On 16 Oct 2002 22:54:22 -0700, (Jeff) wrote:

Hello,

Seems like everyone recommends planting wildflower seeds in the fall,
so I thought I'd give it a try this year.

Being new to this, I thought I'd ask to see what kind of success
everyone has had. For example - do the young plants really survive
the winter? Do they really get a better head start than if they were
planted in the spring? Am I better off starting them off indoors?

Many *require* fall germination in order to bloom vigorously in the
spring. These will go into semi-dormancy during cold and/or dry
periods and ramp up their growth when the weather turns mild.

Spring-germinating species overwinter in the wild, and so do perfectly
well when planted in the fall too.

As far as indoor germination, I'd save it for rare seeds, large
wildlfowers you want to treat as shrubs (Mexican bush sage for ex.),
and if you get a late start with a fall-germinating species.

In case it matters, I've got the following seeds:

Texas Bluebonnet
Prairie Larkspur
Tahoka Daisy
Mealy Blue Sage
Cutleaf Daisy

If anyone has experience with this, let me know - thanks!

First, scalp the area as low as possible, ideally with a string
trimmer, to reduce competition from grasses. Loosen the soil surface
with a metal rake. Pay attention to planting depth.. some wildflowers
like paintbrush must be sown at the surface. Cover your seeds with
soil to the recommended depth (I prefer the Natural Gardener's Hill
Country mix). Keep the ground moist until seeds like bluebonnet form
their first set of true leaves. After that water deeply only if the
soil is dry 3-4" down, keeping in mind that these tender-looking
plants are geared to survive our Texas winters without sprinkler
systems.

Have fun and good luck!