Native Origin Irish Wildflower Seed Mixture: Range:  

Meadow Mixtures  (Code MM)

Supplied without grass,  Grass seed can be added

Product Name: MM08 Wild Flora for Moist Limy Soil (alkaline, pH >7)

Product Code:  MM08 

Description: Meadow Mixture - MM08 - Moist Alkaline/Limey Soil is one of the very best but simplest mixtures that DBN produces. 

This mixture will suit particular soils and if you provide a full set of site details with your order, we may be able to add additional species, if they are available.

Suitable for most moist (not wet) Irish soils as long as they are not acidic in pH. MM08 tends to produce tall flowers by late summer and can be cut as meadow or allowed to grow tall at the back of any shorter wildflower scheme. 

If you want to keep the height down, cut it in July and allow the re-growth to flower. For a varied effect, mixture MM08 can be cut at different times, cut the front part of meadow in June and cut the back in September. 
Always remove the cuttings and never fertilize the ground unless advised by DBN. 

MM08 will also grow on fen or acid peat mixed with limestone till, such soils are found in the East and Midlands where a machine or plough has 'turned up' the more alkaline subsoil into the top soil.

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 6.5 - 7.5
Aspect: Sunny
Life Cycle: Annual / Biennial / Perennial. 
Height Range: <30cm - > 200cm 
Flowering Period:  May to August.
Fertility Range: Will grow on any soil, suits moderately fertile top soil, the less fertile the soil, the less cutting will be required.
Wintergreen: Moderate 
Total number of seeds per gram: 1560 

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

Year 2. 

Species List: 
Birdsfoot Trefoil, Black Meddick, Corn Chamomile, Corn Marigold, Corn Poppy, Corncockle, Cornflower, Cowslip, Devils bit Scabious, Eyebright, Meadow Buttercup, Field Poppy, Fleabane, Greater Trefoil, Lady's Bedstraw, Lesser Knapweed, Scented Mayweed, Meadowsweet, Ox-eye Daisy, Purple Loosestrife, Ragged Robin, Red Bartsia, Ribwort Plantain, Selfheal, Water Avens, Wild Carrot, Yellow Flag Iris, Yellow Rattle.
Additional species: Meadow Cranesbill, Wild Valerian, Marsh Marigold.

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

Sowing Specification:  
Soil Preparation: Normal, delay site works until soil starts to dry out, create firm, fine tilt on seed bed, if clay, ensure a fine tilt or press the seed into clean soil.
Optimum Sowing Time: Early to Late spring Spring or again in 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.

Low sowing rate: 1gram 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 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 profusely, provided they are sown before June. This mixture requires one cut when finished flowering.
Second Year: In the second year as there are no biennials this mixture will not be as colourful as others in the range, however there will be a flush of Daisies and Sorrel. 
If this mixture was not cut in first year, cut and remove foliage in early Spring. Cut again in July or August, Do not leave it until September, as it will be too late for this mixture.
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, in May there should be good colour from the Ragged Robin and Buttercups, and if you look close, lots of identifiable foliage and some flowers from the other species. 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 Early April and the second cut in late 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: This should be cut once every year, but if the ground is too wet to cut, leaving the cutting for a year will only damage some species and the meadow should survive.
Tolerance of Cutting: High after second year. 
General Cutting Time: Mid to end of Summer and again in spring. 
Specific Cutting Time: April, to keep trimmed and tidy.

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.