Wildflower Seed for Wet Soils This mixture is ideal for low lying heavier soils represented best by lowland water meadows and flood plains that experience seasonal flooding. These soils can have higher nutrient levels, so careful management of the grass species is key to the successful establishment of Pro Flora 5. Sowing Rate Flowering Height Flowering Period 5g/m2 5cm - 2m May - November 20% Wildflowers Common name % Species Betony 1 Stachys officinalis Black Knapweed 11 Centaurea nigra Devil's Bit Scabious 1 Succisa pratensis Gipsywort 2 Lycopus europaeus Greater Birdsfoot Trefoil 2 Lotus uliginosus Great Burnet 1 Sanguisorba officinalis Marsh Woundwort 1 Stachys palustris Meadow Buttercup 11 Ranunculus acris Meadowsweet 6 Filipendula ulmaria Ox-Eye Daisy 9 Leucanthemum vulgare Pepper Saxifrage 1 Silaum silaus Purple Loosestrife 4 Lythrum salicaria Ragged Robin 3 Lychnis flos-cuculi Salad Burnet 8 Sanguisorba minor Selfheal 8 Prunella vulgaris Sneezewort 2 Achillea ptarmica Tufted Vetch 6 Vicia cracca Yellow Flag Iris 10 Iris pseudacorus Yellow Rattle 13 Rhinanthus minor 80% Grasses Common name % Species Browntop Bent 5 Agrostis capillaris Crested Dogstail 19 Cynosurus cristatus Chewings Fescue 20 Festuca rubra commutata Meadow Foxtail 6 Alopecurus pratensis Pendulous Sedge 2 Carex pendula Sheeps Fescue 5 Festuca ovina Slender Creeping Red Fescue 25 Festuca rubra litoralis Smooth Stalked Meadow Grass 10 Poa pratensis Soft Rush 1 Juncus effusus Sweet Vernal Grass 4 Anthoxanthum odoratum Tufted Hairgrass 4 Deschampsia caespitosa When to use: In general, the best time for sowing perennial wildflower seeds is late summer/autumn (late August-October) when there is likely to be consistent moisture and warmth without extremes of cold or dry. Spring (late March-May) is usually considered the next best time to sow perennial wildflower seed, particularly if the ground is likely to be waterlogged over the winter. Application Window Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec How to use: Prepare the ground New Seed Bed Overseeding Remove unwanted vegetation Cultivate the soil to a depth of 150 mm removing the stones and debris Level, then firm the seedbed Rake the surface to product a fine tilth Cut the grass short as possible and remove the clippings Remove excess thatch to allow the seed to reach the soil surface If compacted, aerate the soil Provide water If there has been little rainfall irrigate gently and slowly to fully wet through the soil profile Sow seed Sow seeds evenly using the correct sowing rate for the seed mix Because sowing rates for wildflower seed are low, it is usually helpful to mix the seed with a carrier material such as slightly damp sand Press the seeds into the soil using a roller or the back of a rake to ensure good seed to soil contact Provide water Keep the soil surface moist but not wet until the seeds have germinated AND established Irrigate slowly and gently to avoid disturbing the seeds Management & aftercare Suggested mowing regime Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Leave uncut unless growth is vigorous Cut and collect clippings Allow to flower and seed Cut and collect clippings Leave uncut unless growth is vigorous Many grasslands and meadows are traditionally managed by grazing but mowing and removing the clippings can be used to replicate the process of hay cutting and grazing. It is important to remove clippings to avoid nutrients being returned to the soil. Soils for wildflowers are usually low in nutrients to encourage species diversity.
