How to Plant Poppy Seeds

Our United Kingdom Poppy Seeds are great for planting. They typically grow red and white colored poppy flowers. Here is a simple step-by-step guide to planting Poppy Seeds. Some seeds may need to go through stratification, visit our Stratification Guide for instructions.

Poppy Planting Guide

Step 1

Prepare a plot of land to plant the poppy seeds. Poppy seeds do best in areas with full sun, but partial shade will work as well. Loosen up the soil with a hoe. This can be done in either late autumn or early spring. If you live in an area with extremely cold winters with heavy snow, wait until spring to plant the seeds.

Step 2

Moisten the prepared soil with water. The soil should be just damp to the touch. Do not add so much water that it becomes soggy.

Step 3

Sprinkle the seeds evenly over the soil. Hold your hand just a couple inches over the soil to ensure that the seeds do not blow away as they fall.

Step 4

Sprinkle a very light layer of soil over the seeds to protect them from birds and animals. The seeds need plenty sunlight to germinate, so a light dusting is all that is necessary. Even 1/8 inch of soil on top could prevent the seeds from germinating.

Step 5

Keep the moist soil for the entire duration of the plants life. Be patient because it can take as little as a week for the seeds to germinate to as long as a few months.

Step 6

Keep an eye on the plants as they grow. You may need to thin out the plants if a bunch of them start to grow. Remove the shortest plants if they start to get crowded. It is likely that the short plants will not grow to their full potential since the taller plants will take all of the sunlight.

Additional Tips: Most Papaver Somniferum Poppy Seeds that are grown in countries such as England, Holland, Australia, Spain, UK, The United States, Turkey, South Africa, India, and Afganistan all need to go through a freezing phase. We recommend reading our UK POPPY SEED Stratification Guide if you have any problems with germination.