I've never had a problem with poppies. I don't do anything special for them.
For delphiniums--I harvested , dry for a few days, then throw them in the freezer. Someone told to do that a few years ago(don't remember who). It seems to work for me. I'm assuming it helps keep them fresh. You also need to cover the seeds when you plant---they need darkness to germinate.
Duane

I got ok germination on poppies but when I planted out they didn't survive. I planted out when tiny but they dried up in a heat wave. :(. I am a heavy handed sower. Thatt increases my germination rates. I think this year I'm gonna direct sow some and ws some. I'll try to keep them better watered this time! :P. Do you sow the seed heavy?

ThIs is my first year on delphiniums........ Can't help with them.....

poppies were the one thing that didnt do well at ws. I think they just dont like the transplanting cause they were happy till I moved them. And the same type direct sown did fine

I have yet to have much luck with poppies; I don't think they like me!

Delphiniums - I have decent luck with them since I started keeping my harvested seed in the fridge. They are best sown early winter, and like Duane said, cover with a bit of potting mix since they need darkness to germinate.

Thanks for your suggestions! Think I'll direct sow some and winter sow some and see what happens. Don't think I covered my delphinium seed last year. Will do that this year.

Poppies don't like any kind of root disturbance (and I mean within 12 inches of the root). Transplanting is impossible, at least in my experience, although the annuals are slightly more forgiving than the perennials.

Anyway, I've been experimenting for years, as they are my favourite flower. Once you get some annual poppies going, you can harvest the seeds and toss them out on the ground and they will grow. Perennial poppies - I'm going to toss to the ground tomorrow. The seeds are fairly expensive, but I'm done with trying to transplant them. We shall see.

organic_ns, Direct sowing perennial poppies has been my most successful method. Crazy things, once you do get them going, it's hard to get rid of them though! I'm reworking an area & having fits removing some I no longer want where they are.

Same for annual poppy & larkspur. I usually sow all of these in the fall to lay under snow cover for winter, but still have good same year bloom if sown by Feb/March.

This is my first time WSing delph's so we shall see...I've sown Pac Giants & the shorter Fantasia, blues mix.

Good luck with yours this year!