What to Do With Poppy Flowers Come Spring?

Seedlings

• If you grew poppies in a garden bed the year before, there's a good chance the poppies have reseeded themselves. Look at your garden in spring. If you see seedlings that have narrow, notched leaves that look a bit fuzzy, they may be poppy seedlings. Compare the seedlings with a picture of a poppy plant before you decide they're weeds and remove them.

Cut Flowers

• Spring-blooming poppies will last in a bouquet inside the house, but they need special treatment. The stems drip a white sap and need to be sealed by passing a lighted match over the bottom of the stems before placing them in water. Be careful, though, because the sap may irritate your skin.

Seed Heads

• The seed heads are ornamental in late spring. Use them in dried floral arrangements. Cut the seed heads with about 12 inches of stem. Gather 10 to 12 stems together and hang upside down until completely dry.