Description

Poppy seeds

Poppy seeds in a mixed poppy seed collection.

Poppies are extremely important to nature because they attract many useful invertebrates. For example bees, hover flies, butterflies, caterpillars and some daytime moths.

Poppies will flower between May to October, depending on the variety. Because we supply a mixed variety of seeds, your garden should be in flower for most of the season.

They are a fantastic addition to herbaceous borders or even patches of “wild” lawn.

Poppies thrive in many soil types including poor quality soil, however, they prefer a sunny position.

Sowing the seeds.

The seeds are very easy to grow. You can either sow them straight into a prepared patch of border or in seed trays. Sowing directly in the garden can take place either in the autumn or early spring. Sowing in the autumn produces much bigger and earlier flowering poppies.

If you choose to use seed trays, sprinkle a few seeds over the compost and then cover with about 2-3 mm of more compost. Sow during March in a greenhouse or early spring outdoors. Keep watered. When the plants are big enough, prick them out and either plant straight into the garden or tubs during May.