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Wild Flower Meadow

Information for Successful Establishment

When considering a wildflower meadow much thought should be given to choosing a suitable mixture containing species to suit soil type, sowing technique and very importantly the management of the meadow.

Mixture composition/Suitable Sites

When ever possible seed of UK native origin should be used. These seeds are produced from stock selected from UK Wild habitat populations.

In general wild flowers prefer poor low fertility soils. These thinner poorer soils always give the best results. They also establish and thrive better on weed free sites. Subsoils often provide weed free areas with a low nutrient status and are therefore ideal for wild flora planting.

Select and use a mixture suitable and coinciding with to your requirements. Consider the soil, its type, texture, fertility and Ph. Look at the site aspect as regards sun and shade requirements.

Try to avoid using sites infested with Docks, Thistles, Nettles and Couch Grass. These sites and over fertile sites although not ideal can be used but require much more additional preparational work.

For difficult to establish areas or small areas requiring fast establishment consideration should be given to using plant plugs. (Please enquire)

Wild flower meadows can take many years to establish fully. It is usual when creating a wild flower meadow to sow the wild flowers with a suitable non-competetive slow growing grass seed mixture. This will not only protect the soil from weed invasion but at the same time not hinder the flower establishment - hence the term “nurse” companion.

Our Wild Flower Meadow Mixtures contain 20% native British wild flowers and 80% slow growing grasses (by weight). They are also available as 100% wild flowers and 100% grasses.

Site preparation

Remember the low fertility soil requirement otherwise annual grasses and weeds out compete the wild flowers. On high fertile sites the removal of the top 50-75mm of soil helps by taking away excess nutrients and the seed bank containing dormant seeds mostly of weed species.

If unable to remove the top soil then create a stale seedbed by repeated cultivation and spray off with a glyphosate based herbicide - repeat at least twice to reduce the dormant weed seeds lying underneath the topsoil whose germinations fired by disturbance.

Continue cultivation until you have a weed free, medium to fine tilth. Detail to good ground preparation and weed treatment at this stage are essential and will pay dividends later.

Never apply fertiliser at any time.

Wild Flower Drilling

Sowing can take place during most of the year providing the soil is reasonably moist and easily worked. The months of March to May and August to early October are generally the most suitable.

80%/20% Wildflower mixtures should be sown at 5 grams/sq. metre (20 kilos/acre). Cornfields Annual Mixture at 2 grams/sq. metre (8 kilos/acre). 100% Wildflower Mixtures should be sown at 1.5 grams/sq. metre (6kilos/acre). 100% Grass Mixtures require 6 grams/sq. metre (25kgs/acre).

Mix seed thoroughly as wild flower species differ widely in seed size and therefore the number of seeds per gram. As an example Ragged Robin could have in excess of 5,000 seeds per gram whilst with Meadow Buttercup you would obtain in the region of 400 or so for the same weight. Seed is thoroughly mixed before despatch but small seeded species inevitably drop to the bottom of packaging during carriage.

It is helpful to bulk up the seed with an inert carrier such as silver sand, in the ratio of 1:3, to obtain an even and well distributed sowing. It also serves as a useful marker to show where seed has been sown during the seeding operation.

The seeding operation can be performed by hand broadcasting, seed fiddle, tractor mounted broadcasting spinner or tractor mounted grass seed drill.

After broadcasting Cambridge roll (ribbed roller) to firm and level and ensure seed to soil contact. Never cover or bury seed.

Wild Flower Management/Maintenance

Apart from Cornfields Annual Mixture the remaining Wildflower Meadow Mixtures are mainly composed of perennial species. They will not flower in the first year but to see the real benefit in the following and future years a regular cutting programme to control both excessive grass growth and weeds will result in a much improved display of flora species than that in an unmanaged plot.

The degree of cutting management should be in line with the fertility of the site. More fertile sites will obviously need a more intensive programme.

Management Summary

Mixtures containing mainly Perennial Species.

Autumn Sown - First year maintenance
Cut March to 6-8 cm height
Continually cut as necessary to keep to this height through to mid to late April
Final cut to 6cm Late September to October
Autumn Sown - Continuing maintenance
Cut March to 6-8cm height
Leave and allow Wild Flora to develop and flower
Final Cut to 6 to 8 cm in Late September to October
Spring Sown - First year maintenance
Cut to 6cm height approximately 6 - 7 weeks after sowing
When sward height exceeds 12 - 15 cm cut again
Final cut to 6cm Late September to October
Continuing maintenance
as for Autumn sown continuing maintenance

• Remove cuttings in all cases to prevent die back of the sward.
• Never spray overall with any type of weed killer. Spot treat only persistent weeds such as docks and thistles with glyphosate
• Never cut excessively low as you may destroy broad leaved plants
• Once established and to reduce thatch build up it is advisable following the final cut to grass harrow. This will benefit some annuals used with perennials, mainly Yellow Rattle and also prolong the persistence of some short lived perennials.

Cornfield Annuals

These are unlike perennial wild flowers in that they establish quickly and grow well on fertile soils and produce a bright colourful display in one growing season from an autumn or spring sowing. The majority of cornfield annuals will no longer exist after the first year but it is possible to get some re-establishmentfrom self-sown seeds if, after flowering, the ground is re-cultivated. A regular re-seeding programme is required to build up a seed bank within the soil so that disturbance alone will regenerate the annuals.

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