To prepare for sowing seeds directly into the ground, the soil needs to be clear of competitive weeds and grasses. You can do this by digging up clods of grass, but you can enjoy fewer weeds and less backache by adopting a 'No Dig' approach.
Championed by the master grower, Charles Dowding, 'No Dig' replaces the spade with mulching and edging. The ground is covered with cardboard and heavily mulched with peat-free compost. The bed should be edged to prevent grasses from creeping into your new bed. I have used No-Dig in my polytunnel and it is a game-changer.
For my wildflower beds, I've used heat-treated pallet collars that measure roughly 1m square.
I chose a spot that enjoys sunshine for most of the day. The soil is heavy clay which holds water and nutrients really well.
Next up, I covered the grass with overlapping layers of corrugated cardboard and soaked it with water. Take the time to remove any plastic tape or staples. Leave no gaps, overlapping is very important for weed suppression. Peaches was a little annoyed her box was flattened but we kitted her out with a new deluxe apple box from Nisa.
Next, mulch! I thought I had ordered potting compost, but I actually had ordered screened topsoil. Both will work brilliantly for wildflowers, so it's not a disaster by any means. If you plan to use compost, use potting compost where possible, or add lots of horticultural grit, perlite or vermiculite to all-purpose compost. I ordered from The Soil Man NI. The soil needed only a light rake to break up clumps and remove any stones from the surface.
It is time to sow! Most of our wildflower seeds are premixed with a sowing aid called Rehofix. It is notoriously difficult to thinly sow tiny wildflower seeds, particularly when you need to stretch 10g of seeds evenly over an area the size of a single bed! Rehofix, vermiculite, perlite or even oats takes the guesswork out of sowing. Mix at least 4 parts sowing aid to 1 part seed and scatter across the soil. I'm sowing hardy annuals, I will direct sow tender annuals after the last frosts in a few weeks.
Vibrant Impact Annuals before adding Rehofix, after adding Rehofix and holding a pack of Window Wildflowers with Rehofix premixed.
Firm the seeds into the soil by walking across the bed or by using a roller. Water gently and generously. Over the next couple of weeks water regularly, particularly in the absence of rain, until your seedlings are well established.
Are you preparing a new wildflower bed this year? Why not give No-Dig a try?
Kommentare