How to Start Red Poppy Cuttings

Oriental poppies bloom in a variety of colors with red being quite common among home gardeners. This is a perennial plant that blooms on stems that can reach up to 4 feet in height. Although the blooming period is short -- only one to two weeks -- it is spectacular. After the flower show, the plant dies back with summer's heat, to return the following season. Red poppies root readily from pieces of their roots. Take root cuttings while the poppy is dormant.

Nursery pots
Compost
Sand or vermiculite
Pruning shears
Cold frame

Instructions

- 1
  Fill nursery pots with equal parts of compost and sand or vermiculite. Water the mixture until it is soggy and set the pot aside to drain while you take the cuttings.
- 2
  Lift the poppy from the soil and run a slow stream of water from the hose over the roots to clean off the soil.
- 3
  Choose root sections that have the thickness of a pencil. Cut them close to the crown, straight across.
- 4
  Cut the root sections into 4-inch pieces, making a straight cut at the top of each piece and an angled cut at the bottom.This will help you remember the top from the bottom of the root cutting.
- 5
  Stick the cuttings into the planting medium until the straight end is even with the soil. Sprinkle a 1/8-inch layer of sand over the top.
- 6
  Place the red poppy root cuttings in a cold frame, or a lightly shaded area that remains below 60 degrees Fahrenheit. Look for the poppy's root cuttings to sprout in the spring.

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