The wildflower meadow .....

...... is at last ready for sowing
The seed was supposed to have been delivered last Friday, and the job would already have been finished
However .... people just don't keep their promises nowadays, so I suppose it won't come until the beginning of the week
We have to hope that the weather holds, or there will be further delays......
:(

 

Big area should be great when its finished.

Make sure the seed drill/ spreader is properly calibrated b4 you start as wildflower mix is very fine and as I youll now know expensive, easy to over apply and spread the lot with half left to do!!!

 

Wow - that is going to be fantastic! Was an enormous expanse of land! When you were talking about the seed, I had a picture in my head of an envelope arriving on your doorstep! :D How much (quantity) will you need? I imagine it will arrive in a tanker (preferably not on your doorstep!) What mix are you going for?

Fingers crossed for speedy delivery and fair weather!

 

Expensive is right Paul .... £98 a kilo was quoted to buy the seed on its own
My mix is 60% low growing meadow grass and 40% wildflower seed
I was told 10 kilos would be enough for what is just under an acre, but the local farmer who is sowing it for me recommended i get more than I need for the very reason you say, so I have ordered 15 kilos. I can give back what I don't use
The mix varies in cost depending on the percentage of grass to seed

 

I can't wait to see what your meadow looks like when it gets established. I can almost hear the humming of the bees and see the butterflies now.... lovely.

How are you going to keep the birds from making off with the seed when it gets sown Whisk?

 

The seed will be lightly harrowed in and then rolled. Any bird caught stealing seed will be reported to the authorities and summonsed (unless it is my friend the robin, cos he/she can have two each )

 

That's what I call a meadow:thumb:
Good on you Sam,what an excellent project.....It sure stirs memories of my youth when meadows were the norm

 

WOW!!!! whiskey, that is some meadow, i'm green with envy!!!!

 

.... the seat you see is the old bench (see the other post on my new garden bench) just waiting for its turn to be thrown onto the bonfire ......
The two beds you see front right are where I am going to plants loads of Japanese maples, especially my home grown seedlings
So ... you will have a nice little Japanese maple 'forest' on the edge of a wildflower meadow, with mown paths as a walkway through to be able to admire, close up, the birds, bees and butterflies etc which I hope to attract
To date, my vision has not yet extended further, although it frequently does as soon as things start to take shape ......

 

can't the bench stay whiskey??? looking at your meadow is going to be hard work and would be best done sitting down!!

 

It is hard work just thinking about it :D :D :D

 

What cutting regime are you going to use, The meadows I look after I make one late cut with either a clearing saw and blade or a sickle bar mower, leave for a few days for the seeds to fall then windrow up and compost the grass. Around here we cant get anyone with a light tractor to bale.

BTW, love your plan for the meadow area and indeed the rest of your garden on your website.

 

Wow, what a project. It will be wonderful when its done. Congratulations Whis4ey.

 

They tell me that Yellow rattle seeds in July and needs to be sown in the same year, as the seed is short lived
So it is recommended to have the grass cut in August and to allow the seed to set at that time (just as you say). Apparently normal hay making procedures do this very effectively
Maybe I can get a farmer to cut it for me?
At the end of the day, an hour with the ride-on mower would cut it, but the grass can't be allowed to lie, in order to allow germination of the seeds the next year

 

Good luck Whiskey. Despite taking cut grass away and refilling seeds every year, (this year Yellow Rattle) I fear this year, year 4, we will have few oxe-eye daisies as the grass and buttercups take over. If so, we start again in the autumn with a plough and another plan.

We cut August and collect 2 weeks later with a tractor and rake spraying seeds everywhere. Good luck.