Sowing instructions Poppies do best when sown directly into the area that you have chosen for them. Simply scatter the seed sparingly onto prepared garden soil. By sowing sparingly it will reduce the need to thin the plants later on. Once you have scattered the seed, then.walk on the area to firm the soil and 'set' the seed. Loose soil does not hold moisture. You do not want to cover the seed! Poppy seeds need light and oxygen for germination and your seeds may not germinate if they are buried. Water your poppy patch and keep the soil moist but not soggy until the seeds are well on their way. We recommend using a slug/snail bait. Slugs/snails can gobble up your seedlings in one night, you may never even know they had germinated. Once the seedlings are 1 inch tall thin them to stand 6 to 10 inches apart. Your poppy plants will not do well if they are growing side by side crammed together in a big lump. They must be thinned! Your plants will not grow to mature size if you do not do this. You will find them in bloom at 6 inches tall and only producing 1 tiny flower. With annual poppies you can sow more than once during spring to extend the growing season.