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Join us to delve into the secrets of creating a bright, blooming, buzzing lawn, from when to sow, to how to prep the land.
Spring sees gardens in bloom, bursting with colourful blossoms!
By the time we reach the later summer months, some of those wildflowers will have faded – but it’s the perfect time to start prepping for next year!
In fact, the best time of year to sow wildflower seeds in the UK, is between August and October. So here we delve into the secrets of creating a bright, blooming, buzzing lawn, from when to sow, to how to prep the land.
However, before we jump in, it’s always advisable to see what you already have growing in your lawn. You might be surprised to find that there are some wildflowers already there and it’s always exciting to see what comes up on its own.
As we mentioned above, the best time to sow wildflower seeds in the UK, is between August and October. In other areas of the world it will depend on the local climate and the needs of the native wildflowers.
The seeds of many wildflowers, including Yellow Rattle, need to be exposed to colder temperatures for a certain time period, to signal to them to get ready for germinating in the spring.
Yellow Rattle in particular, needs to be sown so it has around 4 months underground at below 5C to start this process and allow the seeds to germinate.
We always advise that people buy seeds from a supplier that provides native seeds from the country you plan on sowing them.
It’s not just the country that’s important though, local areas all have their own unique flora. So where possible, it’s always best to buy seed that is sourced locally as this will ensure that your flowers will grow happily in your area and be suitable for local wildlife.
It’s always a good idea to think about your specific space too, including the soil type, PH, whether your site is dry or damp, shady or sunny. For species to flourish it depends on whether they are suited to these conditions.
Why not read our full seed guide to find out more. Or visit our shop here to look through the seeds we have available.
There are many different mixes to choose from, and there’s a few things to consider. Firstly take in mind the local flora, and what you see naturally appearing in your area. You also should consider whether you want a tall mini meadow with flowers like Oxeye Daisy, or a lower flowering lawn with plants like Self-heal.
One wildflower we would recommend, especially if you are seeding into a lawn that only has grass, or one that has more vigorous grasses, is Yellow Rattle often referred to as ‘The Meadow Maker’. This semi-parasitic plant helps limit the growth of competing grasses, to allow more wildflowers to come through naturally. Find out more about growing Yellow Rattle here.
You could also add flowers like Poppies and Cornflowers to give some pops of different colours. These are both annual species, so will not necessarily reappear in future years.
There was a growing trend of ‘seed bombing’ which saw small balls of seeds and compost dropped onto bare ground to create mini areas of blooms.
While this can certainly work, and is how some wildflowers successfully seed themselves, there are better ways.
Read on below to find our top tips of how to prepare the ground to see the best success
The older and ‘wilder’ your lawn the better! If your lawn is like a bowling green, with fertile soil and no ‘weeds’, then you might first want to lower the nutrients in the soil. You can do this by regularly mowing your lawn and removing the cuttings for the first year or so. It could take a year or 2 to get your soil to the right nutrient level.
When you’re ready you can add wildflower seeds to your lawn to increase biodiversity. The best way to do this is to cut your lawn very short in the autumn and scarify it by going over it with a rake to create patches of bare soil to scatter your seeds on. Keep going until around 50% of the area is bare ground.
When it comes to actually sowing the seeds – less is more. You actually only need 1 or 2 teaspoons of seed per square metre.
Spread the seed across the ground evenly and pick a nice still day so the seeds don’t blow away before they land. The seeds can be mixed with sand for easier spreading. After this, gently trample the seeds in. It’s a good idea to water the ground lightly if the weather is drier, but be careful not to wash away the seeds.
There is another option to get wildflowers into your lawn, which some people do see better results with, which is to sow seeds into pots and then plant them outdoors.
To do this, sow the wildflower seeds in the autumn and leave the pots outside, to allow them to be exposed to the cold. Many wildflowers need a cold spell before they can germinate.
Once the plants have germinated and started to grow you can move the little seedlings into individual pots. The best time to do this is when the plants have 3 or 4 leaves on them. You can encourage the growth of healthy roots by cutting off any flower stems.
The following autumn, the plants can then be moved into your lawn. Once the plants are established, it’s worth keeping an eye on them for the first year or 2, to make sure they take properly and are not shaded out. You can do this by gently cutting the surrounding vegetation back to give them more space.
Yellow Rattle, is the single most important plant you need when creating a wildflower meadow. Here’s everything you need to know.
Our meadows have been part of our natural heritage for centuries and cared for by people for generations – but they are now more at risk than ever before.
A journey to return one of the UK's rarest wildflowers to the wild has made a major step to success.
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