Poppy Shirley Seeds – Double | Papaver rhoeas | WINTER

Shirley Poppy (Papaver rhoeas) is a hardy flowering annual from the Papaveraceae family.

It is a cultivated form of the Corn Poppy and produces:

Delicate, papery flowers on slender upright stems.

Shirley Double types are particularly attractive for their:

Fuller, ruffled and double-flowered appearance.

Mixed strains can produce blooms in shades including:

Red, pink, salmon and white. 

Key Features

• Botanical name: Papaver rhoeas
• Common name: Shirley Poppy / Corn Poppy
• Variety: Shirley Double
• Cool-season annual
• Double and ruffled blooms
• Mixed flower colours
• Delicate papery petals
• Upright flowering stems
• Excellent cottage-garden flower
• Suitable for beds and borders
• Suitable for pots and grow bags
• Suitable for mass planting
• Suitable as a delicate cut flower
• Full-sun plant
• WINTER sowing for Pakistan

Recommended Grow Bags

G-11 Grow Bag – 11 × 10 inch 🔗

Suitable for:

A small group of Shirley Poppy plants.

G-12 Grow Bag – 12 × 12 inch 🔗

Recommended for a fuller flowering group.

G-24 Grow Bag – 24 × 12 inch 🔗

Excellent for:

Growing several plants together for a broad mass-flowering display.

Because Poppies develop a delicate taproot:

Direct sowing into the final grow bag is preferred.

Recommended Soil / Potting Mix

Use:

70% Bhalu Mitti / Sandy Soil + 20% GREEN GARDENS Vermicompost 🔗 + 10% Cocopeat

The growing medium should be:

Loose, moderately fertile and well-draining.

Avoid:

• Heavy compact soil
• Poor drainage
• Standing water
• Excessively rich growing media
• Excessive nitrogen fertilizer

Papaver rhoeas performs well in fertile but freely draining soil and full sun.

Growing Instructions from Seeds

Shirley Poppy is best suited to:

Direct sowing.

Sow directly into:

Flower beds, borders, pots or grow bags.

Scatter seeds thinly and sow:

Very shallowly.

Cover with approximately:

0.3–0.5 cm / a very thin layer of fine soil.

Water gently after sowing.

Keep the growing medium:

Lightly and consistently moist until germination.

Important Sowing Note

Poppy seedlings develop a:

Delicate taproot

and generally do not respond well to transplanting.

Therefore:

Direct sowing into the final growing position is recommended.

Avoid repeatedly moving young seedlings.

Because Poppy seeds are small:

Do not bury them deeply.

A very shallow soil covering with good seed-to-soil contact is sufficient.

Germination

Seeds generally germinate within:

14–21 days

under suitable conditions.

Good germination depends on:

• Cool-to-moderate temperature
• Consistent moisture
• Shallow sowing
• Good seed-to-soil contact
• Well-draining soil
• Seed freshness

Avoid:

Allowing the seed bed to dry completely during germination.

Ideal Germination Temperature

Recommended germination temperature:

16–24°C

Commercial propagation guidance for Papaver rhoeas gives approximately 16–24°C with germination in 14–21 days.

For Lahore:

Cool winter conditions are preferable to warm late-season soil.

Thinning

Once seedlings develop their first true leaves:

Thin overcrowded seedlings rather than transplanting them.

Retain the strongest plants.

Removing excess seedlings gives remaining plants:

Better airflow, stronger stems and adequate root space.

Plant Spacing

Maintain approximately:

15–20 cm / 6–8 inches between plants

for a good flowering display.

This spacing is also recommended in commercial Papaver rhoeas production guidance.

For a natural mass display:

Plants may be arranged toward the closer end of this range.

Sunlight

Provide:

Full sun.

Approximately:

6+ hours of direct sunlight daily

is recommended during Pakistan's winter growing season.

Papaver rhoeas performs best in a sunny position.

Watering

During germination:

Keep the upper soil layer consistently moist.

Once plants become established:

Water when the upper soil begins to dry.

Avoid:

Standing water and continuously saturated soil.

Shirley Poppies prefer:

Moist but freely draining conditions.

Feeding

At planting time, incorporate a modest amount of:

GREEN GARDENS Vermicompost 🔗

into the growing medium.

Shirley Poppy generally prefers:

Moderate fertility rather than heavy feeding.

Avoid excessive nitrogen fertilizer because it may produce:

Excessive leafy growth and softer stems instead of balanced flowering.

Flowering & Maintenance

Shirley Double Poppy produces:

Elegant ruffled flowers on slender upright stems.

For a strong flowering display:

• Provide full sun
• Maintain good drainage
• Avoid excessive fertilizer
• Thin overcrowded plants
• Maintain moderate moisture
• Remove tired plants or spent blooms where appropriate

Shirley Poppies can also:

Self-seed under suitable conditions, creating natural-looking future displays.

Cut Flowers

Shirley Poppy can be used as a:

Delicate, short-lived cut flower.

For cutting:

Harvest when buds are swollen and beginning to show colour.

Corn Poppy flowers naturally have a relatively short vase life, so they are best enjoyed fresh.

Related Products

G-11 Grow Bag – 11 × 10 inch 🔗

G-12 Grow Bag – 12 × 12 inch 🔗

G-24 Grow Bag – 24 × 12 inch 🔗

GREEN GARDENS Vermicompost 🔗

Winter Flower Seeds 🔗

Growing Guide Videos – Gardening with Javed Iqbal 🔗