Tips for sowing and care

The soil may be left in its original state. A flower meadow develops most colorful and beautifully in a sunny location with a thin layer of humus (topsoil). It is not usually necessary to thin out the soil artificially by removing humus or incorporating sand and gravel etc.

Preparing the seedbed

Converting a lawn into a flower meadow

First, the lawn is mowed short.
Scarify several times “criss-cross” to create sufficient space in the soil for the flower seeds.
2 - 3 weeks after tilling, the spontaneous flora “weeds” begin to sprout again: The easiest way to remove the germinating weeds is with the help of a garden rake. This superficial treatment should be repeated every few weeks if necessary. Caution: The area must not be tilled deeply afterwards (max. 3 cm).
After the first deep tillage, the soil should be allowed to settle for at least 4 weeks before sowing.
In the case of a new, unvegetated area, the soil can only be worked superficially to remove the emerging weeds (as in point 3 above).

The seeds

The ideal time is between March and mid-May or mid-August to October. The specified seed quantity should not be exceeded, otherwise this can lead to grass dominance. It is best to sow when the soil is moist so that the wind cannot blow the seeds away so easily.

The required seed is halved.
Then use the first half of the seed to sow the entire area lengthwise. The seed is scattered on the surface. In a second pass, the entire area is sown again in a transverse direction with the remainder of the seed.
The fresh seed must not be covered or worked in.

Be patient

Wild herbs need 4 to 8 weeks before they germinate. However, the spontaneously growing weeds are already visible after 2 to 3 weeks. A newly sown flower meadow flowers for the first time after overwintering, i.e. in the second year. The plants initially put all their energy into the roots. This is why a new planting in the sowing year looks rather poor and the degree of cover is inadequate. At first glance, the layman only sees weeds in the sowing year. That must be the case.

Weeds

Weeding causes more harm than good in the year of sowing. Therefore, never weed. Although invasive neophytes should be removed.

Irrigation

A freshly sown flower meadow should not be watered, even in very dry conditions. Most flowers have a long germination and emergence phase. For this reason, flower seeds should not be watered, as this will only encourage the weeds and grasses.

Pruning in the sowing year

As soon as no more light falls on the soil, it is time for the first clean cut. This is about 8 weeks after sowing, when the crop has grown to about knee height. The cutting height is about 8 cm (min. 6 cm). The clippings are carefully collected and must be disposed of. The clean-up cut can also be carried out using a lawn mower with a collection bag. Depending on the soil type and nutrient supply, several clean-up cuts may be necessary in the sowing year (every 1 to 2 months). The clean cut brings light back to the flower rosettes on the ground.

Snails

They love sprouting wild plants. However, the animals are usually so decent that they never destroy the entire crop. So do not scatter slug pellets.

Care after the first winter

Cupping cut: ONLY for lush growing meadows. From April, when the vegetation is approx. 20 cm high, a first cut is worthwhile. This slows down the dominant species, mostly grasses.
Hay cut: Depending on the location, the first hay cut is appropriate after the most important grasses have withered, i.e. from around mid-June. The clippings (ground hay) are dried on the field for 1-3 days and can then be used as fragrant, richly textured animal feed.
Clearing cut: In early fall, around mid-September, flower areas should be cut and the clippings removed. The meadow must neither be freshly mown nor left unmown in winter.
To ensure that the diversity of insects, birds and small animals do not lose their habitat in one fell swoop, it is worth leaving a strip of old grass: 1/3 of the meadow is not mown, with a different third being left standing each year.

Tip for greater species richness

Most species can develop in a flower meadow if the first cutting date varies slightly each year: It is perfectly acceptable to cut some of the hay at the end of May one year if you can wait until the end of June to hay the following year.

Sources: Otto Hauenstein Samen AG OHS, tips on flowers. info@hauenstein.ch; www.hauenstein.ch; UFA Samen