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Full of colour and busy with bees, annual poppies can be a vibrant addition to your border. They’re simple to grow and provide a succession of blooms that produce a beautiful display. Breeding has meant that you don’t have to settle for blocks of colour as some poppies are now delicately speckled or picotee. Although each bloom may be fleeting, a succession of them make these plants well worth growing.
Which? Gardening magazine grew a range of popular varieties to see which would give us the best display.
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PLANT TYPE Hardy annual
POSITION Full sun
SOIL Well-drained
January | February | March | April | May | June |
Sow | Sow | ||||
July | August | September | October | November | December |
Sow |
Which? members can log in to see the full results and which are our Best Buy varieties. If you're not a member, join now to get instant access.
Variety name | Overall rating | Flowering duration | Flower impact | Germination | Pests & disease | Insect attraction | Seedhead attractiveness |
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★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | |
★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | |
★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | |
★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | |
★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | |
★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | |
★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ |
Variety name | Overall rating | Flowering duration | Flower impact | Germination | Pests & disease | Insect attraction | Seedhead attractiveness |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | |
★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | |
★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★★ | |
★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★★☆ | |
★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | |
★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★★ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | ★★☆☆☆ | |
★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★☆☆ | ★★★★☆ | ★★★★★ |
USING THE TABLE OVERALL RATING The more stars the better. Rating ignores price and is based on: flowering duration 35%, flower impact 25%; germination 10%; pests and diseases 10%; insect attraction 10%; seedhead attractiveness 10%.
In spring, we planted 12 single varieties of opium poppies, and 11 varieties and mixes of field poppies, into a prepared bed at the Which? Gardening magazine trial site at Capel Manor, north London. As poppies look best in drifts, we planted in a series of circles with gaps between each variety or mix.
Once the seedlings appeared, we thinned them out as necessary. We kept the young plants well watered through the summer and looked at whether they came true to the description, compared how long they flowered for and how attractive they were.
Direct sow in autumn or in spring. Prepare a weed-free, moist seed bed with loose soil, and sprinkle the seeds over to create a drift of plants. Keep the bed moist but not wet. Thin the seedlings to around 20cm between each plant.
Although poppies don’t particularly enjoy being disturbed, you can grow them in module trays and transplant them. Sow them thinly in module trays in the autumn or spring and transplant them when they have four true leaves. Keep them well watered until they're established.
Keep watered in exceptionally dry spells.
If you don’t want poppies to spread, remove the seedheads before they ripen and open.
Aphids can be a problem, so either squash any you find or treat with an insecticide such as Best Buy Westland Resolva Bug Killer if they look like they’re getting out of hand.
Read more about aphids