Sowing flowers made easy: How to create a flower meadow
A meadow full of beautiful flowers in your own garden is a dream, isn't it? But it doesn't have to be that way. Just a few square meters of space, or even a few flower boxes in the city, are enough to create small flower meadows that will boost your summer mood immensely. For you and the bees, bumblebees, and butterflies. We'll show you how:
Create perfect conditions:
When it comes to soil, remember: the leaner the better. It may sound strange at first, but there's a reason for it. The more nutrients and richer the soil is, the more comfortable the weeds will feel. And that's not what we want in our flowerbeds. If you want to create a flower meadow where there used to be a compost heap, you should definitely work some sand into the soil to make it leaner. Whether it's a flower pot or an entire garden, choose a sunny spot for your flower meadow. The flowers won't thrive in the shade. While blazing midday sun isn't absolutely necessary, the chosen spot should at least offer a few hours of sunshine in the morning or afternoon.
Prepare the area
The best time to create a wildflower meadow is April - June. When the days get longer and the numbers on the thermometer start to creep up a bit, then the time is right :-) But first you should definitely prepare your soil. Ideally do this in autumn or at least a week before sowing. Ready? Then put on your rubber boots and get out into the fresh air. Now first clear your soil of everything: This is quite laborious, especially with lawns, but it's worth it. You should remove grass, weeds, stones and thick roots. After that, it's best to let the soil rest for a few days. This way it can "settle" again before you start sowing.
A quick tip: If your area is large, you should define one or more paths. Walking on the flower meadow should be avoided as much as possible. Once you've created a few paths, you can easily walk through the meadow without damaging it.
Sow seeds
Remember: You should sow about five grams of seeds per square meter. We know from our own experience that it's not easy to get the right amount of seed, and you tend to oversow. But try to restrain yourself: If the seeds are planted too densely, the flowers will interfere with each other's growth. The result: stunted undergrowth instead of the longed-for beautiful flower meadow.
Now scatter the seeds generously. With a simple trick, you can ensure that the seeds spread evenly over your chosen area as if by themselves: sand! In other words: Mix a little sand into the seeds, and the improved distribution will happen all by itself.
Sawdust also works, by the way. The sand is also one of the reasons why the soil needs a relatively high level of moisture, at least for the first month after sowing. Ready? Great! Fill in any gaps, if there are any, and then roughly rake the seeds in. The point isn't to bury the seeds, but rather to prevent them from being washed away by the next rain, and to prevent hungry birds from spotting them from the air and stealing them.
Speaking of seeds
All our varieties are mixtures that bloom from early summer to late summer. Each mixture contains similar plants, some of which are more common, such as yarrow, corncockle, bellflower, knapweed, and others. Therefore, the mixtures are all similar to one another in cultivation and do not differ in sowing and care. The combinations are ideally matched. Individual varieties such as sunflowers , cornflowers , daisies , poppies, or marigolds are also ideal for a colorful wildflower meadow.
A perfect start
Especially at the beginning, it's very important to keep the soil evenly moist. Depending on the plant, germination takes one to three weeks. During this time, the soil must never dry out completely. This means: always water well! Waterlogging should be avoided at all costs if you plan to grow your flower meadow in a container. Another important thing: weeds. Here, you should react quickly and immediately pull out anything that isn't a flower and that you recognize as such by hand (or alternatively, with an asparagus weeder) before it can spread too much.
The anticipation is growing
With the steps just described, your work is already done. It wasn't that difficult, was it? If you're worried about seed thieves, put up a few funny-looking scarecrows; they're quick and easy to put together. What you unfortunately have no control over is the weather during the sprouting of your flowers. Warmth and humidity are ideal factors. When these two come together, you can give free rein to your anticipation of beautiful flower meadows in the summer.
The right care
Once the flowers appear, your job is practically done. The first few weeks are the most demanding, because you'll need to water regularly. Once the flowers appear, a wildflower meadow requires relatively little maintenance. Of course, you should still reach for the watering can on very hot summer days. It's best to do this in the evening, so the moisture can penetrate the soil overnight and won't evaporate immediately due to the heat.
You don't have to worry about mowing for now. The lawn only needs mowing once a year. It's best to do this after the flowers have bloomed, because that's when the seeds form and the flowers have a chance to reseed themselves. And: Use a scythe instead of a lawnmower, and never mow the entire lawn at once; that would destroy the entire biotope. Leave some corners untouched so small animals have a chance to retreat there.Annual or perennial?
Is self-seeding sufficient to ensure a lush meadow of summer flowers thrives next year? The answer is: yes and no. It also depends a bit on the variety selected. But even with perennial flowers, the potential for growth shouldn't be underestimated: While insect species such as bumblebees and bees enjoy the flowers in summer and spread the pollen throughout the garden, there are many birds and mice that nibble on the tubers in winter and damage them to the point where they don't sprout again the following year. But some flowers reseed themselves all by themselves, and you might even discover cornflowers or poppies nearby next year. Reason to rejoice! Conclusion: Give it a try! We've had good experiences with creating a colorful flower meadow once a year, or at least improving it in some places with new seeds.
The meadow in a pot
Even without your own garden, you can create small, colorful oases, such as in a flowerpot. The process is similar. You need good soil, sow between April and July, and choose a sunny location. What's different, however, is that low-growing varieties are particularly suitable for sowing in containers. These plants are less likely to be bent and damaged by wind and storms.
Why flower meadows are so important:
They're beautiful, there's no question about that. But for the environment and wildlife, flower meadows are so much more.
In their diversity and splendor, they represent important biotopes. Insects, small animals, and reptiles thrive here. Birds also find a safe haven in the wildflower meadow. The wildflower meadow serves wildlife primarily as a food source and habitat. By creating a wildflower meadow, you are making an important contribution to preserving biodiversity and protecting the environment. And another great thing: Unlike an English lawn, which requires a lot of water, you save on water maintenance for a wildflower meadow.
Feeling excited?
We're delighted! The more flower meadows, the better! Let's do something good for the environment together and make the world truly colorful! If you've already planted your own flower meadow, please send us your pictures to lotta@diestadtgaertner.de and tell us about your experience.
