100% Certified Organic & Demeter Certified Bio-Dynamic Seed
Grown, harvested, dried and packed on Transition Farm
NOTE - If ordering from Western Australia, please check the POSTAGE page for further information
Icelandic Poppy 'Giant Pastels'
Icelandic Poppy 'Giant Pastels'
Papaver nudicaule
With luminous, lettuce edged petals and flowers in a blend of soft shades of apricot, peach, watermelon and lemon, a subtle fresh scent and a great vase life, ‘Pastel Fruit Mix’ is a profuse bloomer of large, crushed silk like flowers, highly sought after for the cut garden. We love their delicate shimmering petals, hairy stems, the inside ruffle of pollen filled stamen surrounding the architectural seed head and the effect of a full vase of the single variety.
We start ours in late Autumn, transplant into an unheated polytunnel in mid Winter. They bloom from Spring through Summer only finishing when summer’s heat is high.
Harvest just as the bud breaks for longest vase life. Searing the ends also ensures one week of enjoyment. Cutting several times a week will keep them producing.
This range of colours has been inspired by “A Year In Flowers” by Erin Benzakein and the selection work done by Brian and Crystine at Uprising Seed. These are larger sized Icelandic poppies - larger then ‘Champagne Bubbles’
SEED COUNT: 175 approx.
Seed Raising, Growing and Harvest Information
| Plant Type | Site | Spacing | Height | Sowing Depth |
Days to Germination |
Days to Maturity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | Full Sun Part shade |
23-30cm apart | 38-45cm | Surface | 10-14 days @ 18-25°C |
100-120 days |
TRANSPLANT (recommended) - Icelandic poppies are notoriously slow to grow. We prime ours by sticking the seed in the fridge for 5-7 days ahead of sowing. Sow two seeds per soil block. Do not cover the seed as Iceland poppied need light to germinate. Bottom water to avoid dislodging seeds. For quickest germination, we provide the trays with an even temperature between 17-20°C and use a clear domed lid to maintain humidity and keep the small seeds from drying. Once germinated, remove dome and grow in unheated greenhouse for 8-10 weeks before transplanting. Iceland poppies do look like they are languishing as transplants. But they perk up as soon as they are transplanted. Iceland poppies perform best in cooler conditions – below 20°C. Bloom production and quality declines as temperatures rise. Start seeds early - late Autumn - early Winter. We transplant into an unheated poly tunnel in winter for earliest blooms.
DIRECT SOW - Direct seed - Sow in autumn when soil has cooled and cool weather has settled in. Surface-sow and keep soil evenly moist until seedlings emerge. Iceland poppies perform best in cooler conditions – below 17°C. Bloom production and quality declines as temperatures rise.
HARVEST/VASE LIFE - Harvest at bud burst when the colour just starts to show through a crack. Immediately after harvest sear stem ends using an open flame or dip in boiling water for 7-10 seconds. Place treated stems directly into fresh water and a 1 week vase life can be expected.
NOTE - Poppy seed is super fine, smaller then a grain of sand, dust like, and needs light to germinate so seed needs to be sown on the surface of the soil. It may help to mix the seed with a little fine sand.
