Wildflower Seed Sowing Advice

Wildflower meadows are not ‘no maintenance’ areas but once established they only require a little mowing and weeding to keep at their best.

Site requirements

The soil should match the requirements for the plants therefore we have specially selected wildflower mixes that suit particular sites to make your choice easier.

How to sow a wildflower meadow

Sowing of Wildflower seeds can take place through most of the year (bar the depths of winter). But generally the most successful time is August to October (following natures natural cycle) and then by March to April.

• The best method to create a wildflower meadow is to sow on a freshly prepared seed bed. Prepare the seed bed by clearing all the weeds by hand or with glyphosate for perennial weeds, dig over and a rake soil to a fine tilth, tread or roll and then rake again. If the soil is very fertile remove the top 5-10cm of topsoil first.
• Broadcast the seed at a rate of 5g/sqm. (The seed can be mixed with sharp sand to ensure a more even spread.) Lightly rake the seed in and water carefully with a fine hose.
• Carefully water during dry weather, and keep on top of removing weeds until the meadow begins to establish.

Subsequent Maintenance

In the first year after germination cut sward to 5cm in Mar/Apr. (If seed sown in spring do 1st cut in May.) Then cut every 2 months or when the meadow reaches 15cms. Remove the grass and compost, this stops the meadow being swamped and helps keep the fertility down. The final cut will be Sept/Oct, all cuttings should be removed.

Following years should see the wildflower meadow cut in Mar/Apr to 7.5cm and the second cut in Aug/Oct.