Winter is the Time to Start Spring Wildfowers

Winter is the Time to Start Spring Wildflowers

by Ken Lain, The Mountain Gardener, Watters Garden Center

Few plants in the garden deliver a more natural appearance than wildflowers. Although real success depends on timing, adhere to these simple tips, tricks and techniques, and you can paint a swathe of color across your springtime landscape. A pure wildflower seed needs the freeze-thaw cycle of late winter and early spring to germinate properly. This is especially true for the most popular varieties like a poppy. Cold weather cracks open the seeds hull so it can make its way into the soil. That is why sowing the seed now through March is the ideal planting window.

Here are four planting techniques that guarantee a breathtaking crop of wildflowers:

STEP 1: SELECT AND PREPARE THE PLANTING AREA.

Most wildflowers need a considerable amount of sunshine so choose a place that receives at least 6 hours of light daily. Planting in weed-free soil assures optimal results. Weed, then rake the seedbed and loosen the top 1-2 inches of soil. Better growth occurs when plant food is mixed into the topsoil.

STEP 2: CREATE YOUR OWN HYDRO MULCH.

Often seeds in a mix are so small you can barely spread them evenly across the soil. To avoid this drawback, buy a bag of premium mulch, pour it into a wheelbarrow and mix in your seed. Spread this seed-mulch blend over the prepared seedbed. This simple trick helps spread the seed precisely where you want, ensuring good seedto-soil contact, insulating the seed and camouflaging them from hungry birds.

STEP 3: KEEP THE SEEDBED MOIST.

If sufficient moisture is present, some seeds can germinate by the end of February. Your wildflowers will require supplemental water if it does not rain enough to keep the seedbed moist. Good snow is even better for a freshly planted wildflower bed.

WILDFLOWER CAUTION!

Quality is difficult to spot in wildflower seeds and presents a problem because shortcuts are taken in the industry. Many box store wildflower blends are composed of filler and cheap annual seed to keep the cost down.

I’ve designed numerous local mixes specifically for local gardens, including Watters Arizona Wildflower Blend, Watters Parade of Poppies, Drought Tolerant Mix and Deer Resistant Wildflower Mixture.

Attract bees back into the gardens to help pollinate fruit trees and vegetables with Watters Pollinator Wildflower Mix.

Download a free garden class handout Growing Better Wildflowers from

www.wattersgardencenter.com.