On Blue Poppies, Winter Sowing, and Super Sow Sunday

First of all, let me just get it out there so we know where I stand. I hate football.  I don't really understand the game, but then I've not tried very hard to understand it.  We didn't have football at our school until we consolidated with two other schools when I was a sophomore.  My first encounter with it was when, as a cheerleader, I had to cheer about a game I didn't like.  But I did love my Raiders!

We live close to the Indiana border and Hoosier Hysteria has spilled over into our part of Ohio and has nothing on us.  At Wayne Trace, basketball has been king for a long time.  We've been in the state tournament Final Four three times and won it in 1991.

The last time we were there, we had to play Akron St. Vincent-St. Mary's and that is all that needs to be said around the state, because the school is the alma mater of LeBron James.  He was a sophomore that year and already awesome. We did do a fabulous job though (56-50) - beyond what most expected and our team received a standing ovation as they left the floor.

But, I digress. (See, I told you I love my Raiders!)

Because I'm not into The Big Game, I will be joining others today for Super Sow Sunday.  It's just one diversion that's out there for those of us that aren't into wings and beer and incessant chatter about what the quarterback should have done.  (By the way, did you know that wings aren't really wings?)

It's too early to sow seeds inside for planting later outside, unless you've got a greenhouse and/or plan to transplant them into larger pots when they get too large before you can safely plant them outside. Our average last frost date here is May 15-17 and most seeds are to be started 6-8 weeks before last frost. But you CAN winter sow!

 Ready to go!

Winter sowing is a super easy way of sowing seeds in containers to be set outside now, while it's still freezing cold.  Seeds will germinate and be ready for planting in the garden at the proper time, using Mother Nature's timetable.  For more information about winter sowing, check out my earlier post, showing how I do it.

This year, I'm doing a light version of winter sowing, only planting seeds of one flower.  But oh, what a flower it is! Or should I say a flower I hope to be able to see, when all is said and done.  I'm sowing seeds of the elusive Himalayan Blue Poppy, more specifically this time (fourth time's a charm?), those of Meconopsis baileyi (formerly M. betonicifolia).  I've tried M. x. sheldonii 'Lingholm' and M. simplicifolia before, too.  No luck.

These poppies are notoriously difficult and cranky.  It's almost as if they're saying, "Go ahead, just try me."  They require fresh seeds and cool moist, semi-dark conditions to germinate. Once they've germinated and seedlings have reached transplanting size, they like a shady, cool location.  They detest hot weather.

My friend Jodi (bloomingwriter) has grown these beauties for quite some time now and graciously lets me drool all over my screen at pictures of hers, and bestow many words of admiration and respect upon her Blue Poppy growing prowess.  She does have one advantage over many of us, because she lives in a climate that these poppies love (Coastal Nova Scotia, zone 5b). She has a wonderful post sharing her knowledge, with great tips for growing them, should you want to try, too.

So, today, I'm giving it another go.  I'm hopeful, as always, and won't give up until I've gotten at least one bloom, just so I can say I've done it.

Yes! I can!

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UPDATE:  Turns out I have to watch the game anyway. Our son-in-law is there and is working on the field, helping pull up the nets after field goals and extra-point kicks. So, the seeds are planted and out in the cold: