How to start growing a wildflower garden

A wildflower garden does not have to be huge. Even a modest area can be converted into a stand of wildflowers, which will be a magnet for butterflies and home for many of the insects that prey on garden pests. Here are some beginner tips for starting your own wildflower garden.

• Wildflower gardens have to be in an open location with good air circulation (to minimize disease) and have full sun for at least half the day.
• Establishing a wildflower garden calls for careful preparation if the wildflowers are not to be crowded out by less desirable species.
• It is important to remember that all perennial weeds need to be removed and the area should then be dug over or tilled.
• A rich soil is not needed because these plants are not heavy feeders.
• There is no need to add compost when digging.

• To grow trouble-free wildflowers, the next requirement is patience.
• The area should be left for the weed seeds on the surface of the soil to germinate.
• As soon as there are a number of green shoots, shallowly hoe the entire bed. Repeat.
• Each time you hoe you bring to the surface more weed seeds, which can be killed, and which will not crowd out the desirable wildflower seedlings later.
• Make sure the hoeing is only shallow or deeper buried seeds will be brought to the surface. Ideally, the area should be left for a year to control weeds that germinate at different times.
• Alternatively, the soil can be solarized by covering it with black plastic, burying the edges, and allowing the sun to heat and sterilize the soil. The hotter the summer, the better this works, and a greater number of the deeper weed seeds will be killed.
• Wildflower seed mixes are available from several different seed companies or online, and they have mixtures to suit most climates where this type of garden is feasible.
• Sow the seeds in early spring, as soon as the soil is dry enough to walk on and rake it just into the soil surface.
• If the weed control was done properly, there should be very few weed seedlings germinating to compete with the wildflowers.
• Most mixes contain seeds of both annual and perennial plants, the annuals will bloom the first summer and set seed.
• The second year again will be mostly annuals but the perennials will be getting larger and one or two may flower.
• As the years progress, the perennials will gradually take over and the annuals will virtually disappear.