Poppy

Season

Sow in October for spring

Name

Papaver

Common Name

Poppy

Description

These are very colourful annual flowers, whose petals are as delicate as tissue paper.

Growing Tips

Growing conditions

Likes to grow in ordinary soil in lots of sunshine.

When to grow

You can sow the seeds in early October and they will flower in the summer.

What you need

• A packet of poppy seeds
• A rake
• A hand trowel
• A watering can
• Gardening gloves

How to grow

1. You can sow these seeds outside in the place where they are going to flower, but make sure you follow the instructions on the seed packet.
2. Make sure you weed the space where you are going to sow your seeds and choose a dry day. Rake the soil to a fine tilth, this is when the soil looks crumbly, and rake the soil so that it is level. Decide where your row or rows of seeds will be planted.
3. Using a hand trowel make a shallow line about as deep as a child’s thumb. Carefully sow your seeds in the row, in an even way, leaving a finger space between the seeds. Gently cover the seeds up. Make sure that your watering can has a ‘rose’ on the end so that the water comes out gently.
4. Watch as your seeds grow into plants. You may need to protect your seedlings with horticultural fleece if the weather is frosty.
5. Enjoy the flowers in the summer, the insects will like them as much as you. The dried seed heads can be used for decorations.