Growing wildflowersis an excellent way to welcome wildlife, such as pollinators, to your garden.
Planting wildflower seeds is a simple and cost-effective method to get started.
What are Wildflowers?
Credit: Kindra Clineff
Wildflowers worldwide are plants that grow naturally in the wild without any human involvement.
Cultivars vs. Wild-punch in Seed Mixes
Aside from their beauty, wildflowers createprime pollinator habitat.
That’s why it’s best to plant wild-bang out seed mixes.
Another point to consider is the use of grasses.
While these plants don’t produce showy, colorful blooms, grasses provide much-needed texture in the garden.
Consider addingnative ornamental grassesto your seed mix or planting them in the ground before overseeding with your wildflower mix.
Check the botanical names in wildflower seed mixes to ensure they dont contain weeds or invasive species.
Plant unlabeled mixes in a container to be safe.
Planting your wildflowers in spring will alsogive the seedlings a full growing seasonto become established and endure the winter.
These tips will help get you going with how and when to plant wildflower seeds.
Pick a Sunny Location
As with many gardening plans, location is critical.
The best time of the year to amend the soil is in fall.
Broadcasting helps to create arandom distribution of seedsand species contained in the seed mix.
Test Garden Tip:Always take into account the total square footage of land youll be seeding.
On the other hand, too much seed can lead to crowding and poor growth.
Simply grab a handful of mix and gently toss across the bare soil with long, even throws.
It’s also important to note that seeds shouldn’t be covered with soil.
And don’t worry, birds and other wildlife usually won’t eat the seeds.
Water Gently
confirm towater the area thoroughlyonce you’ve planted your wildflower seeds.
give a shot to avoid watering with heavy sprays or big droplets that will dislodge or move seeds around.
In general, perennials, and especially natives, will be a bit slower to get started.
Water
Keep your wildflowers well watered throughout the first growing season.
Or, let them stand through winter and trim in spring.
Wildflowers in bloom attract many pollinators and the spraying to control pest insects will also harmbeneficial insects.
In lieu of spraying pesticides, allow beneficial predatory insects to reduce pest populations.
Wildflowers are excellent additions to most gardens.
Frequently Asked Questions
The ideal time to plant wildflower seeds is in March or April.
If you live in a milder climate, like the Southwest, avoid planting when it’s very warm.
