A new Wildflower Meadow

[johnrex62]

Thanks for the responses. That wild mustard is a puzzle. The first 10 years I have been on this place I had only bloodweed until I got my tractor in 2010, then I was able to keep the bloodweed under control and after the first mowing or two only the johnson grass grew tall enough to block flowers. Then suddenly, last year I got overrun with solid wild mustard growth. I don't know where it came from or why it suddenly took over in one season, but it is what it is. I am thinking that I may be able to get ahead of it with more frequent mowing at a taller height than I had been doing. I have been doing low cuttings every few weeks or months depending on growth rate. I am thinking instead of 3", I should cut at 6"-8" every week or so when it gets between 12"-18". Hopping that will keep the mustard topped off and diverting it's energy to recovery instead of seed. I just wasnt sure if that would be tall enough to give the wildflowers a chance without hurting them.

I had a few flowers showing up before the mustard exploded, I am hoping I can add some annuals and give them all enough help to overcome the weeds long enough to re-invigorate the seed bank and let the desirable wildflowers take over again.

 

[jinman]

Jinman,
You have to post some pictures of that! I bet it's something to see. I remember going to visit some relatives in San Antonio and seeing fields of blue bonnets, very pretty.

Thanks for your interest. Here is a link to the thread I posted in 2009/2010 the first year of the bluebonnets. 2011 was a very dry year and nobody in this area had much of a wildflower display. Last year in 2012, my fields were spectacular and spreading down toward my house. This year, the ground is just covered in seedlings, so I hope to get enough rain to keep the bluebonnets happy. The plot is so big that I cannot water it and it's up to Mother Nature to make a nice display for me.

 

[jeff9366]

I have a couple acres I want to turn into a wildflower meadow. What I don't have a handle on is how to compress the seed at that point and how to handle the fast growing bloodweed until the wildflowers get going and how to manage the mustard in the middle of the season.

Any guidelines or practical experience for me?

There exist numerous posts addressing your questions in the FOOD PLOT FORUM, a sub-forum under LAWN AND GARDEN here on T-B-N. Establishing Wild Flowers / Food Plots from seed: same issues.