Creating a wildflower meadow

successfully as pache it is important but you consider the fall device first of all check what species of wild flowers are already present to ensure that you do not remove anything of interest let your meadow plot grow for at least one season to see what pops up see our Meadows page for a free wildflower ID guide to help you it is wise to start with site free from plants such as nettles cow parsley dark thistle and hog lead as less competitive wildflower species will struggle to get established areas with more than one-third perennial ryegrass should also be avoided for meadow wildflowers to thrive prepare a weed free clean seed bed ideally with thin soils good drainage and in a sunny position to benefit our native pollinating insects it is important that UK provenance seeds are used this will ensure that flowering plants are suited to the life cycle of insects and other wildlife finally once your meadow is established remember to cut and remove the summer growth to allow new seedlings to come through prevent nutrient build-up and keep any coarse grasses and weeds species under control in order for wildflower seeds to germinate successfully allow time to prepare a fine weed free seed bed of bare earth for larger sites use a compact tractor and black evader or power Harrow in one pass a black cavity will bury stains debris and short vegetation raking the ground level while providing a fine top layer of soil to enhance an existing area of grassland turf cutters can be used to remove several strips of vegetation to create their earth this tool is useful for removing couch grass rhizomes metal roots and top tap roots of cow parsley in hogweed as well as removing fertility and weed seeds cut turds can be used for compost or combined with lungs and stones to form part of a Wildlife Refuge in the corner of your plant for smaller uneven and patchy sites hire a rotavator to bury and break up the soil and any existing vegetation this should be raped and rolled to create a firm soil surface weed matting left in situate the summer period can also create bare earth patches these should be removed raked off and replaced on several occasions to allow weed flushes to occur and then be suppressed this is a chemical free way to not only kill off growing weeds put a triggered germination of dormant weed seed in the soil so they can be removed after creating bare earth a flush of weedy species is likely to occur and should be controlled throughout the summer to create clean seed bed prior to sewing in autumn non-chemical approaches including gentle raking throughout the summer weed matting or hand weeding with a fork and spade can help to exhaust the weed seed bank remember do not disturb the ground immediately prior to sewing as this can create another flush of weeds important that you select wildflower species that can tolerate the soil type and site conditions on your plant for nutrient-rich soils a general purpose meadow mix that contains robust species such as common knapweed and meadow cranesbill is a good start a reputable seed supplier will provide seed mixes to suit your conditions sowing in autumn is ideal as ground conditions are warm and moist sowing in spring is second best but seeds that require winter Frost's will not be activated also you run the risk of dry soils and vigorous grass growth taking over before wildflowers can get established it is important to always use locally sourced seed and plants to help conserve the local varieties of wildflowers that best adapt to your area this will also increase your chances of success avoid using imported seed or plants grown from unreliable sources for a perennial wildflower meadow that flowers year-on-year select a standard mix with 80% fine leaved meadow grasses and 20% the wildflowers these meadow grasses are less competitive than coarse or common lawn grasses and play several important roles within the meadow not least helping to restrict colonization for more competitive weedy species and should be an essential component of your mix in small to medium plots mix your seed with sharp sand to guarantee an even spread of seed sand also helps to highlight any on same patches against a darker earth and helps to prevent uneven sowing so your plot with 4 grams of seed per square meter unless your supply States otherwise for larger sites divide your seed and sand mix equally between buckets remembering to scatter evenly for good distribution for successful germination roll your sown plot this will ensure that the seed has a good contact of the soil water filled rollers can be hired from your local tool hire at little expense to encourage an even spread of plants quick colonization and control of annual weedy species cut the first year's growth regularly allow it to grow to 15 centimeters and then top with a mower back down to 5 centimeters removing the cutting that each time repeat this action throughout the first growing season for long term success it is essential to cut and remove the summer growth every year for more advice on the right tools for the job see our meadow management videos introducing native pot gram plants into existing grassland will help to boost diversity quickly local stock can be bought from nurseries grown from seed but remember to stay peat and fertilizer free to help reduce nearby competition first lease trim or mow your planting area then cut the turf out replace the turf upside down or remove and plant into this bare patch using a bulb planter or trowel Bank fellows now in the plant in the hole so that it sits level with the ground planting groups and space at six to ten per square meter autumn planting is best to allow the roots to become established while planting in the spring is next best with patience and regular management in time your meadow will become a haven for local wildlife you

Channel: Lincolnshire Wildlife Trust

Views: 40,404

Rating: 4.8303032 out of 5

Keywords: wildflowers, meadow, meadows, lincolnshire, wildlife, wolds, lincolnshire wolds, flowers

Id: xqLtDZFOPYQ

Length: 7min 40sec (460 seconds)

Published: Thu Jun 29 2017