What to Expect from Growing Wildflowers

Seedball

Wildflowers are notoriously tricky to grow which is why we try to give them as much help as possible!

In a natural setting wildflower seeds can stay viable for many years and only burst into life when the conditions for that particular seed are just right. Not all seeds scattered at any one time will grow in the first year.

Many seeds need to experience a cold spell to trigger their germination.

Wildflower seeds are best scattered in the Autumn (read more on this here).
Early spring is also good, but if you’re scattering seed balls in late spring/summer we’d suggest storing the balls in a fridge for a couple of weeks prior to scattering to give them the cold blast that they’ll all love!

The flowers to expect in your first year will be annuals.

These need to get all of their work done in one growing season and so produce attractive blooms to entice pollinators quickly. Once pollinated these annuals set seed and their life cycle is complete.

In the second year you’ll see perennials and biennials flowering.

These naturally are slower to grow, but once established they’ll happily come back year after year.

Wildflower seeds can be fussy

Wildflower seeds can be fussy about soil type and tend not to do well on soils or composts enriched with fertiliser (or where the ground is too dry/compact). We suggest scattering your seed balls in a few different locations in case there are some which are not optimal for wildflowers.

seedball top tips.

Pots are brilliant! And a great way for you to be able to watch their progression. Avoid too many balls per pot and use a peat-free or seedling compost.

Keep the area around the base of your wildflowers free of other plants and grass.

The balls shouldn’t simply disappear overnight unless heavy rain has submerged them under the soil. Keep an eye out for squirrels who can sometimes have fun running off with the balls.

Growth in the first few months can be naturally slow and patience is required. Once established, wildflowers are a rewarding and beautiful addition to any garden, window box and balcony. Find out more here about how to look after your wildflowers through the year.

Young wildflower growth can look very much like weeds! Use our online ID tool to help identify your young wildflowers.