Mixture Selection
- It is important that the correct mixture is selected according to the soil type, aspect and management
- Our most popular and proven mixtures are listed in this brochure (please call to discuss specification)
Site Preparation
- The aim is to produce a firm, weed-free tilth to promote healthy germination
- Subsoils often provide weed-free areas with a low nutrient status and are therefore suitable for wildflowers
- It is occasionally necessary to remove the topsoil in areas of high fertility as these soils promote the growth of more vigorous grasses and weeds
- To remove docks, thistles, nettles and weed grasses; the site should be treated with a systemic herbicide prior to seed bed cultivation, the stale seed bed technique is often used
Summary
- Cultivate site and allow to remain fallow if practical
- Remove / treat all weeds with herbicide
- Remove topsoil / to reduce fertility
- Cultivate to 10cm
- Create a surface tilth
Sowing
- Sowing can take place throughout most of the year, providing a good fine tilth can be prepared
- March/April and August/September are generally the most suitable
- Mix seed to ensure even species distribution
- Drill/broadcast - calibrate sowing device
- Rate - 5 g/m2 mixtures with grasses or 3 g/m2 100 % wild flower mixtures
- Use sand to bulk up small seeding rates, 4 parts silica sand to one part seed by weigh
- Raking/harrowing - mix seed into soil (depth approx 0.5 cm)
- Firm seed bed with roller – Very Important
Wild Flower Maintenance First Year
- Control weeds and reduce competition from vigorous grasses
- If necessary cut the sward to a height of 5cm every two months or when the sward reaches 15cm
- Remove all cut material to avoid smothering the sward
- Where persistent weeds are a problem, spot treat with herbicide or dig-out
Future Maintenance
- The sward should be well established after the first 12 months and contain a diverse range of species
- Cut to 7.5cm during March/April and remove cuttings
- Second cut should be at 10 cm and take place at the end of the flowering season approx August/September
- Leave cuttings for a week to dry and shed seeds and then remove all cuttings or use as hay
- The site may require further cuts in the Autumn period to remove untidy growth in an extended growing season
- Another option is to leave the dead material until February / March, then cut and remove
- The dead material provides a diverse habitat for wildlife particularly butterflies
Wildflower seed in GFS Wildflowers mixtures is of UK native origin.
The definition of UK native seed provided by Natural England is: British native-origin seed refers to seed originally collected from wild populations in Great Britain (from sites with no known history of sowing of amenity or agricultural varieties) and either sown directly, or grown on as a field crop to provide further seed. It includes seed collected in ‘green hay’. It excludes certified amenity or agricultural varieties of native species.
GFS Wildflowers UK native wildflower seed is sourced in two ways:
- Seed collections from the wild which are field sown or sown in modules before being field planted as spaced plants. These are then harvested and cleaned to increase seed germination, vigour and purity.
- Meadow collections are taken with owner permission or under license if the meadow is within a registered area. These seeds are then processed to remove excessive admixture and graded so they can be used in measurable amounts in prescribed mixtures.
Contents of wildflower mixtures will vary according to seed and species availability
