Planting Seeds

Hi Badgerbread, welcome to the forum.

The advice for growing them indoors gives any new seedlings protection from severe frosts and snow.

The thing with our weather, you can never determine what mother nature is going to throw at us!

As with any seed outdoors the weather determines when they germinate and grow! The soil is another key factor. Loam, lime, clay, wet , dry, sandy, etc. Certain seeds prefer certain soils!

I purchased a mixture of wildflower seeds last year for exactly the same reason as you.

I waited until until April - May just to be sure the severe frosts wouldn't be as frequent.

I made small furrows and sprinkled the seeds in, it was a joy to see a mixture of Cornflower,Poppies,Campion and Foxgloves plus a whole host of others.

I also mowed the lawn less often as I have more Clover and Daisies than grass, this attracted a whole host of insects.

I would personally opt for the sprinkle outdoor option, it is easier if you have limited space indoors!

You still may have to thin out some of the seedlings depending on how you sow them!

Good Luck, I hope you have some success.

Regards Buzzard

Hi Badgerbread, and welcome to the forum.

I buy pot grown scabious from the garden centre in the spring and plant them up in tubs. More expensive, of course, but you get a mature plant and flowers straight away. They flower through to the following winter giving a good show, and attract all the butterflies and bees.

Buzzard, you amaze me. Not only expert in birds but also in seeds and wild flowers. Are you sure the reason you mow less often is to help the insects by promoting more clover and daisies????? If my hubby reads this he will never mow again!!!

Buzzards spot on there, but you may want to consider saving say 10% of your seed and growing it indoors in a tray just in case our fabulous weather does put the scuppers on the outdoor sown seeds. I've had some success with this in the past, using the indoor/greenhouse grown plants to fill gaps in the bed where the seeds failed.

The Royal Horticultural Society had some useful tips on its website linked here 

Good luck and i hope your wildflower patch is a success!

[wave] Buzzard

I always instruct my OH to "mow around the daisies". He gives me a funny look and mows for England!!! You just can't get the staff these days..... [sigh].

Hi Squirrel (Hi Buzzard as well)

I know exactly what you mean. I daren't let mine do any weeding....

Best wishes Chris

Susan H said:

If my hubby reads this he will never mow again!!!

I haven't mowed my 'lawns' for 7 years! ;-)

Woodpecker said:

I know exactly what you mean. I daren't let mine do any weeding....

Mine doesn't know a dandelion from a spade. The only gardening he does is when I need him to dig a deep hole or uproot something for me, plus he does the mowing.

MarJus - 7 years? What do you have growing in there? I think a picture is called for!!!!

Hi Badgerbread,

I also have some wildflower seeds waiting to be planted so thanks for asking the question and thanks Buzzard for providing the answer.

Hi Badgerbread really good advice from Buzzard would not set inside unless greenhouse as plants will be really straggly thing not getting enough light.