LET'S TALK ABOUT POPPIES

Hurray! It only got down to 42 degrees last night. We got really lucky. I wonder how long it will be before that frost really does arrive!
There's still plenty of time to do things in the garden, however. You can plant all those spring blooming bulbs you have gotten in preparation for planting. If you haven't bought them yet, now is the time. Or perhaps you marked their location in the spring so you can dig some up and divide them, allowing you to spread them throughout your garden with no money spent, except perhaps for some Bulb Booster.
This is the time to begin transplanting, dividing and planting most perennials.
Let's talk about Oriental Poppies. They are such beautiful plants and once established make for some of the most striking color in the early summer.
As with most plants they benefit from full sun and well drained soil. It has to be noted that their foliage will die off and look pretty ugly. This is one of those cases where planting them among other plants that come up after the poppies have bloomed is a great idea. That new plant will cover the dying foliage of the poppies as they go into dormancy. Whether that plant is another perennial or some annuals is of course, totally up to you!
The roots are long and skinny, so a deep hole will be needed to accommodate them. Unlike an iris that loves to be planted in a shallow hole, poppies will complain mightily if they are not planted deeply. In fact, they may just quit altogether!
Another point to remember is that because the root is fleshy and long, they will NOT do well in wet soil. They will just ROT! So be sure to add some compost or maybe sand to the soil around them if the location tends to become wet. Or better yet, find another spot that is more accommodating.