Native Origin Irish Wildflower Seed Mixture: Range: 

Meadow Mixtures  (Code MM)

Supplied without grass,  Grass seed can be added

Product Name:  Wild Flora for Dry Loam and Verges (improved soils)

Product Code:  MM03 

Description:  
MM03 will produce a bright colourful romantic meadow, as early as two years after planting and the initial flush of colour will develop into an easy to maintain colour filled meadow, provided that is, that you maintain it.

MM03 has a dominance of blue, lilac and pink flowers intermingled yellow and orange flowers, all set off with white daisies and rose tinted Wild Carrot. 

This mixture is great for attracting butterflies.
MM03 is well suited to any type of free draining silt, brown earth or loam soil.
This mixture will grow well on well drained but moisture retentive soils even if the soil dries out in high summer. 
MM03 grows into a medium height flora which requires a specific cutting regime. 

The species are arranged to compete with medium height grasses.

Road Verges: MM03 is suitable for road verges, where the soil is light and dry, 

Mixture Specifications: 
Origin: Native Irish Origin, Wildflower Seed Mixture.
Moisture Level: Not for very dry soil, suits normal, moist, but not flooded wet.
pH range: Best between 5.5 - 7
Aspect: Sunny
Life Cycle: Annual / Biennial / Perennial. 
Height Range: <30cm - >100cm, Some species will stand tall in the meadow.
Flowering Period:  Mid April to June. July To September
Fertility Range: All, the less fertile the soil, the less cutting will be required.
Wintergreen: Moderate 
Total number of seeds per gram: 1280

Sowing Specification:  
Soil Preparation: Normal, create firm, fine tilt on seed bed, if clay, ensure a fine tilt or press the seed into clean soil.
Optimum Sowing Time: Spring, early autumn, when the soil is warm.

Sowing Conditions: Normal, roll or rake into surface to keep out of reach from birds. 
Sowing Method: By hand is recommended, if using seed spreaders be careful to insure the small varieties of seed do not drop to the bottom of the seed spreader and get sown all in the one place. Can be Hydrasown. 
Fertiliser: None 

Species List: 
Birdsfoot Trefoil, Black Medick, Burnet Saxifrage, Corn Marigold, Corn Poppy, Corncockle, Cornflower, Cowslip, Field Cranesbill, Field Scabious, Kidney Vetch, Lady's Bedstraw, Lesser Knapweed, Marjoram, Scentless Mayweed, Mullein, Ox-eye Daisy, Red Campion, Red Clover, Ribwort Plantain, Rough Hawksbit, Selfheal, Sorrel, St. Johnswort, White Campion, Wild Carrot, Yarrow, Yellow Rattle.

Seed Sowing Rates:  
Normal sowing rate 'without added grass seed':1.5 grams per metre.

Performance:
In normal conditions (mainly in early Autumn and Spring) this mix should germinate 3 - 6 weeks after sowing, from then on, provided the sward is kept open and a 'Thatch' is not allowed develop, species will continue to germinate and emerge, through to the third year.
First Year: The annuals supplied in this mixture will flower profusely, provided they are sown before June. This mixture requires one cut when finished flowering.

Second Year: In the second year the biennials will also be very colourful. 
If this mixture was not cut in first year, cut and remove foliage in early Spring. Cut again in July, August or September, depending on when flowers finish or the level of weeds that emerge. 
 
Specific Cutting Time: One cut a year will do, but there are more suitable seed mixtures if you do not have the time required to maintain this meadow. Four of the species will not compete with uncut tall grasses, so it should be cut in early spring and surprisingly in high summer (Early July) even if in full flower and then again in September when the last blooms fade.

In the third year this meadow mixture will seem to have less flora than the first and second year. Why? 
The perennial species are still young, many will only have germinated in the second season, so flowers will be sparse. However, there should be identifiable foliage and some flowers. If not contact us. 
If the native grass seeds present in your soil grow vigorously, the meadow will require two or three cuts, the first cut in Spring (April) and the second cut in June/ July, even if the flowers are blooming and again in August September, the meadow can again be cut in winter if the grasses are still growing strong. 

When should this meadow be established and require one cut?
In the fourth year, when the perennials in the mixture should be flowering on many stems and starting to clump and spread, again if the grass is still vigorous cut in spring leave out the summer cut and cut again in August of the fourth year. 
A wildflower meadow should last many years, provided the wildflower species were correctly established, weeds were controlled and the meadow was cut and the cut material removed and occasional 'Gaps' are created. If not contact DBN.

Persistence if unmanaged: Low
Tolerance of Cutting: High after second year. 
General Cutting Time: Spring, Mid Summer and at the end of Summer 

Disposal of cut materials: Always remove the cuttings, wildflower meadow hay should be removed as soon as possible and not be heaped on site as it will grow mouldy (a health risk).  Meadow cuttings can be spread as compost in sheet mulches around trees and shrubs or composted. 

Management: Control grasses and weeds until well established. Accept any normal non-invasive weeds as they provide cover, once the sward is established, digging, spot spraying or weed wiping can be used to eliminate problem species.

Most species in this mixture are 'Browse' resistant.

Product Warning: DBN recommends that this mixture is not for human or animal consumption.

A General Description of Meadow Range: 
Meadow Mixtures are designed to grow on soil in specific situations. 
This range of seed mixture is ideal for those concerned with species suitability, composition and performance to be attractive, encourage wildlife and local biodiversity. If these mixtures are suitable for your situation, they offer good value and if given time, develop into a flora that will persist if properly maintained. 

Wildflower growing is relatively new to horticulturalists, please check our online Wildflower Growers Manual for further details.

Your purchase: Contributes to DBN's work of creating crops of Conservation Grade - Native Origin Wildflora. You help us to inform and pay land-owners to manage native species and to assist DBN in handing on our heritage for another generation. 
By growing (some will be difficult) these and all other species, you directly help to conserve national and global Biodiversity and protect wildlife. You should also consider yourself another Irish wildflower grower.