Late Fall is great for planting Wildflower seeds!

Native grasses and wildflowers shed their seeds in the fall — they are distributed by wind, water, and animals, then they reach the soil where they are moistened and chilled for optimum germination in the spring. Use Mother Nature’s technique for planting wildflower mixes and grass/wildflower mixes. Late Fall/Winter is best! See inside for planting details! (just as Mother Nature intended!)  Late Fall/Winter is best!

Preparing a Site

An appropriate location is crucial for the success of your wildflower garden. Most wildflowers thrive in areas with plenty of sunlight, so choose a spot that receives at least 6-8 hours of direct sunlight per day.  Select a site with good drainage , removing weeds and choking grasses. Loosen the soil if hard packed, but do not till more than 4” deep. There are untold numbers of dormant weed seeds in the top layers of soil just waiting to germinate with a little exposure! Rake smooth and avoid fertilizing as this only encourages weed growth and will produce extensive leafy growth at the expense of blooms. After your wildflower seeds have germinated, it will be very hard to distinguish them from weeds, so take care of the weeds on and around your site before you plant.

Planting Rate

A good rule of thumb is to plant 1 oz. of seed mix per 100-125 sq. feet (11.6 sq. meters). Our 4 oz. bag will cover 375 sq. feet, and our 8 oz. bag will cover 750 sq. feet. Our individual species bags carry seeds to cover an area of about 10 sq. feet. In our experience we have found that you can still get a pretty good stand of wildflowers at the rate of 1 lb. per 2,000 sq. ft. up to 20 lbs. per acre, if enough moisture is present.  Allow enough room for the plants to grow and expand without overcrowding.

Sowing the Seeds

Mixing the seeds with a carrier material such as sand, perlite, or vermiculite helps to bulk up the seeds, making them easier to handle and ensuring uniform coverage when sowing. The carrier material also provides a visual aid, making it easier to see where the seeds have been dispersed. For small areas, broadcast the mix by hand. Use a mechanical spreader for larger areas. Cover the seed only to a depth of 1 /8 to ¼ inch or 2-3 times the seed diameter by lightly raking in with a hand rake for small areas. Avoid covering the seeds too deeply and using more than the recommended seeding rate. If you are just scattering the seed on the top of the soil, make sure that there is good seed to soil contact by pressing the seed down or covering them with a thin layer of mulch. For a natural meadow effect use only non sod-forming grasses to mix with your wildflower seeds. Gently soak the area and maintain consistent moisture for 4 to 6 weeks to ensure the best germination. If irrigation is not practical, try to take advantage of spring moisture to aid with germination. In dry climates or drought conditions, up to 1/2 inch of water may be required after germination, tapering off as the plants become well established.

When to Plant

Wildflowers can be planted in the early Spring when many people are planting their gardens or in the late Fall when Mother Nature does her planting. For an Early Spring Planting, sow one month before the last hard frost for your area. You can find out the average dates for the last hard Spring freeze and frost from your County Cooperative Extension Service as well as the dates for the first hard frosts in the fall. For a Late Fall Planting, sow after the first hard frosts for your area to ensure that there will be no partial germination of your seeds until the spring. The seeds will lie dormant through the winter and will germinate the following spring when the soil warms and the days are longer. In Temperate Zones, sowing at other times of the year can be successful, too. Plan to sow your seeds so that they can germinate during the cooler, moist times for your area. This will allow the seedlings to become well established before onset of the hot, dry season.

Maintenance and What to Expect

The first season after planting your wildflower mix, you should see the brilliant colors of the annuals, since they are the species that will bloom the first season. They will reseed themselves, but will not be as abundant the following year. The perennial species in the mix will take the first year or two to expand their root systems and become well established. You should see the blooms of the perennials beginning in the second or third years. Take time to evaluate your site. Do some of the species do better in one area rather than another? Purchase some of those seeds to augment the favorable spots for that species for a stronger showing. In the early spring of the second year sow some “All Annuals Mix” over the site, to continue a strong showing of the annual species that were so brilliant the first season.