in autumn or late winter. To sow at a later date, the seeds need to be kept in the refrigerator for two months.

Spring planting

In spring, poppy planting is carried out after the snow has melted and the soil has thawed.

Autumn

Autumn planting is the most preferred option. At the same time, the plants grow stronger and bloom faster.

Watering

Poppies are drought-resistant and therefore do not require special watering conditions. At the very beginning of the growing season, flowers should be watered twice a week.

Fertilizer

Fertilizing the plant with Kemira Universal solution, as well as fertilizing with complex fertilizers during flowering, has a positive effect on growth.

Transfer

You should not replant garden poppies. The plant does not take root in seedlings and may die.

Trimming

The plant does not need regular pruning, but after flowering it is worth removing dead leaf blades in order to preserve its appearance.

Wintering

Faded annuals should be removed from the garden bed before winter. Perennial specimens - cut to the level of the bed. In areas with cold winter climates, the beds should be covered with spruce branches.

After flowering

For perennial plants, after they have flowered, dried stems and leaves should be trimmed. The above-ground part of the plant is cut off near the ground.

Diseases and pests

Poppies are susceptible to fungal and bacterial diseases, as well as pest attacks.

Root rot

Root rot is a fungal disease that affects many garden crops. Due to its action, plant tissues begin to rot. To prevent the formation of rot, the seeds should be treated with potassium permanganate and the soil should be disinfected with bleach.

Powdery mildew

Powdery mildew poses the greatest threat to poppy plants. It is characterized by the appearance of a white coating on the stems and leaves and leads to the death of the plant.It is treated with a solution of copper oxychloride.

black spot fungus

An indicator of damage is the appearance of dark spots between the veins of the leaves. Severely affected plants die before seed production.

Aphid

An insect that feeds on plant juices is a dangerous pest. In addition, it is capable of spreading plant diseases and causing gall-like formations.

Spider mite

A harmful mite that affects almost all types of ground crops. It bites through plant cells and feeds on plant sap. It does not tolerate high humidity, therefore, to prevent its occurrence, plants should be sprayed with warm water.

Possible difficulties

The main difficulties when growing garden poppies can be: difficulties in providing the soil with the right amount of moisture and nutrients, lack of care, incorrectly selected place for growing, as well as dense planting of poppies.

Increased soil moisture

Poppy grows well in damp, ameliorated soils, but does not tolerate excessive moisture, therefore, in order to avoid plant death, water stagnation at the roots should not be allowed.

Lack of nutrients in the soil

The culture requires fertilized soil. With insufficient nutrients it grows slowly, the flowers may grow small in size and not bright enough.

Dense planting

If planted too closely, the flowers will grow small, which will affect the appearance of the bed.

Poor care

Wilted flowers must be removed in a timely manner, otherwise seed pods will appear and the bush will stop blooming. Pruning extends the poppy's flowering cycle.

Wrong place

Poppy is a light-loving crop, so planting it in the shade will result in it not blooming due to lack of sunlight.

Collection and storage of seeds

The time to collect seeds comes after the flowering period, when the capsules turn yellowish. Seeds should be stored in a cool place.

Reproduction

Poppy propagates by seed. After planting a plant on the site once, it is enough to leave a couple of boxes on the bush when harvesting, and the plants will sprout again the next season.

Reviews

According to most gardeners, poppies are an excellent decoration for any summer cottage and perform a decorative function better than any other crop, while being completely unpretentious in terms of care.