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Seed
Mixture Specifications:
Total number of seeds per gram: 2308
Native Irish Origin Wildflower Seed Mixture EC03
Suitable for soil type: All types of soil, Clay, Loam, Sand, Light Soil, Heavy
Soil, and Peat,
Moisture Level: Dry, Normal, Moist, but not Flooded Wet
pH range: Best between 5.5 - 6.5, <7.5
Aspect: Semi Shade and Shaded. The performance will be limited
under very heavy tree canopies of beech and conifers.
Morphology:
Life Cycle: Biennial & Perennial.
Height Range: <30cm to >100cm
Flowering Period: March and April to June.
Fertility Range: Will grow in very fertile soil to poor, if very infertile apply fertiliser (see below).
Wintergreen: In sheltered woodland.
The main species which should dominate and persist in this mixture is the ground if kept free of grass and not cultivated. Bluebell,
Cowslip, Devils Bit Scabious, Hemp Agrimony, Hoary Plantain, Cow-Parsley, Ramsons, Red Campion, Wood Avens,
Biennial Species: Alexanders, Burdock, Foxglove, Mullein, Hedge Garlic Mustard, Upright Hedge Parsley,
Wild Angelica, Wild Carrot, Welsh Poppy.
Rare, unusual, and feature species: Primrose, Wood Sanicle, Welsh Poppy, Wood Sage,
Species which will grow if the conditions are ideal:
Sweet Violet, Dog Violet.
Species which will be affected by management: Primrose, keep
weed free until established, Primula species will germinate in the
second or third year after sowing.
Additional species which could be added to this mixture as individual species of seeds or plants: Any
woodland species in particular Yellow Pimpernel, Bugle and Wood Rush are
occasionally available from our nursery.
Design
Notes: Do not sow with grasses, This mixture will not
require a nurse crop.
Woodland wildflowers will not flower in the first year. Some species are very slow to appear. You will have to wait for 3 years for the bluebells to flower but they do germinate
easily, when they germinate they look like Chives. EC03 is subject to limited availability.
Please order well in advance. If sowing into sunny open woodland
conditions seek advice.
EC03 is a difficult mixture to grow. The area must be prepared and managed to the highest standards.
Try to eliminate all nettles, Ivy and bramble by cutting or strimming
the area, or spraying.
Many species in this mixture
are not 'Browse' resistant when germinating.
Sowing Specification:
As Normal, roll or rake into surface to
keep out of reach from birds.
Soil Preparation:
Click
here for more details Normal, create fine tilt on seed bed,
Optimum Sowing Time: Autumn after leaf
fall or spring.
'Ideal Time' and season to sow wildflower seeds
Sowing Conditions:
Normal Sowing seeds
Sowing Method: By hand is recommended, if
using seed spreaders be careful to insure the small varieties of seed do
not drop to the bottom of the seed spreader and get sown all in the one
place. Can be Hydrasown. Click
here for more details
Fertiliser: None. Unless in conifer wood
or where leaf litter has been removed in old woodland. Powdered or liquid seaweed will aid germination.
Click
here for more details
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Seed Sowing Rates:
1.5 grams per metre.
Normal
sowing rate 'without added grass seed': 1.5 grams per metre.
High sowing rate 'without added grass seed': Add 3 grams per metre.
Low sowing rate: 1 gram per metre for
clean soil over large areas..
Grass
seed or nurse crop requirement:
Nurse
Crop: No nurse crop is required.
Grass Seed Requirement: None.
Sow with or without grasses: Unnecessary,
If sown without grasses: This mixture will
not require a nurse crop.
Nurse crop: None,
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Seed Specification:
Once sown this mixture in normal conditions (mainly in early Autumn and Spring) should germinate 6 weeks
after sowing, from then on provided the woodland floor is kept open and a 'Thatch' is not allowed develop, species will continue to germinate and emerge, through
to the third year.
Up to 40% of all seed should germinate in the first year.
Up to 60% of all species should germinate in 24 months.
Up to 80% of all species
should have flowered by the fourth year after sowing.
Late Autumn and early Summer sowings may be slow to emerge, depending on the weather.
Performance: The first year is the critical year to maintain this meadow, as only a
few species will be germinating, and some of those that do, will be slow
growing, so please keep it weed free by spot spraying/ killing known
weeds such as nettles.
Persistence if unmanaged: High
Tolerance of Cutting: Low
General Cutting Time: None required.
Specific Cutting Time: Wait 3 weeks until after the last flush
of flowers fades away, after seeds set in July.
Management: Control weeds, ensure the leaf
litter remains on the forest/woodland floor. Shelter can be cheaply
provided by planting cutting of Elderberry and Wild Raspberry or
thornless soft fruit..
A
General Description of Ecotype Range:
Ecotype seed mixtures are
designed to imitate natural ecologies found in specific situations. this
woodland range would be found in semi-natural woods on all soils and in
many different situations, if 5 to 10 species persist you have done
well.
The EC range is not intended as an exact copies of an Irish ecosystem but to represent floras that would otherwise take hundreds of years to develop
if 'nature' was left unaided. This range of seed mixture is ideal for those concerned with encouraging wildlife and local biodiversity as
the plants will attract species suited to the ecology.
If these mixtures are suitable for your situation, they offer good value, contain some of the most exacting and unusual species and if
given time, develop into a diverse flora that will persist if properly maintained.
Professional
Ecologists:
Our 'Ecotype Flora Range' is intended as a
baseline 'non-locally' specific flora suitable for conservation across a
wide range of sites found in Ireland.
For further reading see: Seed
supply for Irish Habitats by classification. For seed mixtures by
percentage weight see Mixture
composition- Seed percentage. Seed
Treatments- Stratification, Scarification, Heat treatments and more.
Genetic
diversity- Seed Triggers.
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By Nature ©
Crettyard, Carlow, Ireland.
Telephone:
++ 353 (0)56 4442526 Email: info@wildflowers.ie
Web
Sites: www.wildflowers.ie
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