Wildflowers — Butterfly Blend

$3.69

The brilliant colours and longevity of this blend are selected to attract and keep the butterflies coming back day after day. Butterfly Blend wildflower seeds are made up of 50% annuals and 50% perennials. This means lasting flowers, bright colours and butterflies for many seasons to come. The nectar rich flowers in the Butterfly Blend will also attract many species of insects, birds, and wildlife to the bed. Be prepared to enjoy the ever-changing colours of flowers and wildlife that will visit them.

Butterfly Blend wildflower ingredients include the following species. These were chosen specifically for their nectar rich flowers to which butterflies are drawn. The type of butterfly attracted to your flower patch will depend on where you live, but this mix includes flowers that are attractive to Monarch butterflies, swallow-tails, skippers, admirals, and many more. This blend is also attractive to hummingbirds and wild pollinators like bumblebees, hoverflies, and other beneficial insects.

Black-Eyed Susan	Rudbeckia hirta
Blanketflower	Gaillardia aristata
Butterfly Milkweed	Asclepias tuberosa
California Poppy	Eschscholzia californica
Candytuft	Iberis umbellata
China Aster	Calliestephus chinensis
Cornflower	Centaurea cyanus
Dwarf Godetia	Clarkia amoena
Dwarf Plains Coreopsis	Coreopsis tinctoria
Gayfeather	Liatris spicatus
Indian Blanket	Gaillardia pulchella
Lance-Leaf Coreopsis	Coreopsis lanceolata
Prairie Coneflower	Ratibida columnifera
Purple Coneflower	Echinacea purpurea
Rocket Larkspur	Delphinium consolida
Siberian Wallflower	Cheiranthus allionii
Scarlet Salvia	Salvia coccinea
Sweet Alyssum	Lobularia maritima

Quick Facts:

Fragrant
Colorful
Full sun
Germinates in 10-20 days
Easy to grow

Size: 5g (covers approx. 22 sq ft)

How To Grow: Unless otherwise stated, all the wildflower mixes will contain perennials, annuals, and biennials. Seeds must come into contact with the soil in order to germinate. Do not bury seeds more than 2-3 times their thickness. Continue reading below for some other tips on how to grow wildflowers from seed.

Difficulty
Easy

Season & Zone
Exposure: Full sun to partial shade
Zone: Zone 4.

Timing
Try to direct sow wildflower seeds during the period two weeks before, and eight weeks after, your last average frost date. Sowing when there is some risk of minor frost may improve germination. Wildflower seeds can also be sown in the autumn, but a certain percentage of seeds to may be lost to water, birds, and animals. To make the most of the annual species, direct sow in early spring.

Starting
Site Selection: If there are already no plants (including weeds) growing in the planting site, there may be a problem with the soil. Possible issues may be soil fertility, lack of drainage, or the need for soil amendments to improve texture. In such spots (eg, beneath a cedar tree), few plants will thrive, including wildflowers.

Site Preparation: Remove as much existing vegetation as possible through pulling or tilling under in order to minimize competition. Loosen the soil by scraping, raking, or tilling. Wildflower blends will not usually take if planted into existing lawn because the thatch prevents their contact with soil.

Seed Application: In small areas, seeds can be scattered by hand. In larger areas, you may want to employ a lawn spreader or some other mechanical means. We recommend adding 1-2 parts clean, dry sand to 1 part wildflower seeds which will help the seeds spread evenly. Do not use beach sand, as it usually contains salt. It may be wise to spread most of the seed, but to save some for filling in bald spots at a later date. Seeds must come into contact with the soil in order to germinate. Do not bury seeds more than 2-3 times their thickness.

Planting rates: Aim for a planting density of 70 seeds per square foot. 5g of seeds will cover 22ft². If seeding an area where site preparation and weeding are not possible, double this rate.

Growing
Keep the seeded area as evenly moist as possible to help the seeds germinate and the young seedlings become established. Weeds need to be kept under control. Once they are growing, most mixes will not require additional water except in long periods of hot, dry weather. All of our mixes should re-grow for several years, but will eventually benefit from re-seeding. In late summer, many of the components will produce seed heads that can be harvested and replanted the following spring.

Rating: 4.7 Stars based on 6 reviews from westcoastseeds.com

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