ALL ABOUT PLANTING WILDFLOWERS –
NATURE’S JEWELS
September 28, 2006
By
If you are looking for an easy, sure way of gardening, have
you ever considered planting wildflowers?
Just think about this, in nature, they only get watered when it
rains. They are never treated for
diseases. They are never sprayed for insects.
They are never fertilized, and yet, they thrive. They never have to be
deadheaded. How easy is that?
WHY PLANT
WILDFLOWERS?
Wildflowers are a good choice if you want to have a cottage
look in your garden. A cottage garden is
a lovely garden with a colorful mixture of blooming plants that are in no
particular plan or order. Once started, the cottage garden is one of the most
carefree gardens to maintain.
Wildflowers require very little care, but like all plants,
they will benefit from light feeding of a balanced plant food. They are getting to be more popular as they
are easier to care for in general and require fewer pesticides.
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PHOTO
COURTESY WILDSEED FARM www.wildseedfarms.com 800-848-0078 “This is
an actual photograph of bluebonnets and corn poppies in bloom in the meadows
at Wildseed Farms in the Texas Hill Country this
past spring. Seeds are readily
available from there in small packets or in bulk. Remember to select seeds for Zone 9 for the
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SOURCES FOR SEEDS
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WILDFLOWER CHOICES
FOR ZONE 9 baby blue eyes black eyed susan blanketflower blazing star blue flax chicory clasping coneflower coreopsis radianta mix crimson clover drummond phlox evening primrose gloriosa daisy gold yarrow lemon mint mealy blue sage Mexican hat moss verbena ox-eyed daisy plains coreopsis purple clover purple tansy red corn poppy rose mallow scarlet flax scarlet sage Shasta
daisy showy primrose Tahoka daisy Texas bluebonnet tickseed toadflax wallflower wine cup yarrow yellow cosmos-klondyke |
You need to locate a good source to buy your seeds, and in
some cases, you can find seedlings. I
found several varieties at a local nursery that sells seeds. We also are
fortunate to have Wildseed Farms in the Texas Hill
country. They are readily available on
the web at http://www.wildseedfarms.com where they have a wonderful selection of
seeds. They sell small packages, or if
you are seeding a field, you can buy in bulk. You may also contact Wildseed Farms at 800-848-0078 and talk to experts who can
assist you.
I have also found wildflower seeds in those tempting,
colorful catalogs we all get. You only
need to check for the hardiness zone to insure your success. Remember our area is Zone 9.
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“According to the experts at Wildseed
Farms, this is a perfect example from this year’s
wildflowers of a bluebonnet bloom before going
to seed. “ |
FALL PLANTING
Most wildflower seeds do best planted in October or early
November. An October planting is better
insuring adequate time for breaking seed dormancy, forcing germination, winter
growth and spring flowering. If you are fortunate enough to get seedlings,
they, too, can be planted this time of year.
PLANT LOCATION
Wildflowers require a lot of sun. Getting just 6 hours each day is simply not
adequate for wildflowers to bloom - 8 hours is a minimum!
If you look in your garden, anywhere there are weeds would
make a good location for your new wildflower garden. Just remember the more sun, the better your
success will be. Something else to keep
in mind, the less competition from other plants, the more likely you are to have a good healthy bed of wildflowers.
SOIL PREPARATION
You will need to prepare your soil just as you would if you
were planting a new flowerbed. Turn the
soil and mix a generous amount of organic matter, such as manure or some good
compost, so you finish up with a viable soil mixture.
Smooth over your bed and water in for a couple of days until
you plant your seeds or seedlings.
Of course, always be sure you have a very well draining bed
or you will not have success with your wildflowers.
PLANTING YOUR NEW BED
Most wildflower seeds I have seen are very small. In order to get an even planting pattern, it
is a good idea to mix your seeds with some soil or sand and then evenly sow
them. If you aren't careful you can overseed some areas and leave others sparsely seeded.
Carefully sow your seeds and just pat the seeds in making
sure they are all in contact with the soil.
You will then need to sprinkle a very light cover of your mixed soil –
less than 1/8 inch. Water, soaking
deeply but lightly, in order not to disturb your newly
seeded bed. Check frequently for surface
soil moisture near the seed, watering as needed.
WILL WILDFLOWERS COME
BACK?
Yes, both native annual and perennial species will return
year after year once they become established and are allowed to reseed. You
will need to allow the blooms to dry before you cut them down in order for the
reseeding to occur.
Natural reseeding of exotic garden varieties and
"domesticated" varieties may range from significant to minimal
depending on the variety. Usually these
species will need to be replanted each year in order to achieve the same colorful
display.
For further information on growing wildflowers go to Aggie
Horticulture Wildseed Growing. To view as many as 75 common wildflowers that
are available and learn about their specific attributes, visit Aggie
Horticulture Wildflowers.
Following these guidelines, you should have all you need to know
to get started planting a very nice wildflower garden. You will be pleasantly surprised with your
colorful rewards next spring.
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REASONS FOR POOR
RESULTS Avoid these reasons
that could cause poor results in growing wild flowers. 1. Improper site
evaluation. Remember good drainage is a must!
Wildflowers, like most plants, do not like to have wet roots for an
extended period of time. 2. Preparing soil
too deeply. Deep soil preparation
greater than one inch in depth will allow dormant weed seeds to come up and
compete with your wildflower seeds.
Like all plants just getting started, they need no competition. 3. Covering seeds
too deeply beneath the soil surface.
Remember that simply rolling or walking over a newly planted area will
get proper seed/soil contact and aid in germination. You could just pat the seed in a small bed
or even use a flat board in a larger area. 4. Planting at the
wrong time of the year. Always plant
wildflowers in the fall for spring blooms. 5. Trying to cover
a large area with a small amount of seed.
Most wildflower seeds are very
small and can be spread quickly with very little effort through a mechanical
seeder – leaving you with no seed for the remainder of the site. Increase your spreading accuracy by mixing
soil or sand with the seed. 6. Unsuitable site
conditions for the variety planted. A
plant that requires full sun and well-drained soils will not prosper in an
area that is partially shaded with heavy clay soils. 7. Not enough
sunlight. Unless indicated otherwise,
wildflowers require a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight per day. 8. Inadequate rainfall after seed
germination. The area should not be
allowed to become completely dry. Supplemental
watering may be required to keep your wildflowers alive. 9. Extreme weather
conditions. Hail, drought, excessive rainfall, floods, or unseasonably cold
temperatures all make a difference in the growth of wildflowers. 10. Impatience...
Remember that wildflowers are one of nature’s marvels…they sometimes just
need a little time to start. |
The
Gardeners' Dirt is written by members of the Victoria County Master Gardener
Association, an educational outreach of
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