Wildflowers are a great addition to any garden for a wide number of reasons. Their beautiful vibrance brings a radiant splash of colour to any outdoor space, and their varying shapes and sizes are totally unique and promise something new every year with every new bloom.
Not only are wildflowers beautiful, but they also do a great amount to support your local ecosystem. Bees and butterflies love them, and bees are great pollinators so their presence will help your garden flourish and support local biodiversity. Although planting a few wildflower seeds in your garden might not seem like much, but every little helps.
If you’re interested in planting wildflower seeds in your garden you may have a few questions, such as when is the best time of year to plant the wildflower seeds and what is the best way to do it. If you’ve found yourself asking these questions and are looking for answers, you’re in the right place!
When’s the Best Time to Plant Wildflower Seeds?
The best time of year to plant wildflower seeds is in the spring, ideally March/April time. If you miss the window of opportunity in the spring, the second-best time is the autumn, around September/October.
How to Plant Wildflower Seeds
The process of planting wildflowers is surprisingly simple. Once the planting is completed, the maintenance is also very easy as wildflowers are pretty independent.
1) Prepare the Space
Wildflowers won’t grow well in areas with thick grass or weed growth. Make sure conditions are suitable for wildflower growth by clearing the area of all weeds (including grass), and ensure that the soil is nice and crumbly.
Wildflowers actually grow better in lawns with low nutrition, as highly fertile soil encourages the growth of other plants like weeds and grass which compete with wildflowers.
2) Sow the Seeds
With wildflowers this is a pretty easy process, just grab a handful and sprinkle them on the soil by hand. Depending on what seeds you’re using, it’s generally recommended to used between 1g-4g per square metre. Read the label of the seed packet you’re using and do as they instruct.
3) Don’t Bury the Seeds Too Deeply
Now's the time to settle the seeds; you can do so by giving them a quick rake to give them a light coving of soil. Wildflowers need warmth, light, and water to grow, and burying them too deeply will make it difficult for them.
4) Water Well
At this point, give the seeds a generous covering of water to make sure they're hydrated and settled.
5) Don’t Add Enrichment or Fertiliser
As briefly mentioned above, wildflower seeds can do well in soil with little nutrition. Although you might think that adding fertiliser will help the wildflowers to grow, it will actually encourage the growth of other plants such as grass and weeds that will directly compete with wildflowers for the space.
6) Be Patient
Depending on what seeds you’ve sown, their growth rate may vary. Some species, for example, require frost to break dormancy so, depending on what time you’ve sown the seeds, you may have to wait for next year to see the rewards of your hard work. Although it might be frustrating to have to wait, the results will be well worth it when you finally see the wide array of colours bringing new life into your garden.
Overall, wildflower gardens are pretty low maintenance. You get a beautiful riot of colour in your garden that simultaneously supports your local biodiversity and ecosystem – what’s not to love?
If you’re interested in planting wildflower seeds in your garden, Really Wild Bird Food has a wide range of different wildflower seed combinations available.
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If you have any questions about the benefits of wildflowers, or are looking for advice on how to plant and maintain them, reach out and contact us today. Our first-class team will do everything they can to answer any questions you may have and help you get your wildflower garden started today!
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Read More: Plants That Attract Bees
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