Seed Needs Mixed Somniferum Poppy Seeds for Planting - Heirloom & Open Pollinated Annual Flowers - Colorful Masses of Wildflowers, Perfect for a Butterfly Garden (2 Packs)

First off, you get so many seeds in the pack. I paid around the same price at a local store and probably got half of the seeds from the local store. The value here on Amazon is so worth it!! Secondly, the pack instcall for you to do this cold stratification method. I put my pack of unopened seeds in the freezer for about three weeks before sprinkling them ONTOP of my garden soil. I watered them after and let nature and time do their things. The seeds are viable!! This is my first time growing flowers and it has been so easy. They sprouted quickly. I can't wait to update when they bloom!

I bought 5 packs last spring and my yard was POPPING with poppies all summer long! I got compliments and thumbs up (from those who know haha) from passersby every time I was outside tending them. This was my very first time ever growing poppies and though I probably had about a 50% germination rate, it was still plenty. I was worried because I purchased them late, mid-april, and I direct sowed them into the soil in my yard without any type of cold stratification (Colorado) but they sure took off anyway! I'm gearing up to buy double the amount I purchased last year. I can't wait for summer!

I live in Texas and tried planting these in late September, gotta tell ya honestly : NOTHING sprouted. Not indoors, not outdoors, not potted or ground. To give this company a fair shake, I will re order again once it warms up over here, and I will try again and repost a review then.

The seeds grew into seedlings. I started them indoors. Then I transplanted them outside. Fail. I didn’t follow the directions well enough and I have a brown thumb. Maybe next year I’ll be successful.

I got these seeds to sprout within a couple or a few days, just the other day. I figure that I would try and sidestep the planting seasons and induce micro-ecological temperature controls upon the seeds, per pot, since I'm trying an indoors growing setting, with a sandy clay peat and coconut coir medium, as a special potting soil preparation. I've grown poppies before, and I know that they can be fussy, so I'm trying to take good care of them. That being the case, I don't have super high expectations for the project, for that matter. I'm just trying to whet my chops, so to speak, in terms of studying and practicing the husbandry and care of these plants, and I might try them in a more diverse setting, this upcoming season, if I feel that the space, as well as my self, capably, can handle the plants throughout an entire growing season - because if something goes wrong, at all, during the growing and flowering / seeding season, the whole project becomes a disappointment, at least, a little bit, for the time being. I figure that I have to be patient, in order for this project to work out, but I purchased 5 packs of seeds, here, on account of my optimism :)

First off, the seeds arrived promptly and included planting instructions. After inspecting the package I noticed that there was probably less than 500 seeds in the package and more like 300 or so, although I'm not absolutely certain since I'm not about to sit there and count each one. Secondly and more important is their performance which I must say is very good! Within 3 days I had most of the seeds I sowed germinate. I was kind of worried and skeptical about ordering because of all the negative reviews but now I am relatively certain it is not in any way the fault of Seeds Needs and that the people must have been doing something wrong. I have learned that with Poppies it's very important to sow the seeds the correct way to get success. Ambient temperature is important as is light, as the seeds need light to germinate and colder temperatures to break the dormancy cycle. I tried sowing my seeds in two different environments so I could learn more about how the plant is affected by the element of temperature. Everything I have read concerning Poppies' preference for colder temperatures at the germination and seedling stage I have confirmed. In both environments I used the same media, lighting, and water, to wit: Jiffy Starter pellets, Fluorescent lighting and water with an approximate adjusted Ph of 6.8-7.0 with a very small amount of Super Thrive vitamin additive (the amount specified for seedling/germination on a per gallon basis). In both cases I applied the seeds directly to the top of the media and used my fore finger to apply slight pressure to the seeds so as to gently cause them to be "encased" and pushed down into the media (Jiffy pellet) on all sides except for the top. When done correctly the seeds are still clearly visible and are not covered by the media. The media was also moist from the application of water a few hours prior to sowing the seeds. I also watered the pellet from its lower sides very lightly after sowing the seeds so as to further encourage the seed to germinate. As noted above, the seeds should never be covered with media as the light is necessary for their germination. After applying the seeds to the media and into the Jiffy pellet tray, I shifted the clear top, causing it to rest on top of the tray crooked so as to allow air to circulate inside the encased tray. I placed one group in an outside setup with an average temperature of 76-82 degrees F and the other group in an indoor setup with an average temperature of 64 degrees F. In both cases the seeds germinated well, however, the group that was placed inside has had a much higher germination rate, which I would estimate to be about 80% whereas the outdoor group was about 40%. The only differences were temperature and the duration of light. The outdoor setup is set for a light period of 18-6 on-off whereas the indoor setup is at 24 on. The pellets are also kept moist by watering only if needed and only from the lower sides of the pellet, causing the water to seep up and therefore encouraging the little seedlings' tap root to travel down into the media to establish a root structure. I conducted these setups based on information I had read concerning sowing Poppies and in order for me to learn more. It appears that those who had a negative experience may have had that due to their own error and not because of the lack of viability of these seeds. I can assure all who are considering these seeds that the one's I received are good and viable and that for the most part I have had good success in germinating them. I also want to clarify that I do not work for Seeds Needs and that I am posting the way I did it that worked because I am hoping it may be able to help my fellow gardener. These are really beautiful flowers that are unparalleled in their beauty and I know it stinks to have the expectation of seeing all the beautiful colors that will come up only to be disappointed that you got a bunch of nothing! And since solid information about cultivating Poppies isn't that abundant for extremely retarded reasons, I figured I would share what I have learned, tried, and have so far had success with. For all considering Seeds Needs I would say go for it. The seeds perform...or at least mine definitely are. Just remember to make sure that you have good light and a decent temp to get them started and then to keep them in FULL SUN. They do NOT like the shade. Happy gardening and may everyone get some beautiful flowers!

The instructions included are clear and easy to follow. I finished the setup in just a few minutes.

9 germinations out of 60 when planted in a high-nutrient hydroponic setup with adjusted lighting, 10 seeds per sponge pod. This means that in optimal conditions, with careful prep work, including pre-refridgeration and pre-soaking, the seeds have a ~7% germination rate. Tested once so far. Showing slightly higher mold resistance than other stains, which is a bonus, as I've only lost 1 in this high-mold count air, but promising indeed. Would recommend planting 12-15 seeds/inch^2 or pod for optimal results.