WHEN TO SOW

Sowing should primarily take place in spring, as the soil must be warm and moist enough to promote seed germination. It is possible to sow seeds from the end of March or the beginning of April, but late spring frosts should be avoided. Sowing may be undertaken until the end of June.

WHERE TO SOW

Annual wildflower mixtures can be sown on a wide range of sites and soils, these include golf courses, council parks, road verges, landscape areas and gardens.

WHICH TYPE OF LAND SHOULD BE USED

Avoid using land that is completely shaded or covered by trees. Most species used in the mixtures need full sunlight, or at least half. Although the flowers used are resistant to drought, the plants will not survive in extreme conditions if the soil cannot retain water sufficiently. Finally, all plots which are susceptible to being overtaken by weeds should be avoided, such as landfills, farmland with a history of weeds and old vacant land.

HOW TO PREPARE THE SOIL

Soil preparation is a critical step. Under no circumstances should the seed be sown on an area that is already covered (lawns etc.). The seed needs to be in contact with the soil and lightly covered in order to germinate. In most cases, it is necessary to work the soil and prepare a seedbed before sowing the seeds.

HOW TO SOW

Keep seeds in their original packaging at normal temperatures (5°C to 20°C) until planting day. The packaging is specifically designed to keep the seeds well preserved. Before sowing, shake the can or bag in order to mix the seeds well. During the entire sowing period, whether it is done manually or with a machine, continue to mix the seeds in order to have an even distribution of plants. The sowing method depends on the area to be planted.

For small areas (a few hundred m2), hand sowing is the best option. Mix the seeds with sand or similar material at a ratio of 3 parts inert material to 1 part flower seeds. Sowing with a hand seed drill is also possible.

For larger surfaces (several thousand m2 or more), it may be wise to use mechanised sowing.

Using a micro-granule or fertiliser applicator is possible. Ensure that the seeds are lightly covered - a suitable roller can be used to provide adequate contact with the soil. Sowing with a seed drill has many advantages; the seeds are buried and packed down, which promotes germination. Seed drills used typically for grass can be useful as some flower seeds are small and need to be buried in very shallow seed beds (0.5cm).

SOWING RATE

2g/m2 gives excellent results.

HOW TO MAINTAIN

They require very little maintenance. These flowers do not need to be watered, fertilised or treated with pesticides. On the contrary, the objective is to let them live freely; the flowers and their small associated ecosystems will establish themselves.