The much anticipated first day of autumn is finally here. September through November are the ideal months to sow wildflower seed so that they will begin flowering next May and continue through November. Whether you want to try your hand at a small patch or a large field, the same basic rules apply.

Selecting a site with eight hours of sun is a must for most wildflower species. Drainage is also very important. Although many species will survive in wet areas, the weed competition is also much greater making it difficult to have a clean looking plot.

Supplemental water is also necessary for germination and seedling establishment. For the first four to six weeks, light and frequent applications of water will aid in creation of your wildflower garden especially if rainfall is absent.

Supposing these requirements can be met, you must begin the project by ridding the area to be planted of as many weeds as possible. Hand weeding a small area is recommended although larger areas will benefit from a non-selective herbicide such as one containing glyphosate (Round-up).

After herbicide application, wait about two weeks and remove the vegetation tops so that the soil is visible. If necessary, re-apply the herbicide.

Lightly till or rake the area to be planted no more than one inch. This is important because by disturbing the ground any deeper you will also bring thousands of viable weed seed to the surface that are just lying in wait in the subsoil.

When working to establish a large area, a carrier such as sand is helpful in distributing the seed more evenly. Four parts sand: one part seed is recommended. Broadcast half of the mix in one direction and the remaining in a perpendicular course.

Sowing a few seed of each wildflower in a small pot and labeling it will help to identify each species as they germinate. Because each species will germinate at different times, this will also help in knowing when to expect to see specific seedlings. Although many wildflower species will germinate this fall, some need to go through winter before emergence in spring.

After sowing your seed, lightly walk or roll over the seed. This will improve the seed to soil contact. This should not exceed 1/16 of an inch. Don’t worry if some of the seed is still visible.

Fertilizer is generally not necessary for wildflower establishment. In fact, heavily fed species tend to produce lush foliage with few blooms although the weeds thrive. Grassy weeds that become problematic can be sprayed with a select herbicide such as Poast, Fusilade or Over-The-Top, to name a few.

As your wildflower stand matures and produces seed, you may mow it or cut the plants back to four to six inches as necessary. This will help distribute the seed throughout the area and cut back annual weeds. After the first freeze, this should be done each year if not more often.

Begin planning your area for wildflower establishment and next week I will discuss the many species that thrive in the Miss-Lou and where to get seed for your project.

Until then, enjoy the first week of autumn.

E-mail

Traci Maier

at

ratmaier@natchezdemocrat.com

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