How to grow Poppies in the UK
Scatter seeds and get silky red, orange or pink flowers - so easy.
- DifficultyEasy peasy
- WhereBeds or Pots
- Sunfull sun
- Grows to45cm
- Spacing20cm
- Time to first pickabout 12 weeks
- Typeannual
When to sow, plant and harvest poppies
| Sow outdoors | early March to late May or early September to late September |
|---|---|
| In flower | early June to late August |
Dates are for central England. Sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland, and up to two weeks earlier in the south and south west. Get the dates for your postcode.
Sowing it outdoors
- Pull out any weeds and rake the top of your bed until it's crumbly, like cake crumbs
- Make a little line in the soil (on the surface) with your finger or a stick
- Drop the seeds in, about 20cm apart each way
- Gently cover them with soil and pat it down
- Water with a watering can that has a sprinkler head
- Push in a label so you remember what's there
Top tips for growing poppies
- Just sprinkle the seed on bare soil - it doesn't need covering.
- They hate being moved, so sow them where they'll flower.
Soil and feeding
Poor soil - really!. Nasturtiums flower best in poor soil. Feed them and you get all leaves and no flowers.
Harvesting and eating poppies
Leave some seed heads - they look like pepper pots, shake them to sow next year's.
Saving your own poppies seed
It does it for you!.
- Leave a few flowers to set seed - it scatters them itself and new plants pop up next year
- To move them, dig up the seedlings in spring and replant them where you want them
- Or shake the dry seed heads into a paper bag in late summer
Where to buy poppies seeds
Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · Amazon
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Poppies questions
When should I sow poppies in the UK?
In the UK, sow poppies outdoors from early March to late May or early September to late September. These dates suit central England; sow about two weeks later in the north and Scotland and up to two weeks earlier in the mild south and south west.
When can I enjoy poppies?
Poppies is ready from early June to late August. Leave some seed heads - they look like pepper pots, shake them to sow next year's.
How long do poppies take to grow?
Roughly 12 weeks from sowing or planting until the first harvest.
Are poppies easy to grow?
Poppies are rated 'easy peasy' for beginners, and can be grown in the ground or a raised bed or in pots and containers.
Plan your own garden: it tells you what to do and when, for your postcode.
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