In a previous property I spent a flippin' fortune on wild flower seeds and even those strips of paper with seeds "sown" in them - nothing much ever grew apart from a couple of poppies. Where was I going wrong? I have a little patch of so-called lawn on a slope which is not much use - roughly 3-4ft x 6-8ft and I would like to have a mini wild meadow kinda thing there, but how, without repeating the same mistakes? Someone mentioned that you need bad quality soil? If so, how far do I dig down? What should I look for? Do I need to add anything? Any advice gratefully received please. They grow wild, for goodness sake, and I can't grow them!?! :-) Also any ideas where to buy/what brand etc to try again? If you're in Devon PLEASE come and do it for me!? :-)
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Sow wild flower garden seeds in March and April, or September if your soil is light and well drained. The seeds prefer an open position in full sun. For annual seeds sow in the autumn.
Prepare the ground by clearing away all existing plants and grass. It’s particularly important to remove vigorous perennial weeds such as stinging nettles, docks and couch grass.
Dig the soil over and firm it well before raking to create a level seed bed. Do not use any feed or compost as this will encourage grass to grow.
It’s best to allow up to 6 weeks for the soil to settle. This also allows any weed seeds to germinate, which can then be removed.
Sow 1g of wild flower seeds to 1 square metre of soil. Mixed wild flower seeds with grass should be sown at 5g per square metre. Try mixing the seed with silver sand to make sowing easier and more even.
Rake the area lightly after sowing and cover with netting to protect from birds and cats. Ensure the soil is kept moist during hot, dry periods for the best germination.
Never add any fertiliser to your meadow at any time.
If that fails have you considered buying plug plants and planting through your lawn. If you struggle with the seed this is a great method and you can pick exactly what type of meadow you want.
Hope this helps. Good luck!
