Shirley Mix Poppy Seeds

Our Shirley poppy seed mix has both single and double blooms in every color of the rainbow! This poppy seed mix is a wonderful addition to wildflower and meadow gardens. Poppies grow best in cool, wet weather. In Southern California, it is best to plant poppy seeds before seasonal rains. Seeds can be directly sown in the garden or transplanted out. Deadhead poppies for more blooms.

Planting by Zones

Zones 9-10

• Poppies have a special place in our hearts—California poppies have been the state flower since 1903! There are tons of varieties of poppies but they all have similar growing requirements. Poppy plants are easy to direct seed or transplant. They enjoy cool temperatures and are typically sown before the seasonal rains in Zones 9 and 10 for flowers in early spring.

Zones 2-8

• Best when planted in starter pots 6-8 weeks before planting outside in frost-free spring weather.

Planting Poppy Seeds

• Poppy seeds are small. They should be sown close to the surface of the soil. If you are starting the seeds indoors in trays or in starter pots, start seeds in a high-quality seed starting mix. Sprinkle them on top of well-moistened soil and cover with 1/8″ of finely sifted soil. Seeds will germinate in 10-14+ days.
• If you wish to direct sow, sow the seeds in well-worked soil that has been finely raked clear of debris. Cover with 1/8″ of finely-sifted soil. Keep soil moist until the seedlings have emerged. Thin to a spacing of at least 12″ apart.

Growing Poppy

• Poppies require little care. In warm climates, mulch can help keep the soil cool and moist.
• Poppies easily self-sow for beautiful blooms the following year.

Growing Poppy in Containers

• Poppies may be grown in containers. Make sure your container is at least 10″ deep. Overcrowding will cause the plant to be unhappy and provide fewer blooms. The larger the container, the more blooms you will get. Keep in mind containers will dry out faster because they have more surface area and less soil to hold onto moisture.

Harvesting Poppy Flowers

• Poppies are beautiful as cut flowers, however, their blooms fade quickly. Harvest flowers early in the morning and immediately place in a vase of room temperature water for the longest-lasting blooms.

Southern California Pro-tips

• DO NOT overhead water as this promotes disease.
• Mulch heavily to retain soil moisture and keep the soil cool.
• Deadhead spent blooms to encourage more flowers.

Companion Flowers/Crops

• Poppies grow well with other brightly colored cool season flowers. They enjoy similar growing conditions as nasturtium and alyssum.
• Shirley poppy seeds are delightful to grow! If you love poppies, try our California Yellow Poppy and California Orange Poppy seeds too!

Additional Learning Resources

• New to starting crops from seeds? Please watch our Seed Starting Presentation to learn the basics!
• Learn about growing all our crops on our YouTube page!
• Having pest issues? Check out in-depth information for pests that can be an issue to poppy flowers at the UC Integrated Pest Management site.