Whether you plant wildflowers in huge swaths along
roadsides or tiny pocket gardens in your own
backyard, the vibrant colors and rich mixtures of these hardy
plants are sure to please the eye.

As with any kind of gardening, wildflowers require work and
planning, but following these basic
rules will assure your success.

Determine your goals. Before you buy seed, first know what
you want from your wildflower
plantings.

What is your purpose? Do you want three-season, low-
maintenance color? only species native to
your area? birds and butterflies? With so many reasons to plant
wildflowers, it’s important to define
your goals before you begin.

Choose a site. It may be tempting to plant wildflowers
where nothing else grows, but while they’re
hardy, they’re not magical. Most need full sun and moderately
fertile soils that drain well but not too
quickly.

While it’s possible to plant wildflowers in poor soil on a
steep slope in the shade, this will present a
special challenge. Consulting with an expert will help your
chances of success.

Choose your seeds. Your wildflowers will be only as good as
the seeds you sow. If you invest the
time and energy to plant them right, don’t ruin the project by
using questionable seeds.

Buy from a reputable dealer who can supply you information
about individual species and different
mixtures.

Most mixtures include annuals and perennials. In general,
mixtures for warm climates may include
more annuals because they tend to reseed year after year.

Annuals should be included in almost every mixture,
however, since they act as a nurse crop for
slower-growing perennials that don’t bloom until the second
year.

Prepare the site. I highly recommend that you remove
existing vegetation before you plant
wildflower seeds.

Till the soil, if you can, to create a loose seed bed. If
you can’t till, at least scratch up the soil
surface.

Eliminate weed seeds in the upper layer of soil by allowing
them to germinate and begin to grow,
then removing the weeds by chemical or mechanical means. Don’t
till again, or you may turn up new
weed seeds and have to repeat the process.

Plant the seed. Good seed-to-soil contact is essential for
a high germination rate. For even
distribution, mix seeds with sand, vermiculite or cornmeal.
Scatter them and rake them in lightly,
being careful not to cover them too deeply.

Fall plantings offer the advantage of early germination and
growth. In our climate, plant before you
expect periods of winter rainfall. A spring or early-summer
planting is fine in most areas, too, but you
may have to provide water for the first several weeks.

Water the site. Many wildflowers are drought-tolerant, but
all plantings, wildflowers included,
need enough moisture to germinate and thrive. Keep the site
evenly moist during the first four to six
weeks. Then gradually reduce watering.

Maintain the area. Mow wildflowers high three times —
usually in late spring, midsummer and late
fall. Rake up the cut material or leave it in place to serve as
a protective mulch.

After cleanup mowing in late fall, overseed annuals and
bare spots as needed with half the normal
seeding rate.

With timely weeding, watering and mowing, wildflowers will
reward you with beauty and
fragrance as the seasons unfold in an ever-changing panorama of
color, from the first spring flower to
autumn’s last lingering aster.

To learn more about wildflowers, contact the county
Extension office for a copy of Extension
Bulletin No. 994, “Wildflowers,” and Ornamental Horticulture
Fact Sheet H-92-010, “Wildflower
Establishment and Culture.”