Planting Wildflowers

Bachelor buttons

Have an outdoor project!

In these times of being with family, it may be fun to plant wildflowers. This will let the kids get out some energy. Exhausted or elderly family members can watch and bask in lovely spring weather.

The choice for this time of year would be to plant annuals (perennials are generally planted in the fall). Zinnias, Coreopsis, Bachelor buttons, Black Eyed Susan and Shasta Daisy are all good choices. You can order seeds online at nurseries like americanmeadows.com.

Indian rudebekia

You have to wait til the frost date of mid April has passed to plant.

Here’s the process.

1. Mark a place in your yard with paint, a hose or rope for the flowers. Keep it small so you are successful.
2. Cover the area in black plastic; weight down the corners; and wait a week til everything under it dies.
3. Next, chop up or scrape the soil to make it soft enough for seeds to germinate and their roots penetrate. You can augment the soil with composted topsoil.
4. If you want to water a smaller area daily to keep seed moist, that would help germination.
5. After they bloom, follow the “cut and grow” method. Cut the flower blooms so they produce even more flowers. Cut early in the morning or later in the afternoon while the sap is not flowing too hard.

Shasta daisy

Give it a try. In any case it has been scientifically proven that putting your hands and feet in the dirt can help Spirits rise. Good luck!

Christie lives in Manakin Sabot , Virginia where she manages a 3 acre garden. Her blogs are written from her 35 years as a personal and professional gardener.