I bought quite a few boxes of wild flower seed mix today at close out. I know they may be old, but thought surely some would sprout. I'm thinking...in the wild, the seed drops and stays there under the Michigan snow all winter long to sprout in spring. Can I sow these out now in a prepared bed, maybe cover with traw, nd have them come up in spring?
Wildflower seed mix question
Design By Nature's Wildflower Growers Manual
Ideal time to sow.
The ideal sowing times are between mid March to late May or into July if wet and again in late August to late September. You can sow all year around as long as the weather is mild and some rain is due. February if mild can also be a good time to sow. If you live in the south or near the coast your sowing times will be earlier in spring.
Germination will always be slower if the weather is dry or cold.
If you sow in very early June and if the weather is wet the meadow will start flowering in mid-August. You can then arrive home from the summer holidays to a blaze of colour. When sowing never let the seeds dry out. Coincide the sowing of wildflower seed with any spring showers or autumn rain and sow when the soil is warm. Sowings made after September may not germinate until May. The ground will have to be re-raked to break any soil crust that developed over winter. Poppy seeds are best sown in November, as are most species that require cold to germinate them. Where a meadow is sown in spring many seeds will not germinate until the following spring after the winter.
Sandro's Personal Recommendation: No matter what 'stick' I have taken over the years for the following advice, I still hold the following as true. "My experience has lead me to believe that seeds are best sown 3 days either side of full moon, as there is always moisture available, even in summer due to heavy dews".
Before you sow, firm or roll and apply a light raking or harrow to finish the bed and create a freshly moved soil or 'ferment', this will increase the soils biological activity. Sow the seed as soon as works are complete as the soil will be at its best in microbial activity and the gasses released will really get your seeds of to a good start......
http://www.allgowild.com/growers_manual/p06_b_time_to_sow.htm
thank you!