Do opium poppies grow well in southern climes and sandy/clayey soil?
If so, where can I get a starter kit?
And you said the thread couldn’t be hijacked :-)
Sand? Yes. Clay? No.
They don’t like hot weather, so depending on how “southern” you’re growing them, it might work better to grow them in the fall. They actually germinate better in cold soil, and in cooler climates the seeds overwinter easily, so sowing in the fall works for northern climates as well. Be aware that they reseed themselves very easily, so it would probably be best to have a dedicated spot just for poppies, instead of trying to rotate them like other crops.
As for where to get a starter kit, that depends on how specific you want to get. Varieties selected for opium production are illegal to grow in the US. But there are varieties selected for ornamental value, or for seed production, or both, that are readily available. You can find them just about anywhere that sells garden seed. Baker Creek has a nice range of varieties.
You can find more details, including some details that I refuse to type out, here: https://wimastergardener.org/article/breadseed-or-opium-poppy-papaver-somniferum/
*** Do opium poppies grow well in southern climes and sandy/clayey soil?
If so, where can I get a starter kit? ***
Home Depot has them with their bulbs that come in little net sacks. I have gotten seeds from Select Seeds.
Purple larkspurs, Shirley poppies, and papaver somniferum grown together make a pretty stand. If you have some daisies, and batchelor buttons in there, you get almost 3 months of blooms.
Re: poppies. Here in Central TX, seeds are sown usually October to December, and depending on rain/cold bloom March to mid May.