Q.no flowers on oriental poppies
My usually prolific oriental poppy plants produce masses of flowers but this year only the leaves are strong and healthy. Is this due to the recent virus or what?
Ros White
For the Oriental Poppies to bloom they need an extended chill time.
The ideal weather is a cool summer followed by a cold winter.
They need lots of full sunshine, well draining soil. Heat and humidity can effect flowering and too much water will also inhibit flowering.
It also may not be there time to bloom yet, blooms often hide among the foliage, so poke around a bit for buds.
Also if the plants have become dense, they may be suffering from lack of air circulation around the plants.
Botrytis cinerea fungus can effect Poppies during wet and cool weather.
Brown and wet looking spots on the leaves and stalks of the plants are a symptom along with fuzzy grey mold.
Keeping the plants from being too tightly packed together is the best remedy for this fungus.
You can fertilize with a slow release balanced fertilizer in the spring.
https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/flowers/poppy/growing-oriental-poppies.htm
