Establishment
For Pictorial Meadows Perennial Seed Mixes®, we consider the first whole growing season as the establishment period – from sowing the seed right through to the end of year cut-and-collect. The more you invest in the establishment year, the more you will enjoy a long-term impact. It takes skill, attention to detail and some very timely interventions to establish a great perennial meadow from seed.
When to sow
Perennial seeds can be sown between September and May, but the best time to sow is autumn. We recommend sowing anytime from early September through to November as the ground is workable and the seeds benefit from a colder spell that aids spring germination. They can, however, also be sown throughout the winter and spring as long as the soil remains workable. Avoid summer sowing unless you can provide plentiful, regular irrigation.
Autumn sowings can achieve very successful schemes, and this favours many of the slower-growing species. Autumn-sown schemes are much less likely to need spring irrigation but may have a reduced first-year flowering as some species have seedlings that don’t all survive in cold, wet winter soils.
Early spring sowing usually gives reliable results as there is sufficient moisture for initial germination without irrigation, and a balance between fast and slow-growing species is achieved. However, irrigation will be needed as the plants and season progress with warmer and dryer weather. Good establishment in early spring guarantees a great first-year flowering display.
Where to sow
Most Pictorial Meadows Perennial Seed Mixes® do best if sown in full sun and free-draining soils, with the exceptions of Woodland Edge and Water’s Edge, which will cope with semi-shade and waterlogged conditions respectively. All the perennial seed mixes are designed to adapt to quite a wide range of soil types, but soils and location make a difference in how each meadow will evolve and change over time. Do check out the mix descriptions so that you can best match a mix to your location.
Weeds
Getting a spotless seedbed before sowing is essential. This means removing all visible weeds, especially grass. Do not sow into existing grass or other vegetation, as this will lead to failure.
Soil preparation
Prepare when dry in average, free-draining soils. Once weeds have been removed, shallow cultivate the ground and form a nice level seedbed that has a fine, crumbly texture.
Mulch
Seed-sown perennials don’t do well if there is a lot of weed competition in the first year. If you suspect your soil is not clean of both visible weeds and the less visible weed seed bank, then it makes a substantial difference to the long-term meadow success if you sow the seed onto a sterile mulch. The function of a mulch is to help suppress the germination of annual seeds that can be in the underlying soils. It will need to be spread evenly over the prepared seedbed to an average depth of 100mm, just before sowing. We recommend clean sand for this purpose as it’s readily available, sterile and cost-effective.
Sowing rate
Pictorial Meadows Perennial Seed Mixes® should be sown at a rate of 2g per square metre. Most sites can be sown quite successfully and quickly by hand, but you can also contact us for our machine meadow sowing services for larger areas or wherever you feel you need some specialist help.
How to sow
We always recommend sowing by hand in dry weather as this gives the best results. Mix your seed thoroughly with an inert carrier material such as builders’ sand, with an approximate rate of five-parts sand to one-part seed, but a minimum overall quantity to broadcast over the whole area twice. The sand will help carry the seed over the seedbed and enable you to see the area sown. Sow the seed/sand mix evenly over the whole area twice by scattering first in one direction and then again in another direction.
Raking or rolling
After the seed/carrier mix is sown onto the surface, it is beneficial for germination that seeds are lightly raked or firmed into the soil surface using the back of a rake or Cambridge roller. This can only be done in dry weather when the seed and soil will not stick while raking or rolling. Do not rake in deeply as this is a common cause of failure.
Watering
If you experience warm, dry weather between the end of April to late June, then irrigation will make a considerable difference to the long-term success of your meadow. This may not be necessary in most years if there is enough rainfall, but the small seedlings are sensitive to lack of moisture. The best irrigation technique is to provide a thorough soaking with a fine spray every three days if there is no natural rainfall.
Growth
Germination will only take place when there is sufficient moisture and warmth in the soil. Germination is much slower than annuals and many species emerge at different times, although in a regular British year, most seedlings will appear in late spring to early summer onwards. With the right moisture, you could expect to see the first signs of germination after 10–14 days.
Cut-and-collect
We recommend doing at least one mid-season establishment cut-and-collect. This will help to check growth on any invading annual weeds and stops the faster-growing or emerging perennials from dominating. Essential light and water reach the slower-growing species and allows them to catch up. It also encourages basal shooting and stronger root development, which in turn helps to close out bare ground.
We suggest letting the seedlings grow to about 150mm in height, then cutting back to about 75mm using a collector mower on a high setting. Collect and remove as much of the cut material as possible. Although this will delay the flowering display in the first year, it will encourage the development of more healthy plants to ensure successful displays in the future.
If you don’t want to do establishment cuts because you are keen on an earlier flowering display in the first year, the perennial seed mixes contain a small proportion of sacrificial annuals that will give colour in the first season. However, if there is fertile soil, we do recommend establishment cuts to prevent initial rapid growth and create the best meadow in the long term.
Weeding
Pictorial Meadows Perennial Seed Mixes® benefit from very active weed control in the establishment year. While a cut-and-collect will check the growth of annual weeds, the perennial weeds will need active control. The less weed contamination there is, the more the desirable species will thrive, eventually forming a strong root, leaf and flower canopy that helps deter weeds in future years.
Maintenance and aftercare
Cut-and-collect
To keep your meadow healthy and looking good for years to come, it will need some intervention. The one task common to all meadow schemes is an end of season cut-and-collect. This controls annual weeds and woody growth and promotes fresh growth of desirable plant species. The cut-and-collect can take place any time after flowering has finished and the seed has set, however it can also be done any time of year for various results.
Cutting down in spring when the plants have started to put on foliage will promote later flowering (this is often referred to as the ‘Chelsea Chop’. A spring cut can also help to promote a more compact meadow, especially if the site conditions result in vigorous growth and leggy plants. A summer cut can be used if a particular flower is dominating to reduce the number of plants. A late autumn cut can be used if the meadow has become visually unacceptable, however once the flower has gone and the seed has set, the dead stems can also look attractive and provide a wildlife habitat for winter birds, small mammals and insects. A winter cut between January and before spring is the latest the meadow should be cut before new growth starts to appear.
Weeding
While the cut-and-collect can keep any annual weeds under control, it is the more competitive perennial broadleaf weeds which you need to look out for, such as docks, thistles, bindweed, rank grass, nettles and brambles. If left unchecked, these can take hold. Therefore, every spring around May and again in mid-summer, it is worth looking over the meadow and removing these weeds.
Life expectancy
With thorough initial weed control, establishment, irrigation and proactive aftercare, Pictorial Meadows Perennial Seed Mixes® have proven to offer long-lived displays for over fifteen years or more. Where maintenance is restricted to just an annual cut-and-collect per year, expect more rapid incursion of grasses and wildflowers over time and a developing appearance that is more like a country verge.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are perennial meadows easy to grow, especially if I have little gardening experience?
Perennial meadows from seed, whilst cost effective and stunning, are not the easiest solution for less confident gardeners to start with. Consider starting with an annual meadow or using Pictorial Meadows Turf ® if you do not want to be very actively engaged in careful preparation and establishment.
When is the best time to sow perennial seeds?
The best time to sow perennial seeds is autumn, specifically anytime from early September to November. This is because the ground is workable and the seeds benefit from a colder spell as it aids spring germination. They can also be sown throughout winter and spring if the soil remains workable. Avoid summer sowing unless you can provide plentiful, regular irrigation.
Does the sowing time for perennial seeds impact how quickly I will have a flowering meadow?
Not really, however autumn and winter sowing is beneficial because it provides an important chilling period that helps more seeds germinate in spring. Whatever the sowing time though, vigorous establishment growth won’t happen until the soil really starts to warm up – normally from April onwards. Spring/summer sowings can give you rapid germination if the soil is warm and moist, but a greater percentage of seeds may remain dormant until autumn or next spring. In general though, whatever the sowing time, you should start to enjoy some colour by mid-summer, although the main impacts won’t be experienced until the second growing season.
Can I sow perennial seeds over existing grass?
Not starting with clean cultivated soils that are especially clear of grass is the most common reason why young perennial seed-sown meadows fail. Always sow onto bare, clean, cultivated soils.
Can I mix perennial seeds with grass to make it go further?
We don’t recommend doing this as grass is very competitive and will quickly dominate all the slower-growing perennial seedlings. It is almost impossible to keep wild grasses spreading into meadows over time, so you will eventually get some grass. The less you have, especially in the first few years whilst the perennial plants are getting well established, the better.
Can I mix perennials seeds with annual seeds?
We don’t advise this. Pictorial Meadows Perennial Seed Mixes® already contain a very small percentage of a few select annuals, but we keep this amount to the bare minimum. If you are trying to establish a proper perennial meadow, unless it is on extremely low fertility soils, annuals in any greater amounts will very quickly outcompete and overshadow the slower emerging perennials.
What happens if I sow less or more than the recommended rate?
It’s best to stick to the 2g per square metre rule as that’s how we’ve formulated the meadow designs. Do not under-sow a perennial meadow as you won’t get the all-important number of species to grow and cover the ground.
Is it necessary to sow onto sterile mulch?
No, but it can make a very significant difference to the success of your perennial meadow. Whilst you won’t be able to spot them, natural soils can contain huge quantities of weed seeds. Many lie dormant for years, but when brought closer to the surface as you prepare your ground to sow your perennial meadow, these weed seedlings will also start to grow and very quickly swamp your slower meadow seedlings. A sterile, low fertility mulch will sit on top of your cultivated soil, acting as an effective weed seed barrier. You then sow your perennial seeds on top of it. This also gives you confidence that all the seedlings you then see emerging are the desirable ones.
Will soil fertility affect my perennial meadow?
Yes, it will. Many Pictorial Meadows Seed Mixes® have been specially designed to perform on normal fertility soils common to most gardens and parks, whilst others are only recommended for lower fertility soils. The richer the soil, the taller and bushier the plants will be, especially in the first few years. To start with, you should select a mix that best suits your soil, sustain the annual cut-and-collect, and bring in an additional early summer cut-and-collect if growth is too vigorous. Removing the cut material will gradually reduce the fertility of the soil. After a few years on even the most fertile soils, you will see the composition and structure changing and the emerging meadows look finer and shorter.
Do I need to irrigate my perennial meadow?
Yes, irrigation can make a very big difference to perennial meadow success. The critical period is late spring to mid-summer whilst the bulk of the young seedlings are emerging. Once you can see a good range of species establishing and the ground is starting to look more green than brown, irrigation can stop.
Are establishment cuts in the first year necessary?
No, but it can make a very significant difference to the success of your perennial meadow, especially the diversity of species. Every species in your mix needs a slightly different set of triggers that allows it to germinate and grow. We formulate the mixes carefully to encourage the greatest range of species to all thrive together, but it is necessary to check the faster and bushier ones to allow slower and finer ones to get a foothold. An establishment cut checks any invading annual weeds and stops the faster growing or emerging perennials from dominating. It also enables essential light and water to reach the slower growing species and allows them to catch up. Furthermore, it encourages basal shooting and stronger root development, which in turn helps to close out bare ground. Once you get to the end of the first growing season and there is a good range of species present, they are all remarkably resilient, but they really do need this initial helping hand.
Will my perennial meadow look exactly like the pictures I have seen?
No, even though the mix recipe will be the same, everyone’s meadow will develop its own unique characteristics, and these will continue to change year to year.
Do you ship worldwide?
No, but you can purchase Pictorial Meadows Seed Mixes® through our European agents Florum DK and Bloomingfields.
