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Failed attempt to start a perennial wildflower 'meadow'?
pjwizon
Posts: 52
In late summer and early autumn of last year I attempted to turn over half of my garden to a perennial wild flower 'meadow'. The ground is incredibly poor and consists largely of stones/rubble, with very, very thin sandy soil. The grass, such as it is, struggles to grow (despite numerous attempts over five years to establish something resembling a lawn). I decided to create a meadow and duly bought the sandy soil perennial wildflower and grass mix from Emorsgate, along with some Yellow Rattle. The ground was brutally scarified with a petrol scarifier (the blades were set low and cut into the soil's surface) before sowing in October. This is the technique recommended by Emorsgate and others when sowing a perennial mix with Yellow Rattle onto grass.
Well, here we are in early summer and somewhat bizarrely the Yellow Rattle has germinated and now carpets the ground, but the perennials have done poorly. A tiny number of perennial seeds have germinated, but are still essentially at the seedling stage, while the grasses have done better.
What could have happened? I understand that when establishing perennial wildflowers from seed the first year will not produce flowers, but I have no plants, yet alone flowers! Could the excessive rains of the autumn and winter have damaged the seeds? Alternatively, I wonder if the alkalinity of the soil has hindered germination. Another possibility is that the excessive quantities of stone and rubble in the ground are attractive to ants - or is it worms? - , which leave hundreds of small mounds over the ground in winter, and I wonder if this continuous movement of soil has moved seeds too deep below the surface to germinate.
On the other hand, perhaps this is what happens and with patience it will burst into growth next year.
I'd be grateful for any comments. I suspect that what I'll do is plant plugs in the autumn
Well, here we are in early summer and somewhat bizarrely the Yellow Rattle has germinated and now carpets the ground, but the perennials have done poorly. A tiny number of perennial seeds have germinated, but are still essentially at the seedling stage, while the grasses have done better.
What could have happened? I understand that when establishing perennial wildflowers from seed the first year will not produce flowers, but I have no plants, yet alone flowers! Could the excessive rains of the autumn and winter have damaged the seeds? Alternatively, I wonder if the alkalinity of the soil has hindered germination. Another possibility is that the excessive quantities of stone and rubble in the ground are attractive to ants - or is it worms? - , which leave hundreds of small mounds over the ground in winter, and I wonder if this continuous movement of soil has moved seeds too deep below the surface to germinate.
On the other hand, perhaps this is what happens and with patience it will burst into growth next year.
I'd be grateful for any comments. I suspect that what I'll do is plant plugs in the autumn
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Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Could you sow some fast growing annuals now as a stop-gap?
https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/flower-seeds-to-sow-in-may/
You have a potential goldmine there😉
East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
The only caveat I can think of is that sandy soil is often a little acidic, whereas mine is alkaline. I realize Yellow Rattle is an annual and sowed it to act as a 'meadow maker' by restraining grass growth.
The idea of planting some 'wildflower' annuals to keep things ticking over is good and I'll look into that, but I think I'll plant perennial plugs in the autumn (slugs not withstanding).
it seems patience is the key......
I'm currently awaiting a delivery of plug plants, I got impatient.
The turf looks like a great idea but I have ground bees, and I don't want to cover their little holes up!