I haven't written since before Thanksgiving. Please forgive my absence. We (hubby and myself) have had a few rounds of company, holidays, holiday prep, holiday clean-up and that led to neglecting you all and the yard. I am happy to say that has changed. I got out in the yard twice this week and it felt great. My sister-in-law was in town over the weekend so she helped us plant some Helleborus and Daffodils, then we hiked around the property. It was really nice to get out and have my hands ... well my gloves, dirty again. I also spent time spreading some wildflower seeds. That is where the New Hopes and Dreams come into play. I am hoping and dreaming that all 3000 seeds sprout and the meadow looks amazing this year.
I get my seeds from all sorts of sources. Some are bought online ( I will link some places at the bottom), some gathered from various roadsides, some store bought and some given to me by friends. So viability can be questionable but I give them a shot any way. Right now I am spreading / sowing seeds that need 1-2 months of cold stratification. Stratification is ... well hang on here is some backstory, every seed has a seed coat (protective layer on the outside of the seed) and some seeds need help breaking that seed coat in order to germinate. Stratification is a method of breaking down the seed coat using moisture to soften it enough for the cotyledons(seed leaves) to get through the seed coat. In this case, the seeds need COLD stratification. It can be naturally by direct sowing during the winter but there is a chance of losing seeds or seeds being displaced by heavy rains or curious birds. A "safer" method would be to moisten a paper towel, place seeds on the towel and keep them in the fridge for the recommended amount of time. But I like to throw caution to the wind, just like my seeds.
When spreading / sowing / dispersing the seeds, I like to use potting soil to get more even coverage. I will take an old mop bucket, put in some potting soil then mix in the seeds I am sowing. This way when I throw handfuls of soil-seed mix, I can rest assured that most of the seed is hitting the ground (not blown away by wind) and it is landing where I want it to, not at my feet or 10ft. away.
I have been focusing on Southeastern US Native plants for the meadows and power line cuts, so the seeds going out have included several varieties of Asclepias(Milkweed), Liatris(Blazing Star), Boltonia(False Aster) and a biennial Gaura. I have more seeds but they will need to wait until our last frost date as they do not need the cold stratification. Seeds that are purchased should always come with sowing instructions, if you do not see that then do not buy them. I say this because to me that means the company is not very reputable and the viability of the seeds would be in question. If the seeds come from a friend, then a little googling on the interweb should point you in the right direction.
Cheers to the New Year, New Decade and lots of New Plants!
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