Do poppies need a cold stratification? If so, I don't know why it wouldn't work. I winter sow poppies every year and they always germinate. I find the oriental ones won't bloom for a couple of years though.

Most poppies don't need any cold stratification to germinate, but several will germinate best at between 65-70F....what are your temps doing there, because too warm can delay germination just like too cold might.

(As for the freezer and using it to stratify seeds, very few seeds require actual freezing, when the soil is frozen things are more 'on hold' until not quite so cold. Your refrigerator is plenty cold enough. There is also an issue with some seeds when they are given an abrupt temp change, like plunging them moist into 0 degrees, instead of the cold coming on them over a number of hours. That abrupt plunge can sometimes damage, shatter the embryo of a moist seed.)

What kind of poppies, which are you asking about....

Not sure exactly what kinds of poppies....mostly regular seeds you can get easily in the stores.

I am in zone 5b and this week we had 80's and 50/60s at night.

I did go ahead and plant a few seeds and did not freeze them nor put in the refrigerator. Just in regular cell packs and are keeping them with other things I am trying to nurse along.

I caught the winter sowing bug and love to see the new sprouts of life :)

Thanks to all of you for this great informative forum.

Diane