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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.Selecting the suitable
garden bed
Wildflower seeds can be planted in a wide location or in a
small place in the garden. Make sure the chosen position has plenty of sunlight
and also enough water for the wildflowers to survive. Wildflowers would grow
better if they have more than enough sunlight.
4.Picking the right soil
Wildflowers are very adaptable; therefore just use the
soil you have in the garden. If the site you have chosen is sterile, whereby
nothing, not even weed, grows, then you should find a new site.
5.Getting ready 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 ground
The dirt and soil on the chosen grounds for your
wildflower seeds would need to be loosen and any small plants that have been
growing there would need to be cleared of before actually planting the
wildflower seeds. Basically the garden tool you need is the shovel. Make sure
that the garden bed is flat and there is no more grass and weed roots inside the
earth. Make an effort to remove the big rocks but leave the smaller rocks there
if you want to since it would not cause the wildflowers any serious harm.
7.Fertilizing
Doing any
fertilizing efforts is pointless since wildflowers are meant to survive in the
wild against any type of environment. But, if you think that fertilizing is
still a need for your wildflower plants, then choose compost which is low in
nitrogen. The compost must be spread evenly into the earth then you plant the
seeds.
8.Determining the amount needed
If you want the flowers to be filling the garden at its peak capacity,
then it is recommended that you plant up to two or three times more than the
normal wildflower seeds
coverage quantity. But always remember putting too much seeds in the land would
create too much competition for nutrient and water, so do not go past the
limit.
9.Dessiminating the wildflower
seeds
For wildflower plants; it is enough
to use the simplest method, the spit and sand method. Divide the seeds you are
going to plant equally, and put half of it into an empty container. After that,
just mix in about four parts of sand along with the seeds. Avoid using beach
sand since they are not suitable. After mixing, just use your hand or a manual
seeder in order to make the mixture evenly spread on the garden surface. As for
the remaining seeds just plant them in a vertical direction rather than the
first batch which was planted on the horizontal direction. By doing this you
will lessen the chances of you missing out a particular spot. Adding the sand in
the mixture will ensure an even more equal distribution of the wildflower seeds
on the flower bed.
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
Different species of wildflowers sprout at different
times. Some take root in as little as eight days while others take months.
12.Watering
During their life
span, the wildflower plants would need moisture the most during the germination
process. In order to create the perfect environment for them, it is vital to
ensure they have sufficient water in the soil for at least four to six weeks.
The amount of water may be reduced slowly once the flowers start to bloom.
13.The correct mulching process
The mulching process would help the wildflowers stay
healthy and grow better since covering the garden bed with mulch will help
capture the moisture in the land and keep it therefore the wildflowers. Using
organic materials such as Bark chips, unwanted leaves or peat moss as the cover
material is suitable for the garden.
14.Clearing the
weeds
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.Unwanted company
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 pictures with your
camera
17.Cutting away dead and unhealthy parts of the wildflower
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.Reseeding
When the wildflower plants have fully blossomed,
then you will have to give it at least two weeks or more for it to reach its
maturity. Once the new seeds have hardened and they have change color into a
brownish or black shade, then you can cut them and leave them on the garden bed
for the reseeding process
19.Finding a
balance of wildflowers
Try to cultivate wildflowers that complement each other in
terms of color and texture. Also, green grass foliage can give better definition
to the wildflowers.
20.Keeping the
leftover seeds
You may store unused
wildflower seeds in a cool, dry
place. Depending on the species, they may be kept for a year, or up to five
years.
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