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Poppy disease
Dinah
Posts: 294
I was reading on the internet about a new strain of rot that is affecting some of the fancy hybrid oriental poppies. Articles mention growing these poppies in order that the hybrids should not be lost. I am puzzled though, if this disease is notorious for mutating (as the article said) shouldn't we be avoiding growing susceptible hybrids in case other oriental poppies (or worse, all types of poppy) become affected?
I live in a fairly remote area, so should be able to keep the hybrids growing from seed without them being affected, but I am wondering if I am doing the right thing in planting the seeds at all if this is a virulent mutation. Anybody any thoughts?
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Posts
Do you have a link to this article?
One thing you can't do Dinah is keep a hybrid going from seed.
In the sticks near Peterborough
Sorry for ambiguity nutcutlet, I meant that I/we/anybody can grow the seeds from a commercial supplier, but I can keep the plants themselves going because of the relative isolation of where I live. My question is about whether this is a good thing to do at all with a disease that mutates easily.
Sorry too Ceres, the article was in "Garden News" issue May 16th on page 4 if you can find a backdated copy. It was entitled "New disease blights poppies" with a sub title "Oriental poppy population at risk". I thought there was an online version of Garden News Magazine, but I can't find one, but I hope this reference helps.