meconopsis wanted

[robsorchids]

I'm very partial to meconopsis!

I tried to grow several species but without success.

I grew them in pots but they just disappeared over time.

they may have died during the summer from partialy drying out.

or I hear that low humidity can kill them?

I even had some success growing hensol violet from seed but they were very difficult to get past the cotyledon stage and died before making true leaves.

I would love to start again with some plants if anyone wants to swap some for galanthus or pleione?

rob

[mark smyth]

Rob everyone I know that grows them has them in damp woodland gardens where they never dry out

[mark smyth]

Have you thought of making raised beds out of railway sleepers or broken paving like I have done

[Maggi Young]

Rob, most meconopsis tend to be big, hungry plants, I doubt that you could grow them happily in a trough in deepest England.

[Paul T]

Not in my garden they don't!  They tend to be dead skeletal plants!! 

[Susan Band]

Rob,
I can give you some divisions of M x Lingholme, I am splitting them up at the moment. Pot them up, bearing in mind they will be just stumps, and keep them in a shady place until their roots grow. I would then try them in the part of the garden that floods, they are not at all delicate, just don't like hot and dry, and will enjoy the extra nurishment from the flood water. Part of my field beds are under water at the moment and they don't seem to mind although I must get the digger in to drain it.

[Susan Band]

Rob,
Meconopsis seedlings are very vunerable to frost or bright sunshine/drying out. Once they keel over they never recover, damping off sets in. A covering of fleece or shading in a frame, preferably with a heating cable is great to start them off, once they are potted cover them with fleece.

[Lesley Cox]

I have come to the conclusion that the best way to grow Meconopsis successfully is to go and live in Tromso, Norway.

[gote]

Rob,
Take a look at the Meconopsis group's homepage. www.meconopsis.org
Grandis and 'Lingholm' would need very large pots. There are smaller ones. Try M. aculeata which is a woodlander and M. horridula which is an alpine. Both are monocarpic.
Or follow Lesley's advice and move to Tromsö. I assume Srinagar would be a good bet also.
Good luck
Göte

[ichristie]

Hi all, why move to Northern Norway when you can come and stay in The Best Small Country in the World  Scotland where Meconopsis grow despite the weather ( sun shines sometimes), We have heavy clay soil which was ploughed over then grit and good home made compost, Leaf mould was added to make raised beds these have an annual mulch of general compost added every spring. In the pictures you will see the outlines of a tunnel structure which we cover with a net from April to July as the winds here would blow the heads away also helps with shade. I have around 50 different clones Meconopsis George Sherriff group and several other infertile plants which we split up every 3 or 4 years, cheers Ian the Christie kind.

[Paul T]

I think I'm going to cry.  If only it was that easy here!!    Lovely to see them thriving SOMEWHERE at least!! 

[gote]

Rob,
I grow mine as woodlanders in Mid-Sweden.
My climate is drier than Scotland or Tromsö but perhaps not so warm as south of England.
I have long summer days but not as much light as in England.
They grow well in my shade - but it is difficult to define the level of shade.
Feeding is important if the ground is sandy.
Göte

[Hkind]

Meconopsis is growing well not only in scotland and in northern Norway, but also in continental climate in the middle of Sweden. Here an image of my Meconopsis field, situated in full sun. Last summer one row produced about 2500 flowers. 

I grow a lot of Meconopsis and think, it is very difficult to keep plants in pots for more than some months.

Seedlings should be kept cool (6-15 C). If you keep them in higher tempeeratures, they are going to die within 1-2 weeks after germination.

[Paul T]

Wow!!!!! 

[Ian Minty]

I am looking for some cheap plants of meconosis nepalensis.
Could anyone help.
I am looking to build up some drifts of them in my garden.
I used to see them regularly in garden centres, but I never see them nowadays.