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Flowers that grow by themselves out in the wild are known as wildflowers. It is in their nature to grow without any human help in the cultivation process since they are part of the natural and wild habitat. Locally found wildflowers are widely known as "natives" while the types that are found in other parts of the world and transported to countries all over the world are known as "naturalized". For this article, we have prepared a list of guidelines on how gardeners should take care of their wildflower plants:
1.Types of wildflowers
In the flower market today, there exists three types of wildflowers which are the annuals. perennials and finally the biennials. The wildflowers included in the annual flower seeds are red poppy, cornflower and cosmos and they would germinate, nurture, flower and die in a short period of time because their life span is very short. Daisy, lance-leaf coreopsis, and dame's rocket are perennial flower seeds type wildflowers and their growing processes are slower compared to the annual wildflowers. As for Biennials, for example Queen Anne's lace, native Black-Eyed Susan and Sweet William wildflower characteristics are a cross between the first two types if wildflowers. The biennial wildflowers would sprout during their first year, and later blossom during the second year and they wilt away.
2.When to plant
Planting wildflowers would require having some knowledge of the climate and weather continent you are in. If you are living in a country of tropical and warm climate, then it is most suitable to start planting the seeds before the drizzling season starts so that when the season comes then the new seeds will be able to grow healthily with the huge amount of water. If you are considering the seasons of the year, then the best time to start planting the wild flower seeds during the fall season and also the spring season
3.Selecting the suitable garden bed
Wildflower seeds can be planted in a wide location or in a small place in the garden. Make sure the chosen position has plenty of sunlight and also enough water for the wildflowers to survive. Wildflowers would grow better if they have more than enough sunlight.
4.Picking the right soil
Wildflowers are very adaptable; therefore just use the soil you have in the garden. If the site you have chosen is sterile, whereby nothing, not even weed, grows, then you should find a new site.
5.Getting ready the soil
If the earth at the site is to sandy and too loose to accommodate any living plants or their seeds, then it is best you add humus first before you plant the seeds. If the earth is made out of mostly clay, then it is better to add some amount of sand to loosen the earthen of the ways to make sure the earth and soil is better prepared for the plantation process is by adding in humus to make the dirt more compact if you find it too loose and sandy for your liking. If you find the dirt too hard because it has too much heavy clay in it, then adding sand to the dirt might solve the problem.
6.Clearing the ground
The dirt and soil on the chosen grounds for your wildflower seeds would need to be loosen and any small plants that have been growing there would need to be cleared of before actually planting the wildflower seeds. Basically the garden tool you need is the shovel. Make sure that the garden bed is flat and there is no more grass and weed roots inside the earth. Make an effort to remove the big rocks but leave the smaller rocks there if you want to since it would not cause the wildflowers any serious harm.
7.Fertilizing
Doing any fertilizing efforts is pointless since wildflowers are meant to survive in the wild against any type of environment. But, if you think that fertilizing is still a need for your wildflower plants, then choose compost which is low in nitrogen. The compost must be spread evenly into the earth then you plant the seeds.
8.Determining the amount needed
If you want the flowers to be filling the garden at its peak capacity, then it is recommended that you plant up to two or three times more than the normal wildflower seeds coverage quantity. But always remember putting too much seeds in the land would create too much competition for nutrient and water, so do not go past the limit.
9.Dessiminating the wildflower seeds
For wildflower plants; it is enough to use the simplest method, the spit and sand method. Divide the seeds you are going to plant equally, and put half of it into an empty container. After that, just mix in about four parts of sand along with the seeds. Avoid using beach sand since they are not suitable. After mixing, just use your hand or a manual seeder in order to make the mixture evenly spread on the garden surface. As for the remaining seeds just plant them in a vertical direction rather than the first batch which was planted on the horizontal direction. By doing this you will lessen the chances of you missing out a particular spot. Adding the sand in the mixture will ensure an even more equal distribution of the wildflower seeds on the flower bed.
10.Compressing the wildflower seeds
After spreading the wildflower seeds, compress them further into the soil but resists from raking them or doing anything to cover them. Using a lawn mower would be more suitable for the chore if the area you are covering is very wide. If you only have a small garden, then walking on the whole area would do the trick. The whole process is important because it helps the seeds in their sprouting process.
11.Waiting time
Different species of wildflowers sprout at different times. Some take root in as little as eight days while others take months.
12.Watering
During their life span, the wildflower plants would need moisture the most during the germination process. In order to create the perfect environment for them, it is vital to ensure they have sufficient water in the soil for at least four to six weeks. The amount of water may be reduced slowly once the flowers start to bloom.
13.The correct mulching process
The mulching process would help the wildflowers stay healthy and grow better since covering the garden bed with mulch will help capture the moisture in the land and keep it therefore the wildflowers. Using organic materials such as Bark chips, unwanted leaves or peat moss as the cover material is suitable for the garden.
14.Clearing the weeds
As your wildflower seeds start to grow, weeds may come up together with them. While the weeds would not harm the wildflowers, you may want to tidy up the flowerbed by pulling the weeds out.
15.Unwanted company
If you find animals such as birds visiting your garden, then use any methods to scare them away, if not just let them roam around. Most animals would not harm your flowers.
16.Flowers start to bloom
Remember to take pictures with your camera
17.Cutting away dead and unhealthy parts of the wildflower
The procedure will help new blooms to grow out. And to have a more lavish look, try cutting out and maintaining the top part of the plant.
18.Reseeding
When the wildflower plants have fully blossomed, then you will have to give it at least two weeks or more for it to reach its maturity. Once the new seeds have hardened and they have change color into a brownish or black shade, then you can cut them and leave them on the garden bed for the reseeding process
19.Finding a balance of wildflowers
Try to cultivate wildflowers that complement each other in terms of color and texture. Also, green grass foliage can give better definition to the wildflowers.
20.Keeping the leftover seeds
You may store unused wildflower seeds in a cool, dry place. Depending on the species, they may be kept for a year, or up to five years.
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