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FAQs: Frequently Asked
Questions.
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FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions.........
Your
questions answered......
I
am starting anew, how do I grow wildflowers?
Do
I need to turn the soil, by plough or cultivation ?
How
much seed will I require? or should I use plants instead
What
price will I pay for wild flower seed?
How
long will I have to wait until the wildflower seed germinates ?
How
often do I have to cut a meadow ?
Can
I sow seeds into an existing lawn?
Does
seed need to be scarified or stratified?
All articles on growing wildflower
seeds and plants, as well definitions and advice in the wildflower growers manual
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I am starting anew, how
do I grow wildflowers? 7
The simple starting point is our on line form, it asks you about the
situation in which you want to grow wildflowers and then we quote a seed
or plant mixture to suit your site. Online
quote Site Survey Presowing Details.
The best place to start growing wildflowers is in full sun, on poor
to normal soil which is weed free and clean. You do not have to dig the
soil. just have it weed free and rake or scratch the surface. DBN has
seed mixtures for shade, wet, fertile and difficult soils and
situations.
If you live outside the E.U. you will be required to orders using a
seed or plant import licence. If inside the E.U. then we can ship ASAP.
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Do I need to turn the soil, by plough or cultivation ?
No, you may not need to turn the soil, (most cases). Provided
the site has no serious weed problem, all that is required is for you to
kill of the surface vegatation and sow the seed, Then rake and or roll
the seed into the surface of the ground.
If your site has weeds such as Dock, Couch grass-(scutch grass)
Nettle, Thistle, White Clover and Rosebay or Greater willow herb, then
you will have to kill off the weeds and bury the weed seeds that are
resting on the surface.
If you need to clean up, renew and level your site then Plough.
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How much seed will I
require?
The normal sowing rate is 1.5 grams per metre.
You will require different quantities according to where and what you
are sowing. see Sowing
Rates
Please note, wildflower may contain 100% wildflower seed or can be
supplied with a percentage of grass seed, so the sowing rates will be
different
Using more seed is counter productive a sthe
larger plants kill off the smaller ones
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What
price will I pay for wild flower seed?
The cost per metre of Design By Nature 100% wildflower seed (no grass
seed) is 22 cents to 30 cents plus VAT 13.5%.
Price can varies within the full range
This price per gram equates X 1.5 times the price per metre at
00.0015 (1.5) grams per metre when sown.
The cost of wildflower seed mixed with grass seed can be advertised
as low as Euro 00. 05 per gram. Please check the percentage of
grass seed in such ineffective mixtures, while we will supply seed at
80% grass 20% flora we recommend always working out the price at pure
wildflower seed per metre than add the cost of grass seed which is
inexpensive.
Link to full
text of seed mixture price comparison
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How long will I have to wait until the seed germinates ? In
perfect growing conditions we have waited as little as 2 weeks,
normally the meadow mixture starts growing after 6 weeks and some
species will germinate when nature provides the optimal conditions.
However 50% of seed supplied should have germinated by 8 weeks. Winter
sown seed may not germinate until spring. Year 1 = Annuals, Year 2 = Biennials, Year 3 = Perennials
In all cases the mixture may not flower so well in the third year as the
long-term perennials are only developing, they will start to flower & grow
bigger & better after the third year.
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How often do I have
to cut a wildflower meadow ?
Once in the first year, at the end of summer. In the second year cut
in spring and again in August. In the third year cut in spring and again
in late July. Establishment and Maintenance
By the fourth year and onward, unless grassy, cut one at the end of
each summer.
Meadow Management
Long-term maintenance
Gap creation
Meadows sown with grass require a different option. Wildflower Grass Area
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Can
I sow seeds into an existing lawn?
Yes, but you will require a specialist mixture, standard seed mixtures
containing Annuals and biennials are unsuitable. Seek advice mailto:DBN
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Seed supplied
in
seed mixtures does not require any special treatment.
Individual seed to be scarified (rubbed with sand paper to break
seed dormancy)
Cranesbills, Meadow pea, Rest harrow, Vetches.
Individual seed to be stratified (cold treated to break seed
dormancy)
Agrimony, Angelica, Bellflowers, Bittersweet, Bluebell, Bryony Cuckoo
pint, Dropwort,
Garlic Mustard, Globe flower, Hay rattle, Hemp agrimony, Iris, Marsh
marigold, Meadowsweet, Monkshood, Primula species, Ramsons, Sweet
cicely, Violets, Wood Sage.
Seed Treatments- Stratification, Scarification, Heat treatments and more.....
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More
Questions:
What is in a wildflower seed mixtures? See
Wildflower Meadow Mixture Product Outline
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