Native Origin Irish Wildflower Seed Mixture: 

Range: Meadow Mixtures  (Code MM)

Supplied without grass,  Grass seed can be added

Product Name: MM06 Moist Soil (acid / neutral pH <6.5)

Product Code:  MM06 

Description: 
Revive the 'bygone rural days' with one of our most natural looking seed mixtures.  
Ideally suited to most Irish sites, esp' moist soil.

As so many customers grow this mixture, I have written a long description to explain all 

Designed for damp soils without lime, it will grow in most Irish situations bar shade or very dry/limey
Its not bold-beautiful in the way some other meadows can be, instead its natural and full of colour, but most importantly it grows where none else will. Wet acid soils can be difficult to work, machinery makes a mess on such fragile but important group of soils.

Species List: 

Annuals 15%, Biennials 12.5%, Perennials 72.5%, 
Birdsfoot Trefoil.  Corn Marigold, Corncockle, Cowslip, Devils Bit Scabious, Eyebright, Meadow Buttercup, Fleabane, Greater Trefoil, Marsh Marigold, Marsh Cinquefoil, Lesser Knapweed,  Scented Mayweed, Meadowsweet, Ox-eye Daisy, Purple Loosestrife, Ragged Robin, Red Bartsia, Red Campion, Red Clover, Ribwort Plantain, Selfheal, Sorrel, Water Avens, Wild Angelica, Yarrow, Yellow Flag Iris, Yellow Rattle.. Woundwort, 0.5% Molinia

= Feature Species

On the Farm: MM06 is stock tolerant from 2nd year with light rate stocking after September or at least 18 months after sowing, and can be cut anytime from April to May and again July to September, 
but it must be cut. 

I believe the best Cream is made from cows grazing on similar meadows found naturally in similar soil types, especially when upland. This is an idyllic pasture or hay meadow mixture.

Like all wildflower meadows do not graze until all species are well established. Usually into the 5th year. 

In the Field: MM06 is a traditional Irish Hay meadow with additional species to make it more attractive. 
For some sites we can add sedges, for others grasses or both.

All sowing should establish Ragged Robin by the third or fourth year. If not contact us

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 - 6.5
Aspect: Sunny
Life Cycle: Annual / Biennial / Perennial. 
Height Range: 60cm - 140cm, depends on cutting time and fertility
Flowering Period:  May to August.
Fertility Range: The less fertile the soil, the less cutting will be required.
Wintergreen: Moderate / poor until grassy
Total number of seeds per gram: 1200

Specific weed control at germination

The annuals Yellow Rattle, Eyebright and Red Bartsia should persist in well managed meadow or grassland, they require an annual scratching of the surface to surface. Work done after the final cut.

Do not expect much success from the Cornfield annuals in this mixture, as often damp acid soils are too cold. Corn Marigold should grow, Poppy rarely, often on a compacted soil that dries out for summer.

Redshank is no longer supplied in the mixture, but can be supplied to be sow as a nurse-crop on difficult sites. 

Redshank if already present will germinate and can smother seedlings, Cut/strim to 4 inches, if mowing, try not damage the crowns of wildflowers below the redshank, as as soon as the redshank is removed the wildflowers will sprout up.

Deisgn, establishment and meadow management notes:

A few of the wildflowers in this mixture in time will form large clumps of colour, 
while the rest will grow happily throughout the meadow. 
You will fall in love with many of the easy to grow species in this mixture. 
In early summer, Golden Field Buttercup and the beautiful bright pink Ragged Robin will flower amongst 
salmon pink Sorrel, catching the evening sunlight. Sorrels looks like a delicate Dock weed, 
it's the same family, so do not rush out and spray it away. It requires an open acid soil. thrives in winter wet

Starting out on moist acid soils 

The soil that this mixture is best sown on should be prepared a full year in advance.

Weed free and stale seed bed control, will control Redshank, Creeping Buttercup and Rush.

Dock may be more problematic, as none of the above species ruin the visual appearance, sadly Dock is considered a weed, by those who have never seen the wonderful site of many acres covered solely in dock.

If there is any chance of soil erosion, use green manure, between weed control, or sow late spring, after intensive spring clean up of weeds and 'weed seed in soil genebank, 

Sow seed when the soil warms up after March and or before it cools down, usually by mid September.

Most species will form small non flowering plants by 3 months, especially Ox-eye daisy, this is an important nurse crop in the second year, again esp' on difficult sites. Annuals will flower later but last longer into winter.

Watch out for grass invasion at this stage .A first year cut after all flowering is over will be welcome, or leave it stand the winter for the birds and cut in spring to 10cm.

From the second year onwards, you can give this meadow an High Summer Cut:

Time it just after Sorrel or Oxeye daisy die off after flower before these species set seed, if the meadow is left uncut, grasses can invade, so too will creeping buttercup.

If left uncut until September

In high to late summer, huge clumps of Meadowsweet, Loosestrife and Yellow Iris 

will bloom, the meadow can be cut just as the flowers of these species fade to allow the deep blue of Devil'sbit Scabious to flower later on. 

Or the entire meadow can be left uncut until mid September or later if dry, 

but my advice is to cut the wettest areas sown with this this mixture by late July, before the taller wetland species emerge as this also lets the Devils Bit flower in the re-growth.

Scythes: Remember to cut with scythes, in the early morning when the grass is dewy wet and 

the stems are like butter, don't wait until afternoon as the job will get difficult as the stem get tougher. 

Do not confuse Meadow Buttercup with Creeping Buttercup, 

which is not included, and may be present on many a clay soil. 

If creeping buttercup appears: Contact me,

Cut the meadow just before the Creeping Buttercup flowers, 

if the problem gets worse over-sow the meadow with grasses to control infestations. 

Timing of cutting will control Creeping buttercup and Rush often found on this soil type.

In the first 5 years this meadow may have to be topped to 4 inches by July and then in Autumn cut to 10cm to control weeds.

There are few Poppies and no Cornflowers in this mix as they dislike moist acid soil

Sowing into grass: Most of this mixture will grow if sown into existing swords, directions elsewhere on this web. 

This photograph is one day in the life of an ever changing meadow

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

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 

Seed Sowing Rates:  
Normal sowing rate 'without added grass seed':1.5 grams per metre.
High sowing rate 'without added grass seed': Add 3 grams per metre.

Grass seed or nurse crop requirement:

Nurse Crop: No nurse crop is required. 
Grass Seed Requirement: n/a, use Bent and Fescue species, Do not use species of Perennial Rye grass
Sow with or without grasses: Either / with grasses / without grasses
Sowing rate with grasses: 2 to 7 grams per metre depending on the percentage of grass.

If sown without grass seed, this mixture: Will not require a nurse crop.

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, 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 flower finish or the level of weeds that emerge. 
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/May) and the second cut after July 21st but before August 21st. Cut again in September. 

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 and in July/August of the fourth year.  

However if the perennials are growing strong there will be no need to cut until August or September depending on the fertility and wetness of the soil and the species which have grown.

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 to moderate, High for 10% of species
Tolerance of Cutting: High after second year. 
General Cutting Time: Mid to end of Summer and again in spring. Specific Cutting Time: Wait 3 weeks until after the last flush of flowers fade away, after seeds set. Or cut when soil is dry

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. Control weeds, especially Creeping Buttercup, if Creeping Buttercup is present cut this meadow in May in year two. The third year is the critical year to maintain this meadow as scutch grass, creeping thistle, nettle and dock will try to dominate as the growing conditions are ideal for such unwanted species.

Most species in this mixture are 'Browse' resistant.

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. 

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.