When the meadows bloom lush yellow in spring, our hearts soar. Millions of dandelion plants create a wonderful sea of flowers, which, however, quickly comes to an end. Dandelions thrive above all on well-fertilized meadows, which, however, are very poor in flowers after their flowering period. A meager wildflower meadow, on the other hand, often has more than 100 different flowers and herbs that bloom throughout the growing season. Find out here how you can create a species-rich wildflower meadow.
Thin garden soil
First of all: the “fattier”, i.e. more nutrient-rich, a soil is, the fewer wildflowers and herbs will grow on it. A wild meadow typically thrives best on lean, i. H. nutrient-poor, soils best. The reason for this lies in the fast growth of certain grasses, which, with a good supply of nitrogen, shoot up quickly and crowd out slower-growing flowers and herbs. So in order to successfully establish a wildflower meadow in the garden, you must first thin the soil - this is especially true if you want to replant the wildflower meadow on a previously well-tended lawn.
How to emaciate the earth
Start thinning out the soil by first stopping all fertilization - two to three years before you want to create the actual flower meadow. To speed up the process, mow the meadow or lawn about four to five times a year. However, under no circumstances should the cuttings be left on the green area, but must be removed. In a last step, the emaciation takes place through the removal of very humic layers and/or the mixing in of sand.
Prepare soil and sow flower seeds
If the soil is sufficiently emaciated, you can prepare it for sowing. To do this, dig up the ground thoroughly and break up the crumbs of earth until they are as fine as possible. It is best to mix the fine seed with sand (or another spreading aid) and scatter it widely and as evenly as possible over the entire area. It is better to take too many than too few seeds, because experience has shown that wild flowers have a relatively low germination rate compared to cultivated plants. The seeds must not be covered with soil, as most meadow flowers germinate in the light. You only need to press the seed lightly. A lawn roller or harrow is ideal for this.
Which seeds can be used?
Adequate - i.e. high-quality and suitable - wildflower seed is not easy to come by. The mixtures available in normal garden centers are usually unsuitable, as they hardly contain any native and almost only annual species. This means that no permanent wildflower meadow can establish itself on your green space. Instead, give preference to flowers and herbs that are perennial and also native to your region. You can get such seeds in online shops, in country shops or in an agricultural center.
tips and tricks
Another very natural form of seed production is hay mulching. You mow a faded poor meadow from your region and store the hay on the area prepared for sowing. The seeds from the hay therefore fall on fertile soil and will hopefully ensure lush flowering in the following year.
IJA