Transplanting poppies?

[puglogic]

There's some work going on at the vacant house next to us, and this morning I found a small patch of oriental-style poppies (the big ones, not the california ones) growing in a spot where they are probably going to get bulldozed.

Does anyone know about transplanting poppies? I assume they're just the ordinary (!?) brilliant orange ones, but I'd hate to see them get whacked, and I have a safe place for them in my garden beds. On a rescue mission.....

[CathyA]

I've transplanted some a couple of times. They seemed to do okay, although it might take them a couple years to get back their vigor. Just get as much dirt with their roots as possible, and maybe even put some super phosphate in the hole they're going into.
I've also noticed that they don't like being crowded.....by themselves, or other plants around them.
Go for it! We rescued some from my MIL's house and they've done well.

[iris lily]

There's some work going on at the vacant house next to us, and this morning I found a small patch of oriental-style poppies (the big ones, not the california ones) growing in a spot where they are probably going to get bulldozed.

Does anyone know about transplanting poppies? I assume they're just the ordinary (!?) brilliant orange ones, but I'd hate to see them get whacked, and I have a safe place for them in my garden beds. On a rescue mission.....

Oh please rescue them!!!!! I love poppies but have given up on growing them. The common wisdom on poppies is that they hate being transplanted.

Funny you should mention those old giant orange ones. Just last week I was thinking "why don't I ever see those in yards of old plantings? I see the typical peony bushes and blue iris that are commonly planted along with the big orange poppies, but don't see poppies" and two days later I noticed a group of poppies out of the corner of my eye along a fence in a row as I drove one property. Now I vaguely remember watching those poppies a couple of years ago. They seem to be happy there, I'll mark the place and walk by them form now on to get my poppy fix.

[rodeosweetheart]

Oh please rescue them!!!!! I love poppies but have given up on growing them. The common wisdom on poppies is that they hate being transplanted.


Yeah, that is what I have heard, too, but I have had luck with them, especially when i prepared their new home with cow or horse manure--lowes has a good cheap 2 dollar bag of composted cow manure, and you could make a few different holes. And lots of water.