When do you scatter poppy seeds

Great ideas on how your garden, or even a small backyard or balcony, can become a mini nature reserve. This fantastic wetland site is located north of Southport town centre and has some of the best wildlife in the region. Fast-growing annual plants grow from seed to a mass of flowers in a few months, providing a buffet for bees, food for birds, and dense cover for other creatures. Sow a poppyfield and you'll create a lively and colourful feeding ground for wildlife near you. Some people use a weedkiller, but it's more environmentally friendly to cover it with old carpet or plastic sheet for a few weeks to kill anything trying to germinate.

Then lightly dig the soil surface over and rake it to create a fine soil seedbed. There is no need to rake the seeds in - just press them into the surface using your hand if using a pot, or walk across the surface if you've sown them in a bed. This makes sure the seeds are in contact with the surface.

Water, and give them the odd bit of extra water in dry spells. Job done! There should be flowers from June to September. Be prepared that more poppies will flower from an autumn sowing. At the end of the flowering season, let the plants set seed and die.

Dig over the ground in autumn to ensure weeds don't get a hold. Then repeat next year to make sure your flowers are back again next year. Bumblebees on the poppies and cornflowers, smaller pollinating insects such as hoverflies on the other flowers. Beetles and birds will forage among the stems. You can buy oriental varieties like the satin poppy as mature plants.

Harden off outside for days when all risk of frost has passed before planting out in fertile, well drained soil. Poppies make up an important part of wildflower mixes , and are a particularly attractive pollinator plant to bring bees and butterflies to your garden - a great way to attract wildlife and get the kids interested in nature. All rights reserved. A division of Branded Garden Products Limited. You have disabled javascript.

Please enable this to gain the full experience of our website. Weed Control Workshop Patio Cleaners. Back Landscaping Lawn Edging Paving. How to grow poppies in your garden Poppies hold a special place in many people's hearts. Start annual varieties outdoors at the same time in Zones In Zones , the best bet is to direct sow in the fall. Poppies are famously difficult to transplant, so starting them indoors is not recommended. Seeds will sprout in days.

Starting Sow on the surface of the soil, or barely cover seeds. Growing Poppies are easy to grow and the self-sow with abandon, without becoming weedy.