Planting Wildflowers On A Steep Hill Or Slope
No Need To Mow!
Looking for an affordable, low-maintenance solution for your yard? Wildflowers are a great idea for steep or sloped areas of your landscape - especially if the slope makes mowing difficult or impossible! Every year, we get questions from all over the country on this subject: "Can we plant on a slope?" "Will our seed wash away?" "What can we do to prevent erosion?" We can help!
In this article, you can see the step-by-step process we used to help an American Meadows employee plant wildflowers on a steep hill.
Read on for tips!
Dig In: Planting Wildflowers In A Hilly Yard
Erin, one of our long-time employees, is always up for experimenting and planting new varieties on her property in Northern Vermont. She planted a large, steep area of hear yard, about 4,000 square feet, with a variety of wildflowers, including our Northeast Wildflower Seed Mix, plus Black Eyed Susans, Zinnias, and Cosmos.
This sloped area on Erin's property is visible from the road, so she wanted to plant something there that would create curb appeal but not require much maintenance. The results were spectacular! This hard-to-mow sloped area is now bursting with wildflowers that require little water and maintenance.
How To Prepare For Planting A Slope
We can't stress this enough: good preparation is the key to success with planting wildflowers. It is essential to remove existing growth to give your wildflower seedlings the best chance of success.
Clearing growth and preparing the soil will give seeds good contact with the soil, which is especially important to anchor them in place on a slope!
For this project, a tractor with a rototiller attachment was used with several passes to till the area, remove existing grass, and loosen the soil.
You can typically rent this type of equipment or hire a local service. You can also use hand-held rototillers, or solarize the area over time. Learn more about soil preparation techniques in our guide: How To Prepare Your Site For Planting Wildflowers
Seeding Wildflowers On A Slope
After soil is prepared, you can sow seeds! Remember, as with all plantings, be sure to follow the recommended coverage rate for the wildflower seeds you've selected. Too much seed can cause crowding, which reduces growth and flowering.
After sowing seeds, it's important to compress seeds into soil. This can be done by walking on the planting area, using cardboard or boards, or using rollers.
Compressing seeds into soil - but not burying them - is an important step that you don't want to skip when planting on a slope. It ensures good seed to soil contact. This will encourage germination, and help wildflower seedlings establish sturdy root systems on the slope or hill.
Compressing Wildflower Seed Into Soil On A Slope
After sowing seeds, it's important to compress seeds into soil. This can be done by walking on the planting area, using cardboard or boards, or using rollers.
For this planting project, Mike "The Seed Man' used a large barrel roller to compress seeds into soil efficiently.
Compressing seeds into soil - but not burying them - is an important step that you don't want to skip when planting on a slope. It ensures good seed to soil contact. This will encourage germination, and help wildflower seedlings establish sturdy root systems on the slope or hill.
Covering Wildflower Seeds On A Slope
Typically, we recommend that you do not cover wildflower seeds. However, in some instances, it can be useful to cover seed with a thin layer of straw (not hay, which will have grass seeds!)
- When planting on seeding a steep bank where rain can easily carry seeds downhill and reposition them or clump them all together, it may help to cover them with straw.
- If you are seeding an area exposed to strong winds, covering with straw can help keep them in place.
Watering Wildflower Seeds On A Slope
Watering is key for germination!
Give the area gentle soaking with a hose or a sprinkler as needed between rainfall. You want to keep the area moist, but not so wet or soggy that water runs down the hill. This would only wash away your seeds! A good rule of thumb for soil is keeping it as wet as a wrong-out sponge.
Keep soil and seedlings moist until seedlings are about 6 inches tall, when they will be able to survive on rainfall.
For in-depth instructions on preparing for, planting, and maintaining wildflower meadows, please view our planting guides!
Results In The First Year
As you can see, the results were impressive! Erin, her family, and her entire neighborhood enjoyed the colorful blooms and had plenty of blooms to share in cut flower arrangements!
Happy pollinators kept the meadow buzzing and humming with life all season. After flowers passed, birds were able to snack on the seeds.
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Benefits Of Wildflowers For Steep Or Hilly Yards
- Annual Wildflowers are a great option for sloped garden beds or meadows because they sprout quickly. This makes them less susceptible to being washed away in a rainstorm. Plus, they can get to work quickly stabilizing soil and preventing erosion while perennials grow in.
- Perennial Wildflowers are a great option for sloped areas because they grow deep, resilient root systems and grow back year after year. Once they're established, they can help prevent erosion and provide years of low-maintenance flower blooms.
- Our wildflower seed mixes include a combination of annuals and perennials. Annuals for first season blooms, and perennials for blooms that start blooming in their second season and return each year.
- Growing wildflowers means you can reduce or eliminate mowing your steep, sloped area! You can mow once per year for maintenance, or skip mowing altogether to allow your meadow to take on a natural look.
- Of course, planting wildflowers will add natural beauty to your yard and provide healthy habitat for pollinators and wildlife such as birds, bees, and butterflies!
