Autumn wildflower sowing

As we enter September we know autumn is just around the corner, meaning now is the ideal time to plan autumn sowings of UK native wildflowers.

Can I really sow wildflowers seeds in autumn?
A common question we get asked this time of year. And well, yes you can. In fact the early autumn is an ideal time to sow wildflower seed. They naturally produce their own seed at the end of the summer and left to their own devices, they’ll sow themselves in autumn anyway.

Sowing from mid-September ensures the soil is warm from soaking up all the summer sun –  they’ll germinate in a couple of weeks and then grow a few small leaves before hunkering down for the winter. Their roots will also be busy getting established so that come spring they should be raring to go.

On lighter soils, autumn-sown seeds generally germinate and establish quickly, although some will not come up until the following spring. This delay makes it advisable to wait until March or April on heavy soils, as waterlogging may cause the seed and seedlings to rot during winter.

Your autumn sown plants should withstand anything mother-nature throws at them in the winter. But there’s no harm in having an insurance policy, so sow some seed in the spring as well. That will also ensure you get flowers over the longest period possible.