St. Tom
Here’s a couple from by my front door I don’t even replant them or scatter seeds I think when they dry out the pods scatter seeds everywhere and they just grow with no attention just left to get on with it but the do look nice in flower
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The Bedroom Gardener UK
Jesus man, they look great. Are you South UK somewhere, without giving too much away. Somewhere with a bit more Sun than Yorkshire way.
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May 25 2021
The Bedroom Gardener UK
Alrighty, I think these are starting to outgrow the seedling cab. Think I’m going to make up a container for them & put them in the main tent to see what happens.
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June 07 2021
The Bedroom Gardener UK
Alright folks. Nearly two weeks since last we spoke & the plants were transferred to the grow tent. Unfortunately, they are not getting the light or space they deserve, but all is not a loss.
Heads are on 2 plants, and 2 waiting for action.
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June 07 2021
cannalush
Cool!
They don’t look all that bad actually.
It’s hard to tell, but that actually looks like it’ll end up a bit bigger than the smallest poppy I had grow outside this year lol.
A few of mine also had pods damn near the size of a tennis ball tho.
I actually drank some pod tea earlier today.
Most of my poppy plants are almost done entirely for the season.
I’m looking forward to seeing what the bloom looks like on that thing!
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June 15 2021
The Bedroom Gardener UK
All 4 test plants now have heads. Flowers are off on 3, so judging by reports I need to do whatever I’m going to do 2 weeks after they fall. Mmmm, cut or boil?
A few more photos…
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June 15 2021
cannalush
You really don’t have anywhere near enough plants to cut the pods for collecting their latex/opium.
I had about 50 to 75 plants outdoors this year, several feet tall with golf ball to tennis ball sized pods, and even that isn’t really enough plants to collect a decent usable amount of latex/opium. One needs a pretty big plot/patch of plants to get worthwhile amount of latex/opium by cutting the pods.
Making tea with the pods is definitely the way to go and much more effective & efficient. It is the best way to get the most out of what the plant has to offer. Collecting the latex/opium and smoking it is a very inefficient way of working with the plant, though I still want to try it some day.
Cool to see them actually grow up and bloom indoors!
I use mine mostly around 7 to 10 days after the petals have dropped, once the pods swell up nicely…I have used some before that had fully ripe seed in them, but I believe it is best to use them before the seed has ripened completely.
Also, I wouldn’t let the tea “boil” much. As soon as the water starts to simmer I usually take the pot off the stove/heat, place a lid on the pot, and then let it sit for 30 to 60+ minutes before filtering & drinking.
June 15 2021
DCLXVI
Super interesting thread here. @cannalush - Which part do you want to steep? The part the petals fall off of? The ridgey thing in the center with the pollen right?
What could one expect from this tea? A nice sleepy relaxation? I’ve always been partial to a strong valerian/skullcap tea myself. Smells like feet and tastes of dirt but, ah, a nice slip into slumber.
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June 16 2021
cannalush
One uses the seed pod for making tea, it will swell up in size over the course of a week or two after the petals drop/after it has been pollinated.
One should expect an opiate buzz/high from the tea, it is opium after all. The main active components in poppy are morphine, codeine, and thebaine.
The “buzz” is generally relaxing and mellow in nature but it can also have an underlying energetic/stimulating buzz to it when taken in lower to moderate dosage, I usually end up doing various tasks when buzzing on pod tea but once one gets past a “moderate” dosage the effects can become quite heavy & sedating and lay one down, even have one “nodding out” into sleep with out realizing it..
Poppy pod tea has a much much stronger effect than valerian/skullcap though (valerian is one of my favorite herbs tho)…One will be wrapped up in a warm blanket of euphoria from pod tea, there is a distinct warmth/euphoria to opiates. Pod tea will have one feeling much more than “sleepy relaxation”, pod tea will definitely have one “high”/stoned a bit, strong enough to put one to sleep and even strong enough to kill someone if too much is taken (high doses will suppress/stop one’s breathe, overdoses are lethal)
It contains opiates, the original/classic opiates morphine & codeine…so if one doesn’t have the ability to regulate their impulses/cravings they shouldn’t dabble with it. One can absolutely become addicted to the stuff and experience withdrawals just like from pharmaceutical opioids and heroin…But if one has control over themselves and has no problem keeping things in moderation, pod tea can be a nice seasonal treat from the garden.
I drink it during the spring & early summer, I keep it to only once or twice a week at the most.
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June 21 2021
The Bedroom Gardener UK
Final update on this little experiment & some last images.
I had my pod tea, and can say I was impressed with the results. I can see how it would be easy to slip into a bad habit, very easily. I basically used a coffee cafetiere, boiled water & let the cut-up pods steep in the water, mixing every while. I then strained the major plant parts & drank the resulting liquid. Of course, it is not the nicest of things to swallow, but I’ve certainly necked worse on a night out.
Is it all worth it - risk?
Well that’s the big one, isn’t it? In my opinion, it’s always worth it until you get caught - and then it’s never worth it. You take your chances, and I tell you I have been on high alert while they have been growing. I am glad to have them off my property, even though I have a couple of small plants growing in a pot outside. Those I can blag.
Is it with it financially?
No way. Never thought it was, and with the lights + soil + Water + Tending + fan etc etc, you never reclaim your money. Maybe if you were screwing the leccy in some grow-house it would be worth it, but not for normals.
Will I do it again?
My intention is to bring the remaining outside plants to seed & let them go wild in the garden, just to see what happens. I would have pod tea again. Growing inside is not worth it to me, as it is the opposite of canna for cycles. Possibly if I started growing non-auto canna again & have my HPS updated to LED I would put some in the sidings. Other than that no, the paranoia is not worth it.
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I grow mine outside in north California. I throw them outside between thanksgiving and new year, and neglect them. If you try feeding and watering like weed they just flower fast and small
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