We’ve noticed quite a few customers have emailed in recently to ask whether or not it is too late to plant wildflowers, so thought we’d cover it in our blog this week. In short, the answer is no, it is not too late to plant wildflower plugs. In fact, many gardeners choose to plant wildflower plugs in autumn over spring, especially if they will be growing wildflowers in grassland as by autumn there is less competition from grass.
What to expect from planting in July/August
If you are planting into bare soil (or containers) during summer, you can expect to see a flurry of flowers over the next few months, up until the first frosts. These will be the flowers that naturally germinate and grow at this time of year, for example you may see cornflower, yarrow, scabious and vetch. You won’t see the full range of the wildflowers, as some of the seeds in the seed mix will lie dormant, only germinating at their natural germination time which may be in spring (for example, poppies and oxeye daisies may not flower until next year).
As the first frosts arrive, most of the flowering wildflowers will go to seed and die back. You can let them self-seed and many will come back the following year, along with those seeds that have not yet germinated.
Can I plant into grass in July/August?
It is not ideal as grass is growing quite quickly, but you can certainly give it a go. The trick is to cut your grass as short as possible as close to planting as you can – same day if possible. Once the grass is as short as it can be, remove the grass cuttings and plug the wildflowers in place. Firm them in well. Don’t cut the grass again while the plants are getting established – you can read more about growing into grassland here.