6 Easy Steps to Planting Wild Flowers

Want to plant your own wild flowers, but don’t know where or how?

This article gives 6 easy steps for the most effective way of planting wild flower seeds.

Why should I plant wild flowers?

First up, adding wild flowers to your garden is great for the environment!

By planting UK native wild flowers, you’re helping to create a hospitable space for local insects and pollinators.

Not only does this encourage biodiversity in your area, but it also helps these creatures thrive and keep our ecosystems healthy.

Wild flower seed mixes can also contain horticultural flowers which bring blooms of high colour wild flowers to your garden during the summer months and are loved by pollinators

When to Plant Wild Flower Seed in the UK

The best time to plant wild flower seeds in the UK in autumn and spring.

Planting in the spring will give your plants plenty of time to grow and bloom before the summer heat sets in.

Planting in autumn can offer flowers earlier in the following year as the plants have time to grow in the soil ready to flower in the next season.

It is possible to grow wild flower seeds throughout most of the year, providing the soil is prepared but the months of March/April/August and September are generally most suited.

Where should I put wild flowers in my garden?

Ideally, you should plant your wildflowers in an area that gets plenty of sunlight.

Look for a sunny spot in your garden as these plants thrive with plenty of sunlight

Wild flowers can grow in a range of soils even those with low nutrients and the ground preparation is an important step.

Finally wild flowers don’t typically like heavy soils or standing in water, so a free draining sunny spot is ideal

Remove unwanted vegetation

Firstly, you should remove any weeds and vegetation from your garden bed so they don’t compete with your plants.

In the first year of growth staying on top of weeding and removing the weeds already in the soil is key

Weeds and grasses grow faster than wild flowers so make sure to remove them to avoid competition with the new seeds until they are established

Loosen the soil

Next, turn over the earth to a depth of approximately 10cm to loosen it if required

The aim is to reduce a firm weed free tilth to promote healthy germination.

The lower amount of nutrients in the soil, the better the results you will have.

Loosen the soil as early as possible as many soils contain weed seeds in them that can be disturbed by this process

For areas prone to weeds you may need to repeat step 3 to kill or control any new weeds for a second time.

Sowing wild flower seeds

For larger areas it is advisable to measure out the area you have and divide it up into smaller sections so you can evenly scatter the seeds

Scatter the seeds by hand or using a spreader evenly across the top of the soil

Lightly rake or harrow the ground to cover the seeds with soil

Roll or tread down with your feet across the area to lightly compact the seeds down and promote a good seed to soil contact

How to maintain wild flowers

In the first year after sowing, weed control is a priority.

If weeds are present they can be controlled by pulling the weeds out by hand or spraying (however please be careful if spraying). 

Wild Flowers should be cut twice a year, once in the spring and once in late autumn after the plants produce seed. 

Weed can be pulled during the growing season and doing this will reduce unwanted competition

The late autumn cut will distribute seeds produced by the Wild Flowers and the clippings should then be removed from the site to reduce fertility.

Best Selling Wild Flowers

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How long will it take for wild flowers to bloom?

There are two main types of wild flower seeds

Annual Wild Flowers

Annual wild flowers perform their entire life cycle from seed to flower to seed within a single growing season (for example Cornfield Wild Flowers are annual)

You will see the Annual Wild Flowers bloom in the 1st year.

Perennial Wild Flowers

Perennial wild flowers continue to grow for many seasons and whilst they will grow in year 1 you will not see them flower in the first season

Perennial & Biennial plants will be seen flowering in the second year.