The hypothetical growing and harvesting of opium

How's it going everyone? Recently i've been wondering about something. I've done a lot of research on cultivating persian whites (im really interested in the science and cluture of it, you see.), and the primary method of suggestion is to slice the seed pods between the two layers of "skin" and letting the white gooey opium bleed out a bit. Then simply waiting until it dries and turns into a browinsh-black hardened sort of substance.

Now first I'll say any tips on cultivating the flowers would be really appreciated, i've heard varying advice. Sometimes they like cool weather and are incredibly fecund and easy to grow, other times they simply like "extreme" temperatures and are hard to grow. However the real issue is the harvesting. It's not crazy to assume that being caught with sliced pods can be a bad situation. What if instead someone were to uproot the entire plant, bring it indoors and slice the pod completely open into a glass? Could you wait for it to dry in there and do what you want with it? Culd you drain the goo right into a glass of iced tea and down it right there with the same effect?

Thanks in advance.

(also im open to suggestions of an easier type of poppy to grow than the persian white [Papaver somniferum])

 

My advice for growing poppies successfully, is to see how they grow in your weather conditions, mine are great for most Papaver types, though the persian whites have large pods, you can use different types of Somni's and multiple amounts, though just stay away from extreme cold climates. Personally, I like the drama queens and pepper boxes, compliments my garden without drawing too much attention and quite the lovely plant for neighbors to envy. Also when close to harvest, water it very lightly, the less water the more.. the plant creates. About harvesting opium, I've seen on TV that they cut the stems about a foot down, and bring that and the pod inside, slice the pods and as it goo's out they collect it for later use. Though there can be a little more if left rooted, and more can be acquired when sliced on different sides after it stops coming out. A lot has to do with just planting some and letting them grow in your conditions. But opium can be used in HEATED teas (then cooled later), and other medicinal methods like vaporization, and other means to these people. And to some of these people to show the love of their plants, they can straight lick it off the plant, though maybe a light euphoria hits with an odd flavor, there are many different approaches to getting the full use. I would continue your research elsewhere for more information, but the ones I've seen generally like 40-80F degree weather, whereas my area is 30-90F and they grow perfectly, I grow around december/january (no snow here), and they're just enormous and gorgeous. Also can be grown indoors if done correctly from soil or hydroponic, if you were to grow them, you would be quite impressed on indoor vs outdoor equivalency, if done properly. Hope this helps.. I did ramble on a bit, but good soil/fertilizer, and sun doesn't hurt.

 

Ramble on, my man. Thanks for the info that should help me out quite a bit. im on the east coast (pa) and sometimes we get snow. i'd imagine poppies could tolerate high low temps but not excessive precipitation like snow, them liking the desert and all.Since you said some people actually inges tthe opium directly from the plant you answered arguably the most important question. Do you know if this causes the same effect compared to preparing it for tea or something?

 

No, it wouldn't but just is fun, kind of like drinking a killed animals blood, or eating its heart first, or whatever those hunters do. It would waste the latex and if if the quantity and potency are enough there would be a buzz. But it's just a ritualistic thing to do. Only if having enough of a crop to waste that much, and just to try it. But I wouldn't waste it if I only had a couple. Anyways California has the perfect weather for it, in certain spots, and just pop out, we even have a poppy reserve and I drive to attend the poppy festival out here with my P. Somni's, but the poppy's here are not even papaver but 'something californicas' so way different strain, but still allowable to bring certain poppies but no opium harvesting haha. Just get every drop out and enjoy, I suppose people would do haha. Anyways Papaver Somniferum comes from Papaver Setigerum, and though Seti. has lower opiate levels still is legal, and looks nearly like a somni. Except I've spent a week looking for setigerum seeds and impossible to track down, for now..

Oh, thought about it, you can EAT it, but lower effects, would be like eating weed, would be effective longer, but would take more to get there.