How to Grow the Herbaceous Plant Corn Poppy? Detailed Guide to Sowing Time, Blooming Period and Growth Cycle

Corn poppy, also known as Shirley poppy, matchless peony, spring-all-over-the-garden, fairy wormwood, corn poppy grass and dancing grass, is commonly cultivated throughout China. So when should it generally be sown and when does it bloom? How long is its growth cycle? How do you grow it? According to Papaveraceae data, the corn poppy is a biennial herbaceous plant. It blooms large purple, white, pink or red flowers in April and May, and is very beautiful. Native to Europe and northern Asia, it is especially loved by Belgians and has been designated their national flower.

When is the herbaceous plant corn poppy generally sown and when does it bloom?

1. Sowing time for corn poppy

Corn poppy sowing time: spring, March to April, or autumn, September to October. The germination temperature for corn poppy is around 20 degrees, so the specific timing can be decided according to local temperatures.

2. Corn poppy needs to be sown in the autumn of the current year, then overwinter safely, and only blooms in April or May of the following year. However, this cultivation method requires going through a winter, so it involves a very long cycle.

3. The suitable temperature for the growth and development of corn poppy is 5 to 25°C. In areas with high spring and summer temperatures, the blooming period is shortened, and the temperature difference between day and night is large. Low nighttime temperatures favor growth and blooming, and it grows well in high-altitude mountain areas, where the flower colors are even more vivid. Its lifespan is 3 to 5 years. It is cold-tolerant, afraid of summer heat, likes a sunny environment, and prefers well-drained, fertile sandy loam. It does not tolerate transplanting and avoids continuous cropping and waterlogging. It can self-sow. The blooming period is May to August.

How do you grow corn poppy?

1. Corn poppy is mainly propagated by sowing and is usually grown as a biennial. The corn poppy flower and plants of the same genus all have taproots with very few fibrous roots and do not tolerate transplanting, so direct sowing should be used for propagation. If plants are needed for garden landscaping, it is best to raise seedlings in nutrient pots or small paper pots and transplant them together with the pot or pot, otherwise they are very difficult to survive or will grow poorly. The sowing period is determined according to climate characteristics. The Northeast region is relatively cold, so sowing can be done as early as possible in spring when seeds begin to sprout. The seeds are tiny, so sowing must be precise, using drills with a row spacing of 25-30 cm, and in harsh winter dry grass should be spread on the surface to protect against the cold. The suitable temperature for seed germination is 20℃. At home, they can be directly sown in flower pots.

2. Propagation by sowing. Sowing can be done in spring or autumn. Generally, spring sowing is in March to April, with blooming in June to July; autumn sowing is in September to November, with blooming in May to June of the following year. If the goal is to collect seeds, it is best to use autumn sowing. The soil should be prepared finely, made into beds and watered thoroughly, then broadcast or drilled. Because corn poppy seeds are tiny, the soil must be leveled and broken up finely when sowing. After broadcasting, there is no need to cover with soil, or a thin layer of fine sandy soil can be spread on top. The covering soil thickness should be such that the seeds are no longer visible (0.2-0.3 cm). In North China, because winters are severely cold and seedlings find it hard to overwinter, direct sowing is mostly done in early winter at the time of “Minor Snow”, so that they can sprout and grow as early as possible in spring

3. It is also possible to make corn poppy bloom in the same year it is planted, but certain techniques must be mastered.

First, corn poppy should be sown in spring. The sowing time is in early March. After the soil begins to thaw, you can choose open-field sowing or pot sowing. The sowing method is not difficult. For pot sowing, the soil needs to be prepared, put into the pot, and watered thoroughly. After the water has completely seeped in, mix the corn poppy seeds with fine sand, then evenly sprinkle them into the flower pot. When sowing, there is no need to cover with soil.

Next is the care of corn poppy. After sowing corn poppy, it is best to do work such as maintaining moisture and providing shade, and plastic film can be used as a cover. After the seedlings emerge, the plastic film can be removed. As the seedlings grow, thinning can be done appropriately.

Another very important point is water management. From April to May, corn poppy growth gradually speeds up. At this time, sufficient water and fertilizer must be ensured, applying diluted fertilizer water once a week. In this way, by around mid-May, the corn poppy will bloom.