![]() Maintaining a wildflower meadowĪ wildflower meadow doesn't just look pretty, it encourages a variety of beneficial insects which will help to pollinate plants.īy having lots of bee friendly plants, creatures such as bees, moths, butterflies, saw flies and crane flies may visit, as well as birds and endangered species of wildlife, such as hedgehogs. If the weather is dry, water lightly using a watering can with a rose, taking care not to wash the seeds away. Just press them down lightly with the back of a spade or your feet. ![]() Once the seeds have been sprinkled on the ground, do not cover them. Wildflower seeds are often tiny, so using this method means that you can see where you have already sown, avoiding the risk of overcrowding the seedlings. Mixing the seeds and the sand together will ensure a more even spread and growth. Always use sharp sand, available from garden centres, rather than builders’ sand, which tends to be too damp. Aim for about 3 grams of seed per square metre. ![]() For a UK wildflower meadow, using seeds of British origin which will come back year after year, try Pure Seeds (opens in new tab) or Wild Seed (opens in new tab).Ī good tip for sowing the seed is to mix it with five parts of sand and one part of seed. Once the ground is prepared, it is time to get ready for sowing, Mixed seeds in carefully balanced quantities are available to buy from specialist websites, or you can buy them separately and mix your own. WHICH PLANTS ARE BEST FOR A WILDFLOWER MEADOW? You should aim for about five plug plants per square metre. Space the plugs at irregular intervals for a natural look. Remove any clippings.īuy some ready grown wildflower plug plants (try Wildflower (opens in new tab)) and push them directly into the grass, making a hole first with a dibber or a sharp pointed trowel. If starting from scratch is simply too daunting – or too much like hard work - it is possible to convert an existing strip of lawn into a wildflower meadow. Buying a ready-made mix from a specialist website is recommended, as you will get a good balance of grasses and flowers which complement one another.ĥ. When the area is clear, it is ready to plant with wildflower seeds. ![]() Watch out particularly for thistles and dock, which can quickly take over.Ĥ. Lay some plastic sheeting down for a couple of weeks to kill the weeds which will continue to sprout. Work it until the soil resembles fine bread crumbs.ģ. Dig the area over thoroughly, removing any existing weeds and roots. This gets rid of the most nutritious soil.Ģ. If you are converting an existing garden border into a meadow, remove about 10-15cm of the top layer of earth. #Wild flower how to#The first priority when planning how to plant a wildflower meadow is to prepare the soil for planting. This is to prevent the seeds from rotting in the soil during really wet weather in winter. If, however, you have particularly heavy soil that gets easily waterlogged, it might be better to wait until early spring to sow your seeds. ![]() The best time to create a wildflower meadow from scratch is in early autumn. When is the best time to plant a wildflower meadow? But the good news is that if you want to learn how to plant to wildflower meadow, either option can be created in any size garden, whether you want a whole lawn meadow or just a small strip of relaxed planting. All you need is a little ground prep and some easy steps to ensure success. The two types of meadow need completely different conditions, so they must be treated separately. These tend to be more colourful, and they include non-native plants such as Californian poppies and coreopsis mingling together in a beautiful profusion of colours as a one-off display which needs to be replanted every year. Wildflower meadows are perennial (meaning they flower every year) and should not be confused with annual flower meadows. ![]()
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