Wildflower Maintenance – When to Cut Back Your Wildflower Garden
There’s nothing quite like a garden full of productive and colourful wildflowers; relaxing in a garden bursting with life and hearing the buzz of pollinators, birdsong, and the rustle of wildlife is truly special and makes all of the care and love you put into your meadow planting worth it.
Although low maintenance once established, wildflowers need a helping hand to get from seed to seedling and put down a strong root system; it takes more than throwing down some wildflower seed! Of course, sowing wildflower seeds is the first step to adding native British flora to your planting scheme and with a bit of nurturing you can reap the rewards a wildflower garden has to offer.
Here’s everything you need to know about growing and managing wildflowers in your garden.
Do All Wildflower Meadows Need Maintenance?
It’s important to note that all wildflower meadows need maintenance. In the first year of establishment, you’ll need to check in more often than in subsequent years, but it is necessary to keep an eye on young plants in a new meadow, especially if you want to keep your wildflower patch looking its best!
There are two types of wildflowers, and both thrive with different care plans.
Perennial Wildflowers
Perennial wildflowers are the main component in established meadows and are naturally hardy. They put down extensive root systems and re-establish each year whether or not they have been cut back. If you’re looking to include a permanent mini meadow or wildlife area in your garden, make sure the seed mix you choose has 80% perennial species such as common knapweed, oxeye daisy, and selfheal.
Choose from one of our perennial wildflower seed mixtures to get started.
Annual Wildflowers
Annual Wildflowers grow for just one season; they put down roots but must produce seed if they are to be found growing the following year. Plant annuals in early spring, and they will bloom in the summer. Once they set seed, these plants die back, and new ones grow from the fallen seeds.
If you choose a mix with a balance of annuals included, you can expect to see fewer of these plants establishing year on year. As the perennial species mat out and cover the ground, the seeds of the annual plants struggle to find bare soil from which to re-establish.
If you are keen to re-sow annual species into your wildflower meadow, you must do this after you have cut back in September. Clear away the cuttings, scarify the ground to expose the soil and then over-sow the area with a mix of annual wildflowers.
Our annual seed mix is packed full of bright cornfield species – take a look here.
When to Cut Back Wildflower Garden, UK
The frequency at which you need to cut back your wildflower meadow is determined by the age of the plants. In its first year an area of perennial meadow wildflowers will benefit from being cut back two or three times, whereas well-established meadows will only need cutting back in September once the flowers have gone to seed.
Although it may seem daunting, remember, cutting back meadows will encourage your wildflower area to grow back stronger year after year!
TIP: It’s important to note that new meadows sown with annuals as part of the seed mix should not be cut back until September. If you cut before then, you will not see the annuals go to flower.
New Perennial Meadows
During the first year after sowing, it is prudent to support healthy plant development – this is the time to create strong root growth in perennial wildflowers and grasses through regular mowing.
Once the seedlings appear, wait six to eight weeks before cutting them to around 5 cm in height; this can be repeated every two months for that first summer.
Established Meadow
If your meadow is older than a year and you are happy with the balance of plant species and soil fertility, it’s considered established. Once established, these meadows are self-sustaining, requiring minimal intervention. For established meadows, it is possible, but not always essential, to take three cuts each year; the vigour of the grasses and management plan determine how many times to cut.
Spring
The first cut of the season should be done in Spring when dominant grasses begin crowding flowers. Cut the meadow to around 7.5 cm above the ground no later than the end of April.
To better manage grasses, sow yellow rattle in August!
Summer
The summer cut, also known as the ‘hay cut’ is an optional cut which really only applies to large meadows grown for hay.
The summer cut happens around late June to the end of August, depending on what flowers you want to encourage. For example early summer (late June) encourages plants like Cowslips and Lady’s Smock. August cutting encourages Knapweed and Lady’s Bedstraw.
Once you’ve cut, leave the material in place to encourage seeds to drop to the ground and leave for a few days before removing the old growth; this will help reduce soil fertility.
Late Summer/Early Autumn
If your ground is fertile, cut in late summer and collect the cuttings to avoid adding nutrients to the soil. Take one to two cuts between the end of August and late November, removing the cut vegetation. Note that seed heads are a vital food source for birds over winter so if you are happy with the balance of grasses and flowers in your meadow, you can skip this cut and take one in early spring instead.
Cutting Long Grass
A standard lawn mower will struggle to cut long grasses and wildflowers. The easiest and most accessible way to tackle grasses in small areas is to use a strimmer; don’t go in too enthusiastically with this as the vegetation can be hard to rake up if it’s been cut to shreds.
Another way to cut back small areas is to use a scythe – the technique is key and requires some expert advice, but it’s a cathartic and nature-kind way to cut long grass.
For larger areas, use a tractor-mounted cut and collect mower, or a flail mower. Alternatively, you can ask a contractor to come in a cut back for you.
Do You Need to Weed Your Meadow?
Wildflower meadows don’t generally need weeding. If you spot invasive species or perennial weeds that are threatening the wildflowers, it’s best to weed those out. You can do this by walking the area and digging out anything you term a ‘weed’, ideally when the plants are young and not well established.
For most areas with less fertile soil, the natural growth of wildflowers will help to outcompete unwanted weeds. However, in more fertile soils, meadow grasses or certain plants showing excessive vigour may need to be managed.
If weeds are present, removing them by hand or using a mower at the appropriate height can help without disturbing the wildflower plants. Keep your meadow in check by ensuring regular cutting of grasses and dead plants, and let new seedlings establish naturally each season.
If you are using machinery to cut your garden, always take care and follow appropriate safety guidance.
Annual Wildflower Maintenance
As annual plants have a life cycle of one growing season, they really don’t require a lot of care. In fact, removing overbearing weeds as and when you see them is enough to keep them looking bright and healthy for their season.
At the end of the summer, let the plants go to seed, cut them back and leave them on there ground for a little while to ensure the seeds have dropped onto the soil. By doing this, you will likely seed the annuals growing again in the second year. To ensure you have a colourful display of annuals you can collect the seeds by hand, which is really only achievable in small areas, or over-sow with an annual seed mix.
