Forum home› Wildlife gardening
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Reducing grass in Wildflower area

Gardening_PunkGardening_Punk Posts: 21
in Wildlife gardening
So I’ve an area at the end of the garden we’ve devoted to wildflowers. Unfortunately, whilst we did have a decent number of wildflowers this year (1st year) the area is being totally taken over by grass. 

I’m mowing it now as short as it will go and will be sowing some yellow rattle throughout but I’m worried the grass will hinder it from taking. 

Does anyone have any suggestions for how to reduce the grass over winter without using chemicals as there will be lots of wildflowers seeds down from this year. 

I was wondering about covering the area with tarpaulin for a couple of months in the hope of killing the grass but leaving the seeds undamaged, may that work? 

Ben

Posts

  • Gardening_PunkGardening_Punk Posts: 21

  • rachelQrtJHBjbrachelQrtJHBjb Posts: 819
    I wouldn't do the tarpaulin. I would just do as Monty suggested in last week's episode. Mow closely, remove all clippings, and then sow yellow rattle. He said it's best sown fresh so mine came last week from Landlife Wildflowers and is going to be sown this week, as soon as it cools off a little and rain is forecast. We're going to scarify some patches of ground with a rake and sow onto the bare ground. 

    I noticed on some websites that the yellow rattle seed harvest has been poor this year. some companies are not offering seed. 

    Yellow rattle needs to be on the ground throughout winter as the cold aids germination. 
  • SueAtooSueAtoo Posts: 380
    I got mine this week from britishwildflowermeadowseeds.co.uk 2020 seeds. I'm just waiting for a little rain as I can't get a fork in the ground !
    East Dorset, new (to me) rather neglected garden.
Sign In or Register to comment.