HOW TO SOW POPPIES

Poppies prefer a site with welldrained soil and full sun. Sow poppy seeds direct over bare soil – you might like to spray first to clear the area of weeds. If you prefer, you can also raise the seed in containers and transplant the seedlings in spring. Feed plants in early spring with a controlledrelease fertiliser. dug back into the soil to break down. In as little as four weeks it will have composted away and given those nutrients to the soil. An advantage is that you can add items such as citrus, meat, fish and leftover food that couldn’t normally be composted or put in worm farms. You can also make your own bins using two plastic paint buckets, one placed inside the other with holes punched through the bottom of the inner bucket. Buy bokashi kits from hardware stores and online at www.zingbokashi.co.nz.