How to Plant Wildflowers: 10 Steps

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 09:13

The most natural garden is the one made up of wildflowers. If you have enough space, you can plant wildflowers over a large area of your land and create a colorful lawn. You can also plant wildflowers in smaller areas, even if you don't have large areas of land. For example, some gardeners plant the strip of land between the driveway and the property border with wildflowers. Learn how to plant wildflowers to make any open area of land more beautiful.

Steps

Step 1. Decide when to plant wildflowers

• Autumn is the time when nature sows its seeds. An advantage of autumn sowing is the possibility of early flowering. However, the latter also carries the risk of facing a frost in late spring. Wait until after a severe frost to sow in the fall so the flowers don't sprout until spring.

  

• You can plant the flowers in the summer if you live in a mild climate with sufficient rainfall. Otherwise, the summer heat and lack of rain (if you live in an arid area) will not allow the seeds to germinate.

  

• Some horticulturists and gardeners consider spring to be the best time to sow wildflowers. Wait until the risk of a frost has passed before planting. Plant as soon as you're done preparing the soil, to give wildflowers an advantage over weeds.

  

Step 2. Prepare the soil where you will sow the wild flowers

• You can use any soil for planting wildflowers, unless it is sterile. If grass and weeds grow there now, wild flowers will bloom too.

  

• Loosen the soil as much as possible. Smother other plants with wet newspaper, which you can insert into the soil by digging. Dig small areas by hand, or use a large area tiller. Only dig deep enough to remove old roots. It is not recommended to dig too deeply.

  

• Grass and weeds will compete with wildflowers, but you'll want the latter to be in the majority. You may want to leave some grass in the area to give it the appearance of a natural grassland or wild meadow.

  

Step 3. Find out which wildflowers are best for your area, and learn their classification

• Most wildflowers are annuals. They bloom quickly and exaggeratedly, drop their seeds, and die when the weather is too cold or too dry to survive, depending on local weather conditions. Many are "wild" and more plants will grow the following year due to the seeds that dropped when the plants died. Poppies, cornflowers, and cosmoses are examples of annual wildflowers.
• Perennial flowers form a root system and grow every year. They can last for decades and grow more each year. Many of them are slower to germinate and bloom than annual ones. Echinacea, daisies, and coreopsis are examples of perennial flowers.
• Biennial flowers sprout one season, but don't bloom until the following year. They are then killed by frost, but since they are spontaneous, they will sprout more plants in the spring. Rudbeckie and armories are examples of biennials.

Step 4. Choose a sunny location that has good drainage

Natural features, such as boulders or a nearby wood, can enhance the appearance of your lawn or wildflower garden.

Step 5. Plant your wildflower garden or lawn near a water source to prevent it from dying during short dry spells or long dry spells

Step 6. Fertilize sparingly

Wild flowers grow naturally without much care. If you use fertilizer, use one that is low in nitrogen.

Step 7. Ask gardening experts, your region's Department of Agriculture, or consult the instructions on your seed box or package, to determine the amount of seeds needed for the area you want to cover

Step 8. Sow by dividing and "burying" the seeds

• Divide the seeds in half.

  

• Mix half of the seeds with about 10 parts of light sand or vermiculite for each part of seeds.

  

• Choose a windless day to plant your wildflowers. If not, it may be difficult to control where the seeds go.

  

• Sow in the area you have prepared. The light color of the sand or vermiculite will show you where the seeds fell. Repeat the process with the second half of the seeds to fill in the missed spots.

  

• Press the seeds into the ground by walking over them, placing an old piece of plywood on the ground and jumping on it, or using a lawn mower. The seeds should be pressed into the ground so that they do not fly off easily. Do not cover the seeds with more soil, as this may prevent them from germinating easily.

  

Step 9. Make sure your newly planted wildflower garden stays moist for the first 4-6 weeks, or until the plants are well rooted

Wetting the seeds also prevents them from flying away. Wildflowers grow naturally without much care, but periodic watering is required when conditions are particularly dry.

Step 10. Mow the lawn once in late fall leaving the grass tall

Mowing removes dead flower heads and helps seed spread. See where the plants sprouted in spring, and fill in the empty areas with new seeds.

Advice

• Add attractions, such as benches, fountains, bird feeders, and perhaps a small pond in your wildflower area. Mow a path through the lawn and also place flat stones in the path to entice you for a walk among the wildflowers.
• Avoid sowing in the hills during the fall due to the danger of landslides and erosion.