Flowers that grow by themselves out in the wild are known as wildflowers. It is in their nature to grow without any human help in the cultivation process since they are part of the natural and wild habitat. Locally found wildflowers are widely known as "natives" while the types that are found in other parts of the world and transported to countries all over the world are known as "naturalized". For this article, we have prepared a list of guidelines on how gardeners should take care of their wildflower plants:
1.Types of wildflowers
In the flower market today, there exists three types of wildflowers which are the annuals. perennials and finally the biennials. The wildflowers included in the annual flower seeds are red poppy, cornflower and cosmos and they would germinate, nurture, flower and die in a short period of time because their life span is very short. Daisy, lance-leaf coreopsis, and dame's rocket are perennial flower seeds type wildflowers and their growing processes are slower compared to the annual wildflowers. As for Biennials, for example Queen Anne's lace, native Black-Eyed Susan and Sweet William wildflower characteristics are a cross between the first two types if wildflowers. The biennial wildflowers would sprout during their first year, and later blossom during the second year and they wilt away.
2.When to plant
Planting wildflowers would require having some knowledge of the climate and weather continent you are in. If you are living in a country of tropical and warm climate, then it is most suitable to start planting the seeds before the drizzling season starts so that when the season comes then the new seeds will be able to grow healthily with the huge amount of water. If you are considering the seasons of the year, then the best time to start planting the wild flower seeds during the fall season and also the spring season
3.The best location to make the garden bed
You can choose to plant your wildflowers in a wide area or a small compact area, both with their advantages and disadvantages. Make sure you choose a location with plenty of sunlight available and not hidden from the sun and make sure there is enough moisture available. Wildflowers thrive under plenty of sunlight.
4.Choosing the suitable loam
Wildflowers are capable of living in any type of conditions, including the condition of the loam, so it is good enough to just use the earth in your existing garden or backyard. However, if you find the chosen site lacking of nutrients, which you can notice by observing the number of weed and grass growing on the site is little, then it is better if you try to find a more suitable earth.
5.Before planting the seeds - the soil
If the earth at the site is to sandy and too loose to accommodate any living plants or their seeds, then it is best you add humus first before you plant the seeds. If the earth is made out of mostly clay, then it is better to add some amount of sand to loosen the earthen of the ways to make sure the earth and soil is better prepared for the plantation process is by adding in humus to make the dirt more compact if you find it too loose and sandy for your liking. If you find the dirt too hard because it has too much heavy clay in it, then adding sand to the dirt might solve the problem.
6.Clearing the land of unwanted plants
After you have chosen the location to plant the wildflowers, then you will need to loosen the earth a bit before clearing any unwanted plants that have been living there freely. The only gardening equipment that you need is the trusty shovel to help you out. Flatten out the site and make sure all the grass and weeds are cleared from the area, including their roots. Small rocks do not hinder the growth of the wildflowers but make sure the bigger rocks are removed.
7.Using the fertilizers
As stated, wildflowers are used to growing in the wild so they would not need any special help, especially with nutrients. But, if you think it is vital for your garden to have fertilizers, and then try to choose the ones that contain minimal nitrogen content in it. Spreading it evenly before actually putting in the seeds in the land would help.
8.The quantity of seeds needed for plantation
To ensure a heavy bloom, try to sow up to two or three times the recommended coverage rates for the wild flower seeds. Too much would inhibit growth though, so do not overdo it.
9.Dessiminating the wildflower seeds
After that, just use your own hand or any relevant equipment you can find to spread the mix evenly around your chosen garden site. For the remaining seeds just repeat the steps, just that the second time around spread the wildflower seeds in a different direction from the first time. By doing this you will be sure that there will be no empty spots left on the site. Including the sand in the seed mixture would help ensure the even spreading of the seeds in the garden.
10.Compressing the wildflower seeds
After spreading the wildflower seeds, compress them further into the soil but resists from raking them or doing anything to cover them. Using a lawn mower would be more suitable for the chore if the area you are covering is very wide. If you only have a small garden, then walking on the whole area would do the trick. The whole process is important because it helps the seeds in their sprouting process.
11.Waiting time
There are many different type of wildflowers, and the time they take to germinate and sprout is different. Some species would need just eight days for their roots to grow and some would need longer period of time, even months.
12.Moisture
When the wildflower seeds reach their sprouting time, they will need a lot of moisture to grow fast and healthy. The water level in the loam must be maintained in a correct amount for as long as four to six weeks. When you finally see the wildflowers emerge, then you can reduce the amount of water.
13.The correct mulching process
When gardeners do the mulching process, which includes covering the flower beds with compost, it is to help keep the moisture in the loam for a longer time. It is better and safer to use organic materials in the mulching process so use unwanted materials such as tree barks, old leaves and peat moss.
14.Weeding
As your wildflower seeds start to grow, weeds may come up together with them. While the weeds would not harm the wildflowers, you may want to tidy up the flowerbed by pulling the weeds out.
15.Trouble from the wild animals
If you find animals such as birds visiting your garden, then use any methods to scare them away, if not just let them roam around. Most animals would not harm your flowers.
16.Flowers start to bloom
Remember to take picture for remembrance.
17.The pruning of the wildflowers
The procedure will help new blooms to grow out. And to have a more lavish look, try cutting out and maintaining the top part of the plant.
18.Replanting the new seeds
Once the wildflowers have reached their peak period and bloomed, allow and extra two weeks for the plants to grow more. Once you see the new seeds becoming hard and changed into a shade of brown or black, then remove them from their original plant and place them on the garden bed for them to reseed.
19.Matching the various wildflowers
It is better if you are able to grow the wildflowers that go well with each other in terms of their design and their colors. Besides that, using green grass as undergrowth will add even better colors to the overall environment of the garden.
20.Storing seeds
For the flower seed that was not planted, then keep them stored in a cool, dry place where there is no direct sunlight. The wildflower seeds can be kept for as long as a year to five years, depending on their type.