Annual field flowers

Site preparation

For the best effect, the seeds should be sown on the ground that has been cleared of the existing vegetation and its plant debris – rhizomes or roots. Before sowing, the area should be flattened so that the seeds will not be washed away during rain or watering. Lawn seeding is a method that offers no guarantee of success. If there are clearances in the turf and the plants have enough space to grow, flowers may appear in places, but the effectiveness of this method is often low.

Sowing

We sow wildflowers throughout the season – from spring to autumn. The flowers that will dominate the meadow depend on the place and date of sowing. Sowing in spring will favor cornflowers and chrysanthemums, while autumn sowing favors poppies and corn-cockles. Poppy seeds will grow best on fertile calcareous soils, and chamomiles and cornflowers will be the most popular on weaker and slightly acidified soils. Before sowing, the seeds must be mixed – it is important that the mixture is sown evenly over the entire surface. If the area is larger, we divide it into smaller fragments and portion the mixture of seeds proportionally to their number. Adding the mixture of seeds to the carrier, e.g. vermiculite or sand in a proportion of min. 1 l. filler per 100 g of seed mixture, will increase the volume of the seed and facilitate even sowing and control of the sowing area.

We sow the seeds on top of the soil – do not cover them with soil, because many species germinate in the sun and without light will not start vegetation. If the area is larger, we divide it into smaller fragments and portion the mixture of seeds proportionally to their number. A meadow that is too densely sown, where too many plants grow and compete with each other for access to light and water during the intensive growth phase, may lose their aesthetics.

After sowing

After sowing, the area should be rolled or trampled to ensure good contact with the ground for the seeds. Finally, we water the future meadow. If this is not possible, sowing seeds should preferably be planned in the time before the rain. It is important that the delicate roots of young plants have good conditions to penetrate the moist soil. It is important for the proper development of plants to maintain a moderate substrate humidity in the intensive growth period, especially on permeable soils.