Are you one of those people who are tired of constantly mowing the lawn and perhaps could use a few more splashes of color in their life? Then a colorful summer meadow might be just the thing for you - we'll show you how to create one.
How do I create a summer meadow correctly?
To create a summer meadow, choose a sunny location, prepare the soil, sow a flower meadow mix (5-10g/sqm) and carry out the first mowing after approx.10 weeks through. Typical meadow flowers are yarrow, meadow bluebell, meadow daisy, pigeon scabiose and red meadow clover.
Selecting the location
Basically, flowers and meadow herbs thrive best on rather poor, dry soils. Fat, nutrient-rich soils are more likely to be a breeding ground for more competitive plants (e.g. dandelions, nettles) and grasses. If the soil in your intended location is not optimal, you can either thin it out or adapt the desired vegetation to the soil. Some natural seed suppliers offer special seed mixtures for poor, sandy and other meadows. However, the location should definitely be sunny.
Preparing the soil
The preparation of the soil depends on how it was previously used. Is it a lawn, fallow or meadow area? If there is still growth on it, you should remove it with a spade and replace it with a fresh soil and sand mixture. Simply digging up is usually not enough, as rhizomes and seeds of unwanted plants still remain in the soil, which can eventually re-emerge. After removing the scar, dig thoroughly and break up any coarse clods of soil. Then level the area with a rake and crumble the soil as finely as possible.
Sowing and care
Once you have done this, you can sow the selected flower meadow mixture in a wide spread. Allow around five to ten grams of seed per square meter of meadow area. Rake the seeds carefully into the ground with a rake (€8.00 on Amazon), a few millimeters is enough - after all, most meadow flowers germinate in light. Compact the soil with a lawn roller or something similar and moisten it - under no circumstances should the seeds dry out, otherwise they will germinate poorly. The first mowing is carried out around ten weeks after sowing and is primarily used to destroy weeds.
Which summer flowers can be sown?
Which types of summer flowers you sow depends on the location, the soil conditions, the region and your personal preferences. The typical meadow flowers include:
- Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
- Meadow bluebell (Campanula patula)
- Meadow daisy (Leucanthemum vulgare)
- Pigeon scabiosis (Scabiosa columbaria)
- Red meadow clover (Trifolium pratense)
By the way, planting the small rattlesnake ((Rhinanthus minor)) ensures that grasses cannot spread too much.
Tips & Tricks
It is better to sow too much seed than too little, because experience has shown that many of the seeds are eaten away by birds, moles or mice - if there are no seeds, a dense plant density cannot develop and your summer meadow will not be as beautiful as hoped.
