How To Plant Wildflowers In The Fall Or Winter

1. Identify The Correct Planting Time For Your Area
In cool climates, plant just after hard frosts. In warm climates, plant just before the rainy season.

2. Prepare Your Site For Seeding
Choose a site with a minimum of 6 hours of sun. Prepare your soil by removing all existing growth. Better soil preparation = more flowers!

3. Sow Your Wildflower Seeds
Mix seeds with sand for even distribution. Be sure to follow the correct coverage rate, as wildflowers do not like crowded conditions.

4. Compress Seeds Into The Soil
Walk directly on top of the planting area, or use a seed roller. They need sun - do not bury or cover wildflower seeds with soil.

5. Wait For Growth & Blooms
Unlike planting in spring, fall planting does not require intensive watering. Depending on your climate, blooms will appear in spring or early summer.

Plus, See Helpful Tips For Meadow Maintenance In Fall

Watch: How to Plant Wildflower Seeds in Fall

In this two-part video, our resident wildflower expert, Mike "The Seed Man" Lizotte, shows how to plant a wildflower meadow. Watch for tips preparing your land, sowing the seeds, and taking care of your planting as it grows and matures.

1. Identify The Correct Planting Time For Your Area

Fall is a perfect time to sow wildflower seeds. This timing follows the same approach as Mother Nature: wildflowers naturally drop their seeds in fall to take advantage of the freezing, thawing, and/or extra moisture that winter delivers. This weather helps to crack open their hard, outer seed cases.

Fall Planting Wildflower Seed in Colder Climates

• Fall seeding is a good choice if you live in an area that experiences cold or freezing winters, and the ground freezes for more than 60 days. Though you have a shorter growing season, you’ll get a jump start on spring growth, and should see color 2-4 weeks earlier than with spring planting.
• The best strategy is to plant after at least one or two killing frosts. See our Frost Date Chart for frost dates in your area. You want to make sure that seeds lay dormant over the winter, and that there is no chance for germination. Yes, that’s right…You definitely don’t want the seed to begin to sprout! Otherwise, those tiny wildflower shoots will simply die off as soon freezing temperatures arrive.
• In cool climates, average ground temperatures for fall planting wildflower seeds need to be below 45 degrees. The biggest mistake people make with fall planting in cooler climates is sowing seed too soon. It takes time for soil temperatures to drop, even after air temperatures cool – especially if you’ve had a warm summer. Soil cools down and warms up gradually, like a large body of water does. 
• See A Soil Temperature Map Here.

Prepare Your Site: Better Soil Prep= More Flowers!

All of the seed we carry at American Meadows is 100% pure, non-GMO, neonicotinoid-free, and guaranteed to grow.

3. Scatter Your Wildflower Seeds

1. Separate your seed into roughly two equal parts. Put each half into a bucket, bowl, bin, or large bag with plenty of extra room.
2. Mix sand & seeds. Add roughly eight parts dry sand to one part seed, and mix well. (For example: 8 cups sand to 1 cup seed.) Sand helps you spread seed more evenly, and since it is lighter than the soil, you'll be able to see where you've sown seeds. Always make sure that your sand is dry, especially if it has been stored outdoors. Wet sand has a tendency to clump and can cause your seed to be applied unevenly. If possible, starting with new sand helps prevent contamination.
3. Test out your sowing technique. Your goal is to lay your seed down as evenly as possible, and you're likely to be surprised by how quickly it leaves your hand or the spreader. When using a seed spreader, always do a practice run first. This will help you get comfortable with sowing, by understanding how much seed comes out how fast.
4. For even application, scatter your seeds in two sowings. Take the first half of your seeds and sow them as evenly as possible, while walking across your site from north to south. Then take the other half and apply in a similar manner, this time walking in the opposite direction.

How Much Seed Do I Need?

Be sure to use the right amount of seed as recommended for your mix or individual species - more seed does not always mean more blooms! While it may be very tempting to throw extra seed down, but this usually brings the opposite effect you were looking for. Seeds sown too densely can create competition among seedlings, causing them to become leggy or strangle one another out.

• Our guide shows how to calculate square footage in 3 easy steps: How Much Seed Do I Need? 

How to Scatter Seeds with a Seed Spreader or by Hand:

As soon as you’ve given your soil a final ‘roughing up’, it’s time to plant. Your goal is to scatter the seed evenly over the entire planting area. To make this as easy as possible, many people will use a plastic hand-crank seed spreader, which is commonly used for sowing grass seed.

Another option is to divide your seed into two equal parts. You’ll then toss one portion of the seed over your planting area while walking back and forth in a north-to-south direction. Next, take the remaining portion, and sow those seeds while walking in an east-to-west direction.

When scattering wildflowers by hand, it’s really helpful to add dry ‘play sand’ or ‘sandbox sand’ to your seeds first. Other sands can absorb moisture and become wet, forming clumps with your seed and making it difficult to spread. The light color of the sand will allow you to see exactly where your seed has landed, which will alert you to bare spots and areas of uneven application.

• Separate the seed you're planting, no matter the amount, into roughly two equal parts. 
• Put the first half in a clean bucket (or coffee can, or anything else handy)
• Then add in roughly eight parts of dry sand to one part of seed. (For example: 8 cups sand to 1 cup seed.) Always make sure that your sand is dry, especially if it has been stored outdoors. Wet sand has a tendency to clump and can cause your seed to be applied unevenly. If possible, starting with new sand can help prevent contamination.
• Once you have the sand and seed evenly mixed in your bucket, test out your sowing technique. Your goal is to lay your seed down as evenly as possible, and you're likely to be surprised by how quickly it leaves your hand or the spreader.
• You'll have the best chance of an even application if you scatter your seeds in two sowings. 
• Take the container with one-half of your seeds and sow them as evenly as possible while walking across your site from north to south. 
• Then take the other half and apply in a similar manner, this time walking from east to west. 

4. Compress Seeds Into The Soil

After you’ve scattered your seed, it’s very important that you make certain the seed is making good contact with the soil.

• For small-sized patches, you can use your feet to compress seeds into the soil, either barefoot or in shoes.
• For medium-sized gardens and beds, lay a piece of cardboard or plywood over the soil and walk all over it; this will evenly distribute your weight across the soil.
• For large, plantings, you can use a seed roller, either as a tractor attachment or as a walk-behind tool.

Why Is Compression Important?

• Good seed-to-soil contact helps to speed up germination
• It ensures that moisture and nutrients make their way to your seeds
• It prevents wind, water, and natural occurrences from moving seeds around, and helps to anchor your wildflowers' root systems in a good spot

"Should Wildflower Seeds Be Left Covered Or Uncovered?"

No matter if you’re planting in spring or fall, there is generally no need to cover the seed. Wildflower seeds are often very tiny, and many require light to germinate. Unlike veggie seeds, which are typically planted in holes and buried within the soil, wildflower seeds are scattered on top of the soil and left exposed.

There are two exceptions to this rule – and in both cases, we recommend covering your seeds with straw (not soil):

• Seeding a slope or steep bank, where rain can easily carry seeds downhill and reposition them or clump them all together.
• Seeding an area exposed to strong winds, which can also move seeds around.

Learn how 2 homeowners successfully used wildflowers on a steep bank.

"Will Birds and Wildlife Eat My Wildflower Seeds?"

Notice that we didn’t mention covering your seed to protect against marauding birds and critters! In 35+ years of business, we’ve learned that this just isn’t as big a problem as one might think. Maybe that’s because our wildflower seed mixes average 250,000 seeds per pound!

Generally speaking, in cool climates, you’ll be seeding in fall after a few hard frosts. From there, snow and ice should make an appearance and protect your seeds from wildlife. Additionally, many of the seeds in our mixes just aren’t appealing to birds and animals, who are selective about the seeds they choose for food.

In warmer areas (or when sowing wildflowers in spring up north), your seeds will germinate and begin to grow within 2-3 weeks of being planted. This just doesn’t give local wildlife much time to make a big enough dent in your future wildflower patch.

If for some reason you know your area to be a true exception to this rule, with above-average wildlife pressure (barn full of crows next door?), feel free to place a thin layer of straw on top of your seeding as a safeguard.

5. When to Look for Fall-Planted Wildflowers in the Spring

So, you’ve seeded your wildflowers in the fall and are anxiously awaiting their appearance. You will see wildflower sprouts after your soil has reached or surpassed 55F. Even though the air may be warm and balmy for weeks, you’ll need the soil to warm up enough for your seeds to sprout. You can check your current soil temperatures here.

When will they bloom?

Annual wildflowers bloom within 6-12 weeks. Most Perennial wildflowers require a full season of growth to establish root systems, before blooming in their second year, and returning in successive seasons. Biennial wildflowers typically bloom just in the second season.

• Learn more in our guide: The Importance of Annual and Perennial Wildflowers

Wildflowers vs. Weeds

Another question that arises when gardeners are looking at their planting site in spring, is: “Are those wildflowers or weeds?”. This is really tough, as many young seedlings are hard to identify. We have some advice for you:

• Get a Wildflower Identification book. This should give you solid ID information on many of the wildflowers that you’ve planted.
• Learn about your local weeds – and get to know them at every stage of growth. Most gardeners struggle with 5-10 aggressive weeds on their property. Getting to know what they look like as seedlings, teenagers and adult plants will make it easier to spot them within your plantings – so you can pull them without mercy whenever you see them!
• Grow a wildflower 'cheat sheet'! Using an egg carton filled with soil or a tray with small planting cells, sow some seeds from your wildflower planting. As they grow, you'll have an example of exactly what to look for!
• "Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience." Ralph Waldo Emerson said it best. We've talked a lot of customers out of ripping up their wildflowers after suspecting that their planting sites were filled with young weeds. When in doubt - do not pull your plants. If you give your seedlings some time to grow, you're likely to find that they were wildflowers all along!

Enjoying Your Wildflowers

After wildflowers are up and growing, many people mow a charming, curving path through their meadow area, so everything can be observed up close. Next, usually comes bird feeding stations, birdbaths, and perhaps a bench somewhere along the path to enjoy your wildflowers!

On our site, you’ll find wildflower mixes for planting in shade, dry soil, deer resistance, and even in single-color blends, such as blue and pink. You can also choose mixes made up entirely of annual wildflowers (for fast-color and single-season plantings) or perennial wildflowers (for blooms that reappear every year).

If you’re planting an area that will be seeded for the first time, we recommend browsing our proven regional mixtures. These are popular with fellow wildflower enthusiasts for a couple of reasons:

• Regional Mixes provide the the best bang for your buck. Most contain over 25 different species and will introduce you to a large variety of wildflowers.
• our proven regional mixtures. These are popular with fellow wildflower enthusiasts for a couple of reasons:
  • Regional Mixes are a nice mix of both annuals for first year color, and perennials for the second year and successive seasons. This means that they bloom within their first season, and will provide lasting color for years to come.
  • Regional Mixes are a great way to learn about the different life cycles of the wildflowers that you’re planting, especially if you’re new to wildflower gardening.

  Within our selection of Regional Mixes, you’ll find a few different options. In addition to our classic blend of annuals and perennials, we’ve also created wildflower seed mixes specific to your area that will attract your local pollinators, and that includes a variety of native seeds.

Planting Individual Wildflower Species

If you already have an established wildflower planting, you may be looking to supplement your meadow or patch with additional varieties. Planting individual species can help you bring in more color during a certain month, or can just be a fun way to add flowers that catch your eye to your landscape.

We offer over 225 individual species to choose from, including both annuals and perennials, and provide a wealth of information and planting instructions for each.

In-Season Meadow Maintenance

During the growing season itself, your meadow will actually be quite self-sufficient (especially beginning in its second year). The work you do during this time can help to reduce the growth of aggressive weeds and can also encourage your flowers to bloom more frequently.

Controlling Weeds That Are Growing Among Your Wildflowers

Part of the attraction of wildflowers is their ease of care; however, when weeds begin to take over your planting (usually an outcome of skimping on-site prep work, or overseeding) it can be difficult to pull the weeds without damaging flower roots and disturbing the overall feel of your planting. The easiest way we've come up with to restore balance to your meadow is to cut your weeds with scissors. Just lean in and snip - as low down on the weed plant as you can. A few passes with your scissors every other week will greatly reduce the threat of weeds and put your wildflowers back on top as the dominant species in your meadow. This is especially effective in smaller spaces.

Adding More Wildflowers to an Existing Meadow in Fall

The easiest and most effective way to add more seed is to take a steel rake and rough up small areas, or "pockets," throughout the planting site. You can then sprinkle the seed directly over these roughed-up areas, giving it a quick compression with your foot to ensure good seed-to-soil contact.

A common mistake that people make, is that they’ll just take more seed and throw it out into an established area. This approach is somewhat doomed, as very few seeds will actually make it to an open area on the ground, and those that do will have a better chance if they’re pressed firmly into the soil.

Although you may be hesitant to remove or disturb any of your existing wildflowers, you will need to create some space for additional plants to take hold. In the end, this is the path to more vibrant color in your meadow!

End of Season Meadow Maintenance

A hard frost signals the end of the season for many flowers, but there is no one perfect time to mow your wildflower meadow. You can determine a mowing schedule that works for you.

Many gardeners will mow once a year. Wait until late fall, until all your flowers have ripened and dropped their seeds. Then with a weed trimmer or your mower set on a high setting, mow the whole area. (This can be accomplished with a mower, brush hog, or even a weed wacker. It can be cut to 3” or 8” and both accomplish the same end result.) Be sure to leave the clippings in place to break down and feed the soil. This way, it will be primed to come up green and new the following spring. If possible, in spring, rake the clippings and debris away then to open up the ground to some much-needed sunlight.

You may prefer to leave your meadow standing as important habitat for local wildlife and pollinators. In this case, you can adopt a looser mowing schedule. Some mow every other year, alternating which half of the meadow they leave standing as undisturbed habitat. Others mow 1/3 of their meadows every third year so that each section is only trimmed back every nine years.