Bee Mix - Wildflowers Seeds

Sow in early spring after the ground can be prepared, or in late fall after temperatures have cooled enough that seed will remain dormant until spring. Fall sowing is especially useful for mixtures containing perennial species that benefit from natural winter cold before germination.

In mild-winter regions, sow during the coolest dependable planting window rather than during summer heat. Spring sowings need regular moisture during establishment, while dormant fall sowings generally rely on winter weather and spring rainfall.

Remove existing vegetation and prepare a clean, firm seedbed before sowing. Wildflower seedlings compete poorly with established lawn grass and perennial weeds, so site preparation is more important than adding fertilizer.

Mix the seed with dry sand, fine soil, or another lightweight carrier to make even broadcasting easier. Divide the mixture in half, sow the first portion while walking in one direction, then sow the remainder at a right angle. Press or roll the seed firmly against the soil but do not bury it deeply. Good seed-to-soil contact is essential for germination.

Keep spring-sown areas evenly moist until seedlings are established. Avoid using mulch thick enough to block light or smother small seedlings.

Choose an open site with full sun and well-drained soil. Once established, a wildflower planting usually needs less irrigation and maintenance than a conventional flower bed, but the first season requires patience and weed control.

Annuals such as cosmos, poppies, alyssum, phacelia, larkspur, and zinnias may provide the earliest flowers. Biennials and perennials often spend their first season forming roots and foliage before producing stronger displays in later years. The Bee Mix should gradually become more perennial in character, while the Hummingbird & Butterfly Mix will depend more heavily on annual reseeding to maintain its original balance.  

Leave flowers standing through the season to feed bees, butterflies, hummingbirds, and other beneficial wildlife. Avoid deadheading the entire planting if natural reseeding is desired.

Harvest individual stems for bouquets as flowers reach their proper cutting stage, taking lightly so plenty remain for pollinators. The two mixes include useful cutting flowers such as cosmos, asters, larkspur, snapdragons, poppies, coreopsis, gaillardia, zinnias, and ornamental seed heads.

For a meadow-style planting, leave most flowers standing through autumn. Mature seed heads provide texture, support natural reseeding, and offer food and shelter for birds and insects.