21
votes
Wildflower plantings
I've recently been trying to get an area of my yard to grow with perennial wild flowers. For 2 years straight, I plant seeds and nothing comes up. I'm starting to think that the seeds the store sells are just a scam. Even when I tried to germinate them in potting soil, nothing grew. Anyone here have any sort of advice?
Cheap "wildflower" mixed seeds aren't a great idea since the vendors don't do a great job of naturalizing, often including non-native (and potentialy invasive) species. The mixes may include seeds with very different germination times, divergent moisture/temperature/soil requirements, and so on.
Direct sowing requires more preparation than you'd think, especially if the patch you're planting has poor soil to start with. Even dryland wildflower seed mixes need covering to proper depth, some enrichment (1 - 2" of compost), and regular watering well past germination.
Planting time matters. For most temperate-climate wildflowers, you're best off setting the seeds in fall, so they can winterize in and germinate the following spring as they would if naturally seeded.
Prairie Seeds has helpful resources for determining what you'll need to prepare and select seed mixes: https://www.prairienursery.com/resources-guides/seeds-and-seed-mixes/
Thanks very much for the info
Conversely, I've had far better luck directly sowing and thinning, rather than germinating indoors and transplanting.
I think I wait too long before doing the transplant, and the plant gets leggy then requires this extensive hardening process.
It's possible you're planting them too deeply, not watering enough, or too much. It's hard to say. But you could try germinating them wrapped in wet paper towel (in a sealed container to keep the moisture in), making sure to keep the paper towel moist. If they do start to germinate, then you can transfer them to small seedling pots (read instructions on seeding depth), and after they outgrow those then finally plant them into your garden. Doing that should help maximize your chances.
You can also have the opposite problem that if you don’t plant them deep enough while outside then birds steal them. We’ve had that happen quite a few times at my work
Thanks for your input. I'm not sure exactly what I am doing wrong, but in your experience do you have luck with the cheap seed packets you can get at local hardware stores or garden centers? Also, are you aware of any companies out there the specialize in native wild flower seeds that might be better than seed packets? google is only so much help.
I will try your methods next time I'm making an attempt.
I don't do a ton of gardening anymore, but I do landscaping every spring/summer (where we mostly use fully or partially established nursery plants)... but I used to work at an organic greenhouse that started from seed. So I have middling experience, I guess? :P
IMO seeds are surprisingly hearty buggers. So long as you plant them at the proper depth, and keep them adequately hydrated they will typically at least take root and sprout in most cases, especially in potting soil... even from cheap supermarket packets of seeds. Outside is a different story though, since even established plants can die from root shock, nutrient or soil aeration deficiency issues, etc.
IMO the best way to do it is usually to germinate a whole bunch of seeds at once though, and work from there, since seeds do sometimes still fail to germinate for whatever reason. That's usually reasonably rare though, in my (somewhat limited) experience.
I am not aware of any specific seed companies though, sorry.
I'm a fan of Baker Creek for seeds of all sorts, and Orta Gardens for nice seed starting vessels. The clay vessels maintain an even moisture in the soil so when you're dealing with individual tablespoons of soil you don't have to be so fiddly in watering them prior to planting.
My little one dumped 2 seed packets in a plastic tote full of dirt and stirred it around...and that is one full bucket of flowers. So they can be relatively foolproof, which suggests something else at play (provided the seeds weren't roasted in an oven or something).
I'd place odds that your lawns soil quality is iffy. Aeration and adding compost should help. The no-till methods from a bit ago (lay down cardboard to kill weeds and plant in compost on top) should be relatively foolproof provided periodic watering.
We planted some flower seeds in early april and some just now are sprouting. Been a dry spring, so maybe just need more time.
A lot of people spray roundup and other weedkillers on their lawns... if you're getting runoff good luck getting anything to sprout. (imo herbicides should be illegal for lawns).
Edit: For those not in the know, a typical seed packet has hundreds of seeds. 2 packets could have planted that tote properly for the next 50 years or more. Thats what I get for turning my back for 3 minutes though.
I would highly recommend looking for native plants for your region. Once established, they will require little maintenance and become a huge draw for native insects and wildlife.
Starting with seed on the ground is often difficult even for experienced gardeners. It is recommend to start them in trays or 4 inch pots. Then, once established with healthy roots, transplant them into the garden.
Does the seed packet include a germination rate? This will be displayed as a percentage.
As a general rule, I am wary of buying seeds that don't state what their germination rate is because it may mean that they don't test their seeds to ensure they are viable.
I will look for it next time around
Are you comfortable sharing where you live? Some areas will send you wildflower seeds for free.