by Carolyn Singer, Foothill Cottage Gardens
Sierra Heritage, Sep./Oct. 1990
Golden daffodils follow the spring sun, turning their trumpet-shaped blossoms toward the strongest light. Late spring rains extend the bloom season of the bulbs and hasten the growth of a meadowful of many-colored wildflowers.
Looking like a Monet landscape, this scene of naturalized flowers can be created by any enterprising foothill gardener who starts the transformation of a grassy slope or sweep of yard the previous fall. The efforts of September and October are richly rewarded the following spring with a succession of blossoms to attract butterflies, birds, and spring daydreamers. The ideal topsoil with which to begin your mountain meadow is found under oaks and manzanitas. (If you are starting to build a new home, save all the topsoil you can to be used later for your meadow.) Mix the soil with an organic form of phosphorus, such as soft rock phosphate, and spread a layer six to eight inches deep in the area to be sown. Leave some rocks mixed in with the soil.
Grass or weeds in an area indicate at least a shallow layer of good soil, but also a potential problem. Grasses and other weeds will not compete seriously with the daffodils, but the more delicate wildflower seeds will not germinate in weedy areas.
Soil solarization is a good method of preparing soil filled with weeds. Wet the entire area, then rototill a few days later. Water again, then cover with three to four mil plastic. Seal the loose edges with soil to prevent air circulation under the cover. The plastic must be clear to allow the sun to penetrate. Grass and weed seeds will germinate quickly in the warm, moist environment, but seedlings will be killed during the heat of the day under the plastic. After a few weeks, remove the plastic, and, for best results, repeat the entire procedure. The roots of weeds add valuable humus to soil, and an organic phosphorus may be the only amendment needed once the weeds are killed. If clay soil needs more humus, compost and poultry manures are good choices. Add one-fourth humus to three-fourths native clay soil, plus 15 pounds of soft rock phosphate and 5 pounds of oyster shell per each hundred square feet.
Purchase bulbs as soon as they are available in your local nursery, or order earlier from one of the following catalogs:
Daffodils are the best bulb to naturalize, adapting well to foothill conditions, where late spring and summer are usually dry. For an unplanned distribution, broadcast the bulbs, and then plant them where they fall. Leave open areas where no bulbs will grow so that flowers are in drifts, not tight clumps or groups.
A bulb planter speeds the planting process, and is a worthwhile investment if you plan to put in many bulbs over the next few years. (One Auburn couple has used the bulb planter to plant 200 bulbs a year for the past five years. Their one-acre lot is spectacular in the spring.)
Mix a handful of organic phosphorus (colloidal phosphate or raw rock phosphate) in the soil below each bulb, and the bulbs will multiply and blossom for many years before needing to be lifted and divided.
Once all the bulbs have been planted, rough rake the soil surface and distribute wildflower seed with a broadcaster or by hand. Seeds should be as fresh as possible, though many seeds remain viable for years, so scatter them too! Seed mixes may be more expensive than buying individual packets, especially since they frequently contain seeds that don't all germinate at the same time. Some may take two years of ideal conditions to germinate, while others will sprout as soon as moisture is available. Too often, mixes contain flowers for both sun and shade.
Many seed companies offer wildflower seeds. Three to choose from are:
The first seed company listed offers an unusual variety of seeds, with detailed cultural description for species listed. The other two companies list bulk seed, more economical if you are sowing large areas. California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) costs about $7 for a quarter pound, an amount that will cover 1,000 square feet fairly thickly. Ordering California poppy from J.L. Hudson does not allow for purchase of bulk seed, but you will have some unusual colors to choose from, such as ‘Red Chief’, ‘Purple Gleam’, and ‘Alba’ (white).
Besides a variety of California poppy colors, your mountain or foothill meadow could include annual larkspur (Consolida ambigua), yarrows (Achillea millefolium and Achillea filipendulina), bachelor's buttons (Centaurea cyanus), tickseed (Coreopsis grandiflora), blanket flower (Gaillardia grandiflora), and rabbit's ears (Lychnis coronaria). Seed is available through the companies mentioned.
With seed mixed together from individual packets, scatter all the seed, but do not cover it. Almost all wildflowers need light to germinate. If rains are not expected after sowing, water the entire seedbed to a depth of at least three inches. The water will wash the seed into small crevices on the soil's surface, an ideal microclimate for germination and seedling growth.
Each flowering plant produces hundreds of seeds for a lusher meadow next year. Two flowers especially suited to a foothill meadow are wild black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia triloba) and feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium); both are difficult to find in seed catalogs. Beginning with plants, you can increase your stock with your own seed production. Let the seed fall naturally each year, or gather it when it's dry and scatter it in areas where you want more flowers.
September and October are the ideal months for preparing your meadow. Seedlings will grow strong root systems before winter's chill. Undaunted by frosts or snow, bulbs will burst into bloom in early spring, followed by a succession of wildflowers. With a little effort this fall, you can let nature manage your meadow in future years.
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