How and when should I plant Poppies?

How do I plant poppies from seed?

• Answer:

  Ground PreparationDuring spring or early fall, choose a location in your garden or yard that gets full sun. Amend the soil with compost or manure a few weeks before planting. If the soil is clayey, add some sand to allow for good drainage.SowingIf you're planting Papaver rhoeas (Shirley poppy), scatter the seeds over the prepared soil and then use a garden rake to turn over the top ½ inch of soil. For Papaver nudicaule (Iceland poppy), use a trowel or rake to create ½ -inch deep rows, scatter the seeds into the furrows, and rake the soil to cover the seeds.MaintenanceWater the seeds daily with a light spray until the seedlings appear. For spring-sown poppies, once the seedlings are approximately 2 inches tall, thin them to a spacing of 6 to 12 inches apart. Allow fall-sown poppies to winter over before thinning the following spring. When the poppies are done flowering, allow the seed heads to completely dry. Undisturbed poppies will self-sow. Alternatively, you can collect the seeds by pouring them out of the seed head into a container.Source: