Oriental Poppy Grown From Dormant Summer Root Cutting. 5.25.2021

 Last summer, I dug out root cuttings from a red oriental poppy that I grew in Vancouver.  I waited for the leaves to go dormant, crinkly brown, which they do in mid summer.  Then I dug out as much as I could, basically a foot long root.  The main root goes much deeper, and that plant grows back from the deeper root.  The dry, brown roots look like dead sticks.  I planted them around my Battleground vegetable garden.  Every cutting grew and bloomed.  Over a few years, they make a nice clump.

This is a nice way to get free starts of this beautiful oriental poppy, if you know someone who has a few plants.  It's much nicer than buying a potted plant from that orange home improvement store.

Propagating / Transplanting Oriental Poppy. The Result. 1.10.2020

Back in 2000 or so, I grew brilliant red oriental poppies from seeds.  This was an homage to my grandfather who grew them.  I remember him saying that they don't transplant easily.  That might be a false memory, so long ago.  A few years ago, I tried transplanting the mature oriental poppy plants when they were dormant.  The roots were woody and brittle, and broke off under ground.  I planted them  any way, and they grew and bloomed the next year.

Those original plants grew new tops from the deep roots.  Last summer I dug them again, breaking them off as deeply as I could.  I did that when they were fully dormant, mid summer, dried brown stems.  The roots were about 9 inches long.  I planted them in the perennial border around my garden.  

Checking the garden now, there are healthy looking poppy plants at each site where I planted the transplants.  This method works nicely.  I expect they will bloom next summer.

Growing Oriental Poppies from Bare Root Starts. 4.21.18

These are poppy plants, from bare root starts that I bought at a big box store in January.  Two of the three plants survived an grew.  They are not as big and lush as the older oriental poppies in the yard, but I think they will bloom in a year or two.

Digging an Oriental Poppy to Re-Plant. 1.19.15

Oriental Poppy before digging.  1.19.15

Oriental Poppy.  Large hole.  1.19.15

 I dug this oriental poppy to move to the Battleground place.  It's about 13 years old, from seed.  It has been moved once before.

I dug around it like I would a tree, slice vertically into the ground.  Then dig around those slices, in a circle, removing the soil.  Then slice under it, and lift the clump out of the soil.

All came up as one piece.  I think I got the vast majority of roots.  It should survive, and possibly bloom, this year.

I placed the clump into a very large flowerpot.  I am without car today and tomorrow, then can take it to Battleground.

My grandfather liked growing Oriental Poppies.  So I have them partly to remember him.

I also dug up a large clump of daffodils.  Same method.  If careful, they move without a problem, and there is nice bloom the first Spring, as if they were in the new location for years.  More of those to follow.   Transferring as much as I can, little bit by little bit, to the Battleground place.

I think I got almost all of the roots.  1.19.15