When is the Best Time to Plant Wildflowers?

How to Plant Wildflower Seeds

We all love the beauty of a wildflower meadow and so do all the pollinators. But when is the best time to plant and how do you prepare your planting area? The answer is, it depends on your location or climate and the growing conditions. Spring, summer and fall are all good times to plant  and grow wildflowers but the absolute best time will depend on the winter temperatures and water availability. Watch our video on Planting Wildflowers for step-by-step methods for planting.

Planting Time in Mild-Winter Areas

If you live in an area with minimal or no winter frosts (parts of California, Florida, southern Texas or parts of the South West) you can grow wildflowers any time, however, the hottest time of the year is not recommended. It is best to take advantage of the rains and plant in the late fall when the rain begins. Seeds may need to be stratified before planting if not exposed to any freezing temperatures.

Planting Time in Cold-Zones

If you live in snow zones or areas with bitter-cold winters, you can wait and plant in the spring or plant in fall. The advantage of planting in the fall is you will see those blooms earlier than if spring planted. If Fall planting wait until after a good hard frost. The seeds will not sprout until the spring when the soil has warmed up enough for germination.

Site Preparation for Fall or Spring Planting

Wildflowers will not do well if they have to compete with weeds. You should clean up the planting area of debris and weeds. If your ground is dry, water to encourage sprouting of weed seeds. Once they have sprouted you can lay down newspaper, weed fabric to block out the sun and kill the weed seedlings, or use a hand weeder. This process can be done a couple of times to get rid of all the weed seeds.

Site Selection and Soil Amendments

Unless specifically buying a shade-loving mix, annual or perennial wildflowers like full sun. But they don't like soggy, wet feet, so a good draining location is a must. The area should be cleared of unwanted vegetation and rake out any big rocks. If the area is clear, rake or disturb the soil so the wildflower seeds will have good soil contact. Working in some good organic compost will help with holding moisture in the soil and give the seeds a little cover. No need to dump a bunch of fertilizers in. Wildflowers will do just fine with most native soils. If you want to supplement the soil, add a fertilizer that is low in nitrogen and formulated for flowers (more phosphorus and potassium). Make sure the fertilizer is worked into the soil before you seed the area.

Successful Sowing for Wildflower Seeds

Many wildflower seeds are very small so it is best to mix with an inert material like sand (not sea sand) or vermiculite in a 1:10 ratio. Split your seeds in half, mix with the inert material and sow your area. Mix the other half and resow the area. Do not rake in the seeds. Simply walk on the area, use a lawn roller or a piece of plywood to press the seeds into the soil. If spring sowing, make sure the seeds receive adequate water for good germination. Give your pollinators a good food source and enjoy the long lasting blooms in your garden or backyard.