Native Origin Irish Wildflower Seed Mixture: Range: 

Meadow Mixtures  (Code MM)

Supplied without grass,  Grass seed can be added

Product Name: MM12 Wild Flora for Raw Impoverished Sub Soil

Product Code:  MM12 

Description: 
Meadow Mixture - MM12 - will grow on any infertile or even barren subsoil. It is colourful and long lasting. This mixture will require one cut per year, but may last two or more uncut as there will be little growth.

Wild Flora for Raw Impoverished Sub Soil is a Basic mixture, which can grow with the poorest of site conditions and can be sown with grasses to hold the clay from eroding, esp' on steep banks.

This mixture will grow well on un-worked wet soils acidic gleys, clays and daub basic soils. 
MM12 needs attention to secure a meadow. On wet soils, after an initial cleaning of the seed bed, weeds and grasses may reinvade. In the second or third year, do not let the grass out grow the wildflowers, cut the meadow back to 12 -16 cm and remove the cuttings. 

Species List:
Birdsfoot Trefoil, Black Meddick, Corn Marigold, Corn Pansy, Corn Poppy, Corncockle, Cornflower, Cowslip, Devil's Bit Scabious, Eyebright, Meadow Buttercup, Fleabane, Greater Trefoil, Lesser Knapweed, Scentless Mayweed, Meadowsweet, Ox-eye Daisy, Purple Loosestrife, Ragged Robin, Red Rattle, Red Bartsia, Red Clover, Ribwort Plantain, Rough Hawksbit, Sorrel, St. Johnswort, White Campion, Wild Angelica, Wild Carrot, Yarrow, Yellow Rattle,  Lady's Smock, Yellow Clover.

This mixtures contains 1% native grass seed harvested with The Yellow Rattle, 1% grass is so little you will hardly notice it, the grass acts as a host for Yellow Rattle.

Because all the species in this mixture are suited to harsh sites they will out grow the grass and can be left un-cut until the end of summer.  

You will have to make a judgment as to when to cut, do not cut so late that it starts to 'lodge' or fall over.
Always remove the cuttings to lower the fertility.
MM12 is not intended for very small areas, as it needs space.

The species in this mixture are found in many Irish fields on Wet acidic 'Daub', 'Gley' or very wet, heavy sticky soil that is water impervious and the pH is acid to neutral. (Classified as Podzol). MM12 will grow on poor soil with little fertility and tolerates wind swept areas.

This strong coloured, bright flowery mixture makes an ideal choice for many new houses throughout the midlands of Ireland, as MM12 will grow on compacted, denuded and poor soils typical throughout much of the midlands from East Mayo to Louth, from Laois to Roscommon, Cavan and Fermanagh. After a few years, this mixture will develop a skim of peaty topsoil, and more species may be added.

Redshank is included, it is an annual weed, added to provide pink/red tones in the first year as the red Poppy tends not do well on acid clay soil but are included

Do not confuse 'Meadow Buttercup' supplied in this mixture, with the invasive 'Creeping Buttercup', which is not included, but may be present on such soil. To control Creeping Buttercup, cut the meadow just before the Creeping Buttercup flowers, if the problem gets worse over-sow the meadow with grasses to control infestations.  Rush is also a weed typical of such soils, the site should be clean of rush before sowing and as rush emerges from seeds present in your soil treat it. See elsewhere on this site for details. Search Rush and Common Rush.

Mixture Specifications: 
Origin: Native Irish Origin, Wildflower Seed Mixture.
Moisture Level: Suits any sub soil, not intended for very dry well drained sub soils.
pH range: Best between 5.5 - 6.5
Aspect: Sunny
Life Cycle: Annual / Biennial / Perennial. 
Height Range: <50cm - > 160cm 
Flowering Period:  May to August.
Fertility Range: Will grow on any sticky clay sub soil
Wintergreen: Moderate 
Total number of seeds per gram: 1722 

This photograph is one day in the life of an ever changing meadow.

Product Warning: DBN recommends that this mixture is not for human or animal consumption. 

Sowing Specification:  
Soil Preparation: Sowing on sticky clay soils is difficult, often they cannot be raked or they are too heavy to hand work. We use heavy machinery to track over and create a mini ridged seed bed from the tracks.
Optimum Sowing Time: Spring, early autumn, when the soil is warm.

Sowing Conditions: Sow and roll in, leave on the top of the soil, If doing so it can be mixed with grass
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. 
Fertiliser: None 

Seed Sowing Rates:  
Normal sowing rate 'without added grass seed':1.5 grams per metre.
High sowing rate 'without added grass seed': Add 3 grams per metre.

Grass seed or nurse crop requirement:

Nurse Crop: No nurse crop is required. 
Grass Seed Requirement: n/a, use Bent and Fescue species, Do not use species of Perennial Rye grass
Sow with or without grasses: Either / with grasses / without grasses
Sowing rate with grasses: 2 to 7 grams per metre depending on the percentage of grass.

If sown without grass seed, this mixture: Will not require a nurse crop.

Performance:
In normal conditions (mainly in early Autumn and Spring) this mix should germinate 5 - 12 weeks after sowing, from then on, provided the sward is kept open and a 'Thatch' is not allowed develop, species will continue to germinate and emerge, through to the third year.
First Year:  

The annuals supplied in this mixture will flower profusely, provided they are sown before June. This mixture requires one cut when finished flowering.
Second Year: In the second year the biennials will also be very colourful. 
If this mixture was not cut in first year, cut and remove foliage in early Spring. Cut again in July, August or September, depending on when flower finish or the level of weeds that emerge. 
In the third year this meadow mixture will seem to have less flora than the first and second year. Why? 
The perennial species are still young, many will only have germinated in the second season, so flowers will be sparse. However, there should be identifiable foliage and some flowers. If not contact us. 
If the native grass seeds present in your soil grow vigorously, the meadow will require two or three cuts, the first cut in Spring (April/May) and the second cut in July or August, the meadow can again be cut in September if the grasses are still growing strong. 

When should this meadow be established and require one cut?
In the fourth year, when the perennials in the mixture should be flowering on many stems and starting to clump and spread, again if the grass is still vigorous cut in spring and in August of the fourth year. However if the perennials are growing strong there will be no need to cut until July, August or September depending on the fertility and wetness of the soil and the species which have grown.

A wildflower meadow should last many years, provided the wildflower species were correctly established, weeds were controlled and the meadow was cut and the cut material removed and occasional 'Gaps' are created. If not contact DBN.

Persistence if unmanaged: Low
Tolerance of Cutting: High after second year. 
General Cutting Time: Mid to end of Summer and again in spring. Specific Cutting Time: Wait 3 weeks until after the last flush of flowers fade away, after seeds set.

Disposal of cut materials: Always remove the cuttings, wildflower meadow hay should be removed as soon as possible and not be heaped on site as it will grow mouldy (a health risk).  Meadow cuttings can be spread as compost in sheet mulches around trees and shrubs or composted. 

Management: Control grasses and weeds until well established. Accept any normal non-invasive weeds as they provide cover, once the sward is established, digging, spot spraying or weed wiping can be used to eliminate problem species. Control weeds, especially Creeping Buttercup and White Clover, if present cut this meadow in May in year two. The third year is the critical year to maintain this meadow as scutch grass, creeping thistle, nettle and dock will try to dominate as the growing conditions are ideal for such unwanted species.

Most species in this mixture are 'Browse' resistant.

A General Description of Meadow Range: 
Meadow Mixtures are designed to grow on soil in specific situations. 
This range of seed mixture is ideal for those concerned with species suitability, composition and performance to be attractive, encourage wildlife and local biodiversity. If these mixtures are suitable for your situation, they offer good value and if given time, develop into a flora that will persist if properly maintained.

Your purchase: Contributes to DBN's work of creating crops of Conservation Grade - Native Origin Wildflora. You help us to inform and pay land-owners to manage native species and to assist DBN in handing on our heritage for another generation. 
By growing (some will be difficult) these and all other species, you directly help to conserve national and global Biodiversity and protect wildlife. You should also consider yourself another Irish wildflower grower.