Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
libbyliz_gw

Will Wildflowers from a canister...

LibbyLiz
20 years ago

look good & do well lining exposed tree roots and around the tree itself, in clay soil?

My original intention was to scatter them on the top & sides of the approximate 75-foot long mound/ridge leftover after a contractor came through and buried the power lines.

It's in their contract to rake and level the mounds, getting rid of all the rocks & lay sod, so I guess I shouldn't do this & rope off the area only to have it wasted/destroyed. :-(

Comments (9)

  • eleanor_rigby
    20 years ago

    First of all, if you look at the contents of those canisters you buy you will find that only a small percentage of the seeds (if any) are really desirable wild flowers. Most are the very common seeds that tend to seed themselves very readily.

    Second--if this is an area that has seen recent construction, that disruption of the soil has brought all sorts of weed seeds to the surface. You will soon see them begin to germinate. Often, these are very undesirable plants that like disturbed areas. Most of them will out-compete any desirable wild flowers.

    Third--wait until the contractor finishes his part before you decide to do anything. If it is an area surrounded by grass, why not reseed it with grass? Do you really want a narrow strip of wild flowers (if they grow successfully) where this long strip of dirt is now?

    Eleanor

  • LibbyLiz
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    The mound of dirt left from the contractors is about 6-feet wide in places by 3-feet high in places. I think it looks like a naturally formed ridge, with hills & dales.

    But that's probably not where I'll plant the seeds since the contractor is coming back probably on Monday to level & rake, and by fall hopefully to lay sod.

    The area where I'll be left with to put the seeds is around the trunk & very large exposed tree roots, where we can't mow near or we'd tear up the blade because of the roots & uneven ground, & where no string trimmer should be allowed to hack away at the bark on the roots & trunk.

    The seeds are:
    Adonis aestivalis
    Calendula officianalis
    Centaurea cyanus mix
    Cherianthus cheirii mix
    Chrysanthemum Shasta Daisy
    Coreopsis tinctoria mix
    Cosmos bipinnatus
    Delphinium consolida mix
    Dianthus barbatus mix
    Digitalis purpurea
    Echinacea purpurea
    Eschscholzia californica
    Gypsophila elegans white
    Linum perenne
    Lupinus perenne
    Papaver rhoeas
    Rudbeckia hirta

    I know what several of these are (Shasta Daisy, Cosmos, Delphinium mix, Dianthus mix, Purple Foxglove, Purple Coneflower, Baby's Breath, Lupine, Red Poppy, & Black-eyed Susan I think), but I don't know what the others are.

    I also don't know what the percentage of each is. It's indicated that "No individual component exceeds 5% of total mixture".

  • rebow
    20 years ago

    My experience with seed is you have to make sure that they aren't buried too far with dirt because they need light to germinate; just sprinkle them on then lightly rake the area so that the seeds get contact with the dirt. Then lightly water to keep them moist. I haven't had to water mine more than a few times this spring and I seeded a whole 200X25ft slope with wildflower mixture. They are all coming up nicely. Be sure that when the weather dries up you water them or they will dry up. And plant soon before it getts too hot or the heat will just shrivle them and they won't grow. Also, alot of those seeds you listed are perennials and won't bloom this year. They will spend this year getting established and may bloom next year. so if you Care for them well this season you will have a beautiful display next summer.

  • eleanor_rigby
    20 years ago

    Sounds like a good mix, but all of those plants prefer full sun. I don't think they will do too well for you under a tree. Also, they would have to compete with all of those exposed roots for moisture. I have Ajuga that wilts under those conditions! It is growing under poplar trees that have high, exposed roots. I would look for something that will tolerate a dry, shady situation rather than the mix you have listed above.

    Eleanor

  • LibbyLiz
    Original Author
    20 years ago

    The area gets southern dappled sun for several hours and western direct sun for several hours. I thought that'd be good enough.

    However, you're right about the plants competing with the tree for moisture. I made the mistake of planting wildflowers under/around Maple trees inside raised landscaping timber boxes back in Eastern WA. Those were the saddest/nastiest-looking wildflowers I've ever seen. I didn't know then that Maples (just those or all?) have a lot of surface sucker roots!

    I ripped the wildflowers out after one year & put down weed fabric and beauty bark instead, which looked 100% better & still protected the young trees from the mower and string trimmer.

  • Judy_B_ON
    20 years ago

    Most of the plants in your mix are not native wildflowers, many are annuals, almost all get 2- 4 ft tall and need full sun. All in all, not good for under a tree.

    Check on the Woodland forum or Native forum for shady woods wildflower ideas.

    Personally, I would remove the grass to create a three to four foot diameter bed around the tree, covering the soil with mulch. Next spring tuck in one or two hosta, bleeding heart (dicentra exima blooms all season) and primroses for bloom.

    For a native part shade garden, consider trillium, wild blue phlox, large leaved aster, wild ginger, virginia blue bell, golden alexanders, barren strawberry.

  • loniesmom
    20 years ago

    Judy you're GOOD. I second everything she said and add my own experience with the wildflower mix was SO simple -- things quickly started to sprout and it literally looked like a bed of weeds for 4 weeks. Not knowing what all those seedlings were supposed to look like I got really scared that the now-disturbed weed seeds from the original soil had taken over and so I started "thinning". Well, two seasons later I have exactly four of the original plants left. Two were perennials and two are copious re-seeders.
    Look for dry shade, shallow soil tolerant plants.

  • chroma2424
    20 years ago

    I got it from "Worldwise Garden Seeds"

    don't seem too bad :) we'll see if they work where I wanna put them.

  • craftylady_MA
    20 years ago

    I bought a bag of 'butterfly attracting flowers' and English Garden flowers. some attract hummingbirds, and other attracts butterflies. Hope it works. The plants are growing well, all over a large area. Some between by glads that were their last year that I missed. Will see this summer. Thanks for the input. First time trying this method.
    Craftylady_ Ma.

Sponsored
Closet America
Average rating: 4.8 out of 5 stars133 Reviews
Northern Virginia, Baltimore & DC Metro's Closet Organization Company