ArucardX
02-25-2008, 09:59 PM
April Showers Bring May Flowers: Growing Opium Poppy
Its about that time of year again. Spring's not quite here--and winter's not quite gone, and Opium Poppy enthusiants are eagerly antcipating the project ahead. It is planting season for their foliage of choice, the Papver Somniferum Opium Poppy. But what is required to grow this magnificent flower?
Selecting a Strain:
First, one must select their preferred strain of poppy to be used. Although there are several species of opium poppies, papaver somniferum is the only poppy to naturally produce an opium latex. This species itself has several varities and variations as well, the two most notable strains being the Turkish Purple pods and the Persian Giant White pods. All pod strains vary in opium yield and potency. Experiment to discover which you enjoy most!
Once the preferred seeds are selected, one must aim to plant before Mayday. The poppy plant prefers warm days and cool nights. The poppy is also a strong plant, willing to withstand slight frosts in order to survive planting during times when temperatures drop in the evenings.
Preparing the Soil:
Poppies prefer a soil that is low in moisture and of a sandy disposition. Although it is recommended to provide adequate shelter for the flowers, shade is best to be kept at a minimum.
The soil beds should be prepared well in advance to planting by adding fertilizers and breaking up any clay material. Mulch must be left covering the beds for approximately a month. These sessions of preparation should be separated by 6 weeks between each turn in order to not over-nitrate the soil. Be sure that before planting to remove the mulch layer, as it can lead to fungi infestations and browning or the flower.
Planting:
As previously stated, plan to sow your seed on or around Mayday. Seeds can either be cast about the soil or sown thickly and raked into the soil. There is no need to turn the soil in order to bury the seeds, as simply being in contact with the soil is sufficient.
Young flowers will begin to sprout quickly and the strongest of the bunch become noticeable once they reach approximetaly 6-8cm. Allow growth to approximately 10cm and follow the next procedure.
Thinning
Poppies, like humans, are social beings and enjoy companionship with others like themselves. Select small groups of plants and thin out the smaller, weaker flowers, leaving clumps of 2-4 strong pods together. Two thinnings are suficient throughout the life cycle with about four weeks between each cutting so that the plant recieves has sufficient allopathic conditions.
It is better to thin progressively versus transplanting, as transplants can kill plants or lead to stunted growth and shorter flowering seasons.
Note: Thinnings CAN be used to steep a poppy tea, as discussed in my other guide, as the cutting do contain trace amounts of opiate content.
Harvest
As soon as the plants enter their flowering stage, flower petals open and must be plucked from the plant immediately to reveal the green seed pod beneath. A sharp knife is taken and lightly cuts from the top of the pod vertically appromixately 1-2cm. This is followed in a horizontal pattern around the pod, leaving between .5 and 1.0cm between each incision. The resulting latex that leaks out is left to dry on the pod and then scraped off and left in the sun to dry out completely. This process is repeated beneath the first process until the whole pod has been scored, dried, and scraped.
Note: Be sure to save your first, last, and largest heads to ripen in order to germinate a stronger crop during the next growing season.
The resultant cake is the opium in its pure form. This is left to dry in the sun until is forms a hard crustiness to it. This is what is known as "crude opium" and can be further refined by being dissolved in water and left for the water to evaporate ( performed by the same procedure in the guide "Let's Make Opium!").
Its about that time of year again. Spring's not quite here--and winter's not quite gone, and Opium Poppy enthusiants are eagerly antcipating the project ahead. It is planting season for their foliage of choice, the Papver Somniferum Opium Poppy. But what is required to grow this magnificent flower?
Selecting a Strain:
First, one must select their preferred strain of poppy to be used. Although there are several species of opium poppies, papaver somniferum is the only poppy to naturally produce an opium latex. This species itself has several varities and variations as well, the two most notable strains being the Turkish Purple pods and the Persian Giant White pods. All pod strains vary in opium yield and potency. Experiment to discover which you enjoy most!
Once the preferred seeds are selected, one must aim to plant before Mayday. The poppy plant prefers warm days and cool nights. The poppy is also a strong plant, willing to withstand slight frosts in order to survive planting during times when temperatures drop in the evenings.
Preparing the Soil:
Poppies prefer a soil that is low in moisture and of a sandy disposition. Although it is recommended to provide adequate shelter for the flowers, shade is best to be kept at a minimum.
The soil beds should be prepared well in advance to planting by adding fertilizers and breaking up any clay material. Mulch must be left covering the beds for approximately a month. These sessions of preparation should be separated by 6 weeks between each turn in order to not over-nitrate the soil. Be sure that before planting to remove the mulch layer, as it can lead to fungi infestations and browning or the flower.
Planting:
As previously stated, plan to sow your seed on or around Mayday. Seeds can either be cast about the soil or sown thickly and raked into the soil. There is no need to turn the soil in order to bury the seeds, as simply being in contact with the soil is sufficient.
Young flowers will begin to sprout quickly and the strongest of the bunch become noticeable once they reach approximetaly 6-8cm. Allow growth to approximately 10cm and follow the next procedure.
Thinning
Poppies, like humans, are social beings and enjoy companionship with others like themselves. Select small groups of plants and thin out the smaller, weaker flowers, leaving clumps of 2-4 strong pods together. Two thinnings are suficient throughout the life cycle with about four weeks between each cutting so that the plant recieves has sufficient allopathic conditions.
It is better to thin progressively versus transplanting, as transplants can kill plants or lead to stunted growth and shorter flowering seasons.
Note: Thinnings CAN be used to steep a poppy tea, as discussed in my other guide, as the cutting do contain trace amounts of opiate content.
Harvest
As soon as the plants enter their flowering stage, flower petals open and must be plucked from the plant immediately to reveal the green seed pod beneath. A sharp knife is taken and lightly cuts from the top of the pod vertically appromixately 1-2cm. This is followed in a horizontal pattern around the pod, leaving between .5 and 1.0cm between each incision. The resulting latex that leaks out is left to dry on the pod and then scraped off and left in the sun to dry out completely. This process is repeated beneath the first process until the whole pod has been scored, dried, and scraped.
Note: Be sure to save your first, last, and largest heads to ripen in order to germinate a stronger crop during the next growing season.
The resultant cake is the opium in its pure form. This is left to dry in the sun until is forms a hard crustiness to it. This is what is known as "crude opium" and can be further refined by being dissolved in water and left for the water to evaporate ( performed by the same procedure in the guide "Let's Make Opium!").