Meadow ready for seeding

Gwenr

Well we started digging the garden last Thursday, had to visit the hospital Friday and of course it rained all Saturday and Sunday. But today we've been able to get back to digging and got on so well that it took us half the time it did no Thursday. This afternoon we decided the privit at the back had to come out, it's had some sort of bug infestation for the past three years that just chewed on the leaves and even though I tried to treat it, the bug has come back every year, plus it's going to be a lot easier when we cut the meadow in the Autumn. Tomorrow, fingers crossed it's a good dry day I will rake and on Saturday or Sunday I will seed as the ground is drying out very quickly, unless we decide to give it a quick dig over again. The area is 40 square meters, but we are putting in some new paving slabs 2'x2' to replace the smaller ones that have seen better days. All the neighbours are looking forward to seeing the end result in the spring, so are we.

Allotment Boy

It will be nice to see how it goes.  Interesting point about privet, there's  a lot of Privet round here, and I noticed on a recent walk that a lot of it looks damaged just the way box suffers with blight and the Box moth.  I was wondering what might have caused it. Maybe someone else will know. 

Dovefromabove

Adult vine weevils will chomp away on privet leaves 😠 

Gwenr

Dovefromabove said:

Adult vine weevils will chomp away on privet leaves 😠 

They certainly chomped at mine. I did everything as advised, even kept under the hedge clear of weeds and dead leaves, but the little devils came back.

Fire

I might recommend a mix with no grasses and adding some plugs of things that will do well, beyond the standard flowering season later in the year. Also maybe add a June-July seeding in some areas to extend the flowering period. As mentioned in other your other threads, meadows can look very sorry, scraggy and messy at certain times, esp when they are first establishing.

It's also good to note whether you are going for "UK wild flowers" which are defined by some people are natives only, or going to mix in flora from further afield, adding plants like cosmos. Natives tend to be better for butterflies and moths, that are often tied to one specific, native species only. Prof Dave Goulson is particularly keen that seeds entitled "wild flowers"  should refers to native only and it's a bit of a con from companies otherwise. In the vid below shows his mix of natives and otherwise, meadowy bits, pots and others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxp26UovFyw

Fairygirl

The local cats will have a field day on that 
Honey fungus is also seems to be a common problem with privet nowadays, so it might be that. 

bertrand-mabel

@Fire so agree with you about buying wildflower seeds that say they are "native" and then you find they aren't native to our island. However all flowers are worth giving a chance as long as the pollinators can use them.

Very interesting video Thank you

Fire

bertrand-mabel said:

@Fire so agree with you about buying wildflower seeds that say they are "native" and then you find they aren't native to our island.

I think it's just a question worth asking. Some people feel strongly about labelling, like Dave Goulson.

Perhaps good consider whether you are aiming to support a wide range of pollinators, or mostly just bees.  The selection for butterflies and moths would be a bit different. Different flowers attract different types of bees at different times. I guess it depends how general you want to go.... 

Gwenr

Fire said:

I might recommend a mix with no grasses and adding some plugs of things that will do well, beyond the standard flowering season later in the year. Also maybe add a June-July seeding in some areas to extend the flowering period. As mentioned in other your other threads, meadows can look very sorry, scraggy and messy at certain times, esp when they are first establishing.

It's also good to note whether you are going for "UK wild flowers" which are defined by some people are natives only, or going to mix in flora from further afield, adding plants like cosmos. Natives tend to be better for butterflies and moths, that are often tied to one specific, native species only. Prof Dave Goulson is particularly keen that seeds entitled "wild flowers"  should refers to native only and it's a bit of a con from companies otherwise. In the vid below shows his mix of natives and otherwise, meadowy bits, pots and others.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kxp26UovFyw

Yes I have gone for our own native wildflowers, I was quite specific in my choice and ordered from a reliable supplier, but I am adding some extra Field Scabious and Wild Poppies. I've already had so many Cornflowers this year and some White Scabious which had been sown a few years earlier and self seed every year, it was a real picture with the Russian sage which was sown by the birds, the bees were in paradise and the neighbours were astounded by how many bees and butterflies we had. I'm also adding Verbena, I love how tall they are and they come late in the season, so the bees get a late addition. I am having grasses, my love of them and those we've seen on our many walks just seem a natural choice, plus I checked the list before I ordered the mixture and made it quite clear, native only. The back garden is a haven for butterflies and we've had some beauties, including a very large black one which I have yet to identify. I've spoken to some of gardeners at the National Trust who have advised me not to sow Yellow Rattle seed till next year, they will keep the grasses under control if they appear to be taking over.
I really appreciate your help and advice and about the June-July seeding, would you chose a different mix, I don't want to clutter. I'm also aware we are a very dry area and have some very hot periods, the scabious, cornflowers, Russian sage did very well and kept the wildlife happy, have you any suggestions what I could add to make sure there is a plentiful supply for the wildlife and to prevent it from looking, as you describe, scraggy and messy?

Gwenr

Fairygirl said:

The local cats will have a field day on that 
Honey fungus is also seems to be a common problem with privet nowadays, so it might be that. 

As it's been raining and the ground is very muddy the cats don't seem keen at the moment to visit, but tomorrow, as we've had some sunshine and the ground is drying I'm going to rake it over. Of course being aware how they won't be able to pass up a chance on digging our treasured seed up to mess everywhere, we are going to net the ground, the hedgehogs will be a bit miffed, but hey ho, needs must when we are dealing with feline thugs.