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Sowing wildflower seeds in September

RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 260
in Wildlife gardening
Do you find it yields better results? I've missed the previous window of sowing so it'll be September when I next sow. 

Posts

  • Nanny BeachNanny Beach Posts: 8,719
    No, I didnt, have bought various wildflower seeds, the ones from Sarah Raven says you can sow in Autumn, but better in spring, when soil is warmer, BUT having said that, havent had much luck with seeds, germination very erratic, and some arent cheap, I tried seed first off, then plug plants perennals (scoffed by slugs) and it nearly killed me planting them en mass, for the last couple of years I have treated myself to a piece of wildflower turf.  This spring I bought Flanders poppy plugs, the b****** slugs have scoffed soooh many, I have sowed seed for them as well, every year for 4 years now, mind you, I saw on TV it was the gunfire/ etc that started the poppies off, after being dormant for many years, so perhaps thats the problem, - lack of "battle" in the garden.
  • Fishy65Fishy65 Posts: 2,276
    I'm not convinced there is much difference between spring and autumn purely in terms of germination. However, if you have a greenhouse it will help autumn sown seedlings get through the winter. Manage that and you have little plants come spring that gives you a head start over spring sown seeds. I do both  :)
  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 260
    Hi thanks for the replies! Its not actually for my garden but a tiny patch of land nearby. I wouldn't have the room in my greenhouse to sow all the seeds in it. 
  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328
    I think it might depend where you live.  I tried direct autumn sowing of wild flower seeds a few years ago, and the very few things which germinated, got eliminated by slugs over winter.  We have damp, cold winters.  In a warmer, drier area you might have better luck... in the end, I sowed remaining seed in the spring, in seed trays so I could protect the seedlings from slugs, and planted out the little plants when they were well grown, the following spring.  All of them disappeared to hungry slugs except buttercup, sorrel, ragged robin, & white and red campion.  It's tough...
    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • RubyLeafRubyLeaf Posts: 260
    Liriodendron said:
    I think it might depend where you live.  I tried direct autumn sowing of wild flower seeds a few years ago, and the very few things which germinated, got eliminated by slugs over winter.  We have damp, cold winters.  In a warmer, drier area you might have better luck... in the end, I sowed remaining seed in the spring, in seed trays so I could protect the seedlings from slugs, and planted out the little plants when they were well grown, the following spring.  All of them disappeared to hungry slugs except buttercup, sorrel, ragged robin, & white and red campion.  It's tough...
    I was lucky. When I sowed a tiny area in my garden with wildflower seeds quite a few came up. I might just take a chance at sowing direct in September, and if they fail to show up in Spring, I'll sow them under cover in my greenhouse.
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