It's one of the questions we hear most this time of year. You have a patch of lawn and a bag of wildflower seeds. You can already picture the bees all over it next summer. So can you just scatter wildflower seeds over grass and let nature handle it?
The short answer is no. The good news is that getting your spot ready is easier than you think, and October is a great month to start.
Why wildflower seeds struggle in a lawn
Wildflower seeds need to touch bare soil. University of Georgia Extension says it plainly: wildflower seeds need direct seed-to-soil contact to germinate and grow. When you toss seed over grass, most of it lands on blades and thatch. It never reaches the dirt. The few seeds that do sprout are up against turf that's already rooted in and growing strong. UGA Extension goes as far as saying that scattering seed over an existing lawn "will lead to disappointment." So if you tried it once and nothing came up, it wasn't you. The grass just won the race.
Pollinator garden site prep, made simple
The Xerces Society, one of the leading pollinator conservation groups in the country, says the goal of site prep is to clear out what's growing there now and leave a smooth surface. That smooth surface is what gives you good seed-to-soil contact.
For most home gardens, removing the sod is the most direct way to do it. Xerces notes it works best where the turf is low-growing. For a small backyard bed, a flat spade does the job. Sod is heavy, so plan where it's going before you start digging.
If you're not in a hurry, smothering the grass is another option. Xerces lists sheet mulching as one of the methods they've tested for organic site prep. It takes longer than digging, so it's a good fit if your bed is a project for next year.
You may have heard of solarizing, where clear plastic cooks the grass out. Xerces says the plastic needs to stay down for several months during the hottest part of the year, then come off in early fall. That window has passed for this year, but it's worth keeping in mind for next summer.
One thing we'd skip is the rototiller. Xerces doesn't recommend tilling for site prep because it brings buried weed seeds up to the surface. Oklahoma State University Extension agrees that tilling can spread some perennial weeds.
Getting the seed down
Once you have bare, smooth soil, here's how Xerces recommends sowing. Mix your seed with an equal amount (or more) of slightly damp sand or vermiculite. This helps you see where you've already sown and spreads the seed more evenly.
Split the mix in half. Sow the first half walking one direction, then sow the second half walking across it.
Then press the seed in. A lawn roller works, and so do your feet. Oklahoma State Extension suggests lightly tamping the seed so it touches the soil without burying it too deep
What to expect next spring
Here's where a little patience pays off. Xerces says perennial wildflower seeds may take several seasons to germinate, and most native plants start flowering regularly in their third season.
If your mix includes annuals, those are the ones that give you color in year one. The perennials are busy putting down roots. That's the part you don't see, and it's the part that keeps your garden coming back.
If you're looking to get started, here is a link where you can view our current flower seed products. CAMAS POLLINATOR SUPPLY
We are on a mission to create more pollinator-friendly gardens, and a lot of that work starts with a shovel in October. You don't need a big yard. One cleared patch is a real start for the bees and butterflies in your neighborhood.
Next month we'll talk about fall wildflower planting and whether November is too late to sow. Have you tried scattering seed over grass before? Tell us how it went in the comments. We are grateful for each and everyone of you.