Native Origin Irish Wildflower Seed Mixture: Range: Meadow Mixtures  (Code MM)

Product Name: MM07 Wild Flora for Dry Acid Soil (often shallow over stone) 

Supplied without grass,  Grass seed can be added

Product Code:  MM07 

Number of Species: 34 + 

Description: 
Meadow Mixture - MM07 - Dry Acid Soil is designed for the (low rainfall) dry East Coast of Ireland and parts of the North East and South-East Coast where there is less rain fall and where the soil is usually without Lime (ph neutral to acid) and stony. 

This is a seed mixture that can be sown with grass seed. Use only 1.5 grams per metre.

This mixture may seem limited as some of the most popular species  such as the annual Poppy and Field Scabious are not included, However, if you can establish this meadow, it will be very colourful.
MM07 is ideal for sites with a slope, usually these soils contain broken flat stones mixed throughout and often lying just below the surface of the soil. The yellow shrub Gorse (furze) tends to grow well in such areas, as does Bracken, Both weeds must be controlled until the meadow establishes.

Species List: 
Bluebell, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Centaury, Eyebright, Foxglove, Hemp Agrimony, Kidney Vetch, Lady's Bedstraw, Lesser Knapweed,  Mullein, Meadow Buttercup, Ox-eye Daisy, Red Campion, Red Clover, Ribwort Plantain, Rough Hawksbit, Sheep's Bit Scabious, Selfheal, Sorrel, St. Johnswort, Wild Carrot, Yarrow, Yellow Rattle, White Stonecrop, Bell Heather, Sheep's Sorrell, Wood Sage, White Bedstraw. Bush Vetch, Broadleaf Plantain,, 
Annuls include: Corn Marigold, Corncockle, Scentless Mayweed, Red Bartsia.

Cowslip in small quantities has been added, but would not be typical found on Acid dry earth.

MMO7 requires cutting every year and most of all 'raking up' or 'gap creating' to keep the weeds from invading it. 
Often such site were once suited to fire management instead of cutting. However managing a meadow by fire is dangerous, especially as more than the meadow may burn, therefore not recommended.

Instead if the site allows, after cutting and when the bulk of material is removed this mixture can be 'burnt over' with a flame gun in suitable patches as many of the species respond well to starting afresh on new clean ground.   Where there are wet pockets on site sow a more suitable mixture to add further interest to the meadow.
The biennial sky blue Sheep's Bit and a mixture of Heathers are often included although difficult to grow, if the conditions are suited to these species, (after burn) they make a lovely addition to this mixture.

MM07 will easy on flat or gently sloping ground.

Steep Sloping Ground: MM07 is a difficult meadow to establish and maintain on a steep sloping site, as it often cannot be cut. Customers have often contacted me, after using heavy machinery to clear Bracken, Gorse or shrubs from such steep sloping sites. As they wish to create a low cut no maintenance meadow. 

Steep slopes are difficult to maintain. I often advise that trees or shrub with a suitable woodland wildflower mixture may be a better choice 9an accept some bracken, as some sites are too steep to safely cut and will if uncut revert to the original flora that grew on the site in the first instance. Good design and management is the secret to success when using MM07 on steep sites. Preparing a steep sloping site is also a difficult task, seek advice.

Mixture Specifications: 
Origin: Native Irish Origin, Wildflower Seed Mixture.
Moisture Level: For dry or very dry well drained soil.
pH range: Best between 5. - 6.5
Aspect: Sunny
Life Cycle: Annual / Biennial / Perennial. 
Height Range: <30cm - > 100cm, where foxglove thrive it will be taller
Flowering Period:  Main flowering May to July, occasionally through August.
Fertility Range: Will grow on any infertile soil.
Wintergreen: Moderate 
Total number of seeds per gram: 1980

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: 'Stone pick' the site. Try not to cultivate the soil in such a way that it brings up the hidden layers of stone. It would be better to kill or the surface vegetation and not plough or rotavate, Shallow cultivate instead. Burning the surface vegetation away, can reduce the need to cultivate entirely. Creating a firm 'fine tilt' finished seedbed may also be difficult.
Optimum Sowing Time: Early Spring before the soil dries out, early autumn, when the soil is warm and rain is due. Sowing should take place immediately after burning.

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. Yes 
Fertiliser: Yes, a low dose can be used, depends on how poor the soil is.

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

With grass, sow an extra 1.5 to 3 grams of Design By Nature grasses.

Grass seed or nurse crop requirement:

Nurse Crop: As annuals will find it difficult on these soils, a nurse crop may well be required, depending on the density of weeds that were present and what is expected to grow back.. 
Grass Seed Requirement: n/a, use Bent and Fescue and selected species, Do not use species of Perennial Rye grass
Sow with or without grasses: Either / with grasses / without grasses
Sowing rate with grasses: 3 to 6 grams per metre depending on the percentage of flora and 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 4 - 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 if the site has some fertility, provided they are sown before June. This mixture requires one cut when finished flowering in its first summer..
Second Year:

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 second year the biennials will also be very colourful. 

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 in July or August, the meadow can again be cut in September 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 and in August of the fourth year. However if the perennials are growing strong there will be no need to cut until July, 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
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.

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 Gorse and bracken until established.

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.