General
Do you have an area in your garden that you would like to look like an English Cottage Garden? the Pacific wildflower mix is perfect for accomplishing this. Do you have a larger area that you don't want to put in just grass? Spreading these wildflower seeds will add bursts of colour throughout the Summer.
Latin
Varies from mix to mix. Look for the pop-up window on each variety to see ingredients list.
Difficulty
Moderately difficult.
Season & Zone
Season: All season.
Exposure: Full-sun, sun, part-sun.
Zone: Hardy from zone 3 to 10.
Plant Type
Wildflower mixes contain a variety of
Annuals (A),
Perennials (P) and
Biennials (B).
Planting
Seed Preparation:
The seeding rate is not a set amount. The size of the seeds, the seed species, soil and climate conditions, and pre-established plants on site are all factors to take into consideration when estimating seeding density.
In general, for small areas the amounts are 28 grams for 23 sq m (250 sq. ft.) or 500 grams per 370 sq m (4000 sq ft).
Soil Preparation:
Wildflower mixes do best in sites where the soil is disturbed already such as along newly expanded roadways or on recently cleared slopes. These disturbed areas are a prime site for noxious weeds to move in; it's better to be one step ahead of these invasive plants by sowing one of our wildflower mixes.
If the site you have in mind is already established with aggressive weeds, to ensure success with wildflowers it will be necessary to make an effort to clear the deck. This may involve lightly tilling the soil if compaction is an issue. Weeds can be temporily knocked back in small spaces, long enough to establish wildflowers, by sheet mulching with craft paper or plain brown cardboard with a layer of soil laid on top. By the time the weeds have broken through the barrier the wildflowers should be strong enough. Whatever ecologically sound method you choose to use to clear larger areas avoid disturbing the soil as this can release more weed seeds.
Planting:
Wildflower Mixes composed primarily of perennials need time to establish before the onset of winter so plant in the early spring while weather conditions are still wet or plant in the early autumn when the rains come again. The summer is a good time to sow wildflower seeds also but irrigation will be necessary for germination and seed success. It's better to let nature do it's work and sow during rainy periods. Sometimes that is the case during the summer!
Annual Wildflower Mixes should be planted in the spring so they have time to flower and set seed by autumn.
Decisions of when to plant and where and of how intensively to manage the site until it is established are contingent upon too many factors to fully describe in this space. Use your instincts. Observe the site as it progresses. Does it need watering? Should you hand weed? Do you need to reseed?
Diseases & Pests
Keeping a wildflower area free of unpleasant weeds, thistle, morning glory, dandelion, etc. is a real problem. Growing the wildflower with a grass such as the
Sheep fescue covers the soil and eliminates many weeds. Anytime a weed is pulled, disturbing the soil, you must replace it with wildflower seeds or a grass seed.
Growing Tips
Your wildflower site should have at least 6 hours of sunlight per day. The exception is the Partial Shade Wildflower Mixture that will do fine with less than 6 hours.
Mixing the seed with an inert material such as sand, sawdust or cornmeal makes even seed distribution easier. It's important that the seeds come into contact with the soil. Raking them in to prevent the seeds getting blown away is a good idea but go no deeper than 1/2 an inch.
Overwatering and fertilizing will benefit weed seeds more than the wildflowers so it's better to let nature take its course. Some watering to keep the top layer of the soil moist is a good idea if rainfall is not sufficient.
