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jeff · 08-09-2009, 04:47 PM posted to rec.gardens

brooklyn1 wrote:
"James" no wrote in message
...
Ok, so I want to have a very small area, perhaps 150 square feet, in an
area that is now grassed. I plan to sow heavy with a mixed wildflower
seed.

Before seeding, I plan to put down about 3 inches of soil. I will
throw out the seed, and then tamp it in, by walking over it with my boots.

Question 1: What should I do with the existing grass ? Won't the 3
inches of soil kill the grass ? Or, should I first kill the grass with
roundup ?

Question 2: What keeps grass and weeds from growing back in this area ?
It would seem that in about two years, the grass would be as high as the
wildflowers.

What am I missing here ?

Thanks for any advice on this.

Be certain the area is in full sun...150 sf is a pretty puny area for a
wildflower meadow, that's like a 1 car garage, but it's doable. If the area
is in sod grass I'd dig it all up, shake out as much of the soil as you can,
return that and get rid of the grass to a compost pile, till the area and
work in lots of rich topsoil. Sow your seed sparsely (blend it with a big
sack of potting soil, then strew that about), lightly rake in, and strew the
area with a bale of straw or the birds will eat at least half your seed.
Water well every day, in like two weeks you'll see germination.

This sounds exactly right to me.

Full sunlight and watering until it germinates seem to be the most
important things. I put in some some wildflowers along the street
boundary and where the trees start providing afternoon shade the
wildflowers disappear.

Quality of soil is secondary as is watering after they are established.

Note that along roadsides, they simply mow everything down when the
other wild grasses get too tall.

Jeff