How to propagate oriental poppies

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How to propagate oriental poppies

BBC Gardeners' World Magazine

Published: Tuesday, 24 September 2019 at 3:31 pm

Find out how to take root cuttings from oriental poppies in five easy steps.

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Oriental poppies are a stunning addition to a border and are easy to propagate by taking root cuttings.

Discover 10 oriental poppies to grow.

They make perfect candidates for this propagation method as it exploits the plant's propensity to reproduce itself from every scrap of root left behind when plants are moved. Once most fleshy rooted plants are established it is impossible to eliminate them.

Once you have planted up your cuttings and new shoots have emerged, wait a little longer (new roots are made just after new shoots), pot individually and plant out when they've formed a good root system.

Here's how to take root cuttings from oriental poppies.

You Will Need

Sharp knife
Seed trays or modules
Peat-free seed compost
Horticultural grit

Step 1

Lifting the oriental poppy

Lift a clump of the oriental poppy that you want to take cuttings from or just scrape away the soil around the roots.

Step 2

Trimming poppy roots with a knife

Trim off a good section of the roots with a knife.

Step 3

Pushing roots into seed tray modules

Cut the root into short lengths (around 2.5cm) and push these vertically into a seed tray, of compost, thick end up.

Step 4

Covering the roots with horticultural grit

Cover the seed tray with a thin layer of grit to improve drainage and water well.

Step 5

Oriental poppy propagate

Wait until new shoots have emerged and formed new roots, before potting up singly.

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