With papery petals and vivacious hues , poppy cum are a charming wild flower to bestow to your garden . Depending on where you live , the best time of year to plant poppy seeds may motley ! Here ’s exactly when to engraft poppy seeds for a lively display of flowers .

Poppy Seeds: When to Plant

Poppy seeds are one of many seeds thatneed to be exposed to cold temperatures to germinate . You canplant in either fallor early spring to ensure that they go through this cold phase before the season warms up .

Mosttypes of poppieswill self - sow , meaning they will scatter their seeds on their own , and you will have them again next twelvemonth in your garden . poppy will go to semen in the descent , so you canmimic this by plant source in the fall .

However , if you lose your windowpane in the fall or live in a very cold clime , early springtime is also an acceptable time to seed poppy seed . you’re able to even spread them on top of the coke in your garden beds !

poppy seed head

Each poppy can have hundreds of poppy seeds within.

When to Plant Annual Poppy Seeds

Annual poppy likePapaver rhoeas(Flanders poppy ) andPapaver somniferum(opium poppy ) can bestarted in other spring in zones 3 - 7.Like the perennial , they do best when there is still a chance of frost in the air .

However , if you know in zones 8 - 10 , you will require to plant them in the decline instead . This see they get the necessary cold they demand to bourgeon .

If you require to get those big , large heads , such as on the opium poppy , you ’ll desire to inseminate the come in twilight to former winter .

cut open poppy seed head

When to Plant Poppies Seeds Indoors

I highly advise against starting poppies indoors . poppy prefer unmediated sowing and will refuse being transplant outsideif you begin them indoors . This is because they have a tap stem and do not like their ascendant to be agitate .

If you do start the seed indoors , do so 4 - 6 calendar week before the last frost . Aim to keep the soil temperature at 12 ° ascorbic acid .

When to Plant California Poppy Seeds

In California , the poppy will self - seed in the descent . you may do the same in your garden if you live in a standardised , modest climate .

In colder climate , sow the seeds ofCalifornia poppiesin other outpouring .

Poppy Planting Tips

you’re able to check out my full poppy guide for more growing tips , but here are some bonus gratuity for planting your poppy seeds .

Frequently Asked Questions About Poppy Seeds

you could plant your poppy seed in early give or fall . Some people will even sow the seeds in the winter . Poppy seeds need to go through a phase of cold to germinate . Milder climates will get forth with sowing in the crepuscule , while colder clime may want to do early spring instead . I would recommend doing some experimenting ! If unsure , you’re able to always spread some in dip and spring .

you could start to sow seeds as early as former January and February . you may plant as late as in April or May , but they may not get the coldness they take , and you ’ll get fewer poppies your first season . For the fall , flora in September and October .

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purple opium poppy

California poppies

California poppy

dried seed heads displayed in jars

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