How to Plant Wild Flower Seeds
- 1). Select a location in your garden that receives six to eight hours of sunlight. Prepare the site by removing all weeds from the area in which you want to plant your wildflower garden. Loosen the soil to a depth of at least 12 inches, breaking up any large clumps of soil.
- 2). Add 2 to 3 inches of compost to the soil and mix well. Rake the soil smooth. Wildflowers don't generally need additional fertilizer, according to American Meadows, but if you want to assure prolific blooming, spread an application of fertilizer specialized for perennial flower gardens over the area and mix it into the soil. Rake the soil smooth.
- 3). Determine the square footage of the area for your wildflower garden by measuring the perimeter and multiplying length times width. This will determine how much seed you will need to buy. The back of the seed packet will specify the square footage it will cover.
- 4). Fill a clean gallon bucket one-quarter full with fresh sand and empty half the seed packet into the sand. The rough ratio is 10 parts sand to 1 part seeds. Hand sow the seeds over your growing area. The sand will be a lighter color than the garden soil so you can see where you've spread the seeds. Sow the entire area. Mix the rest of the seeds with sand at the same ratio and go over the area again. This will ensure even distribution of your seeds.
- 5). Gently pat down the seeds with the back of a shovel. This will ensure that your seeds are making contact with the soil so they can germinate. Water the area to moisten the top 2 or 3 inches of soil. Do not over water and risk run off; some wildflower seeds are tiny. Keep the area moist, but not soggy, until the seedlings grow to 6 inches tall.