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Sowing wild flowers

gary.bryan9112Rwi_JuMgary.bryan9112Rwi_JuM Posts: 1
in Problem solving
I have a steep slope at the edge of my lawn rising to a wire fence that acts as the boundary to a field.   The grass on the slope is pretty rough and uneven and I'd like to replace it with a border of wild flowers.

I'd ideally like to lift the turf before seeding, but it's going to be challenging to dig.  Would I be able to put a few inches of topsoil over it and sow the wildflower seeds directly into the new topsoil? 

Posts

  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    Grass will just grow through it and swamp any seedlings. If you can, I would lift the turf, and then sow into the cleared soil beneath it. Do not improve the soil unless it is really heavy clay.  You don't need to dig, just scarify or scratch the surface with a rake before you sow.  If it is a big patch you can hire a petrol turf cutter. If you stack the lifted turf upside down and cover with black plastic, in a years time you will have some lovely topsoil for backfilling or using in potting.
  • WildFlower_UKWildFlower_UK Posts: 236
    I agree I'm afraid, that removing the turf completely will result in a much better outcome for the wildflower meadow. A turf cutter will make life a lot easier and like @fidgetbones says, you can stack the turf and in a couple of years have enviable soil! From one wildlife-lover to another, thank you for thinking to plant up a space dedicated to inviting pollinators in. More people should be doing this!
    "If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need"
  • Butterfly66Butterfly66 Posts: 970
    Why not try letting the grass grow and seeing what pops up naturally? You could also plant yellow rattle plug plants to help reduce the vigour of the grass
     If you have a garden and a library, you have everything you need.”—Marcus Tullius Cicero
    East facing, top of a hill clay-loam, cultivated for centuries (7 years by me). Birmingham
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