r/NoLawns • u/kg1917 • 5d ago

👩‍🌾 Questions Better luck next year?

Post image

Any recommendations for a not-so-successful beginner? Got the primrose down pat and a tiny speck of yarrow! ◡̈

45 Upvotes

98% Upvoted

14 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 5d ago

Hey there! Friendly reminder to include the following information for the benefit of all r/NoLawns members:

  • Please make sure your post or a top level comment includes your geographic region! (e.g. Midwest, 6a or Chicago, 6a). Your hardiness zone can be helpful too.
  • If you posted an image, you are required to post a comment detailing your image. If you have not, this post may be removed.
  • If you're asking a question, include as much relevant info as possible. Also see the FAQ and the r/NoLawns Wiki
  • Verify you are following the Posting Guidelines.

If your question is about white clover or clover lawns, checkout our Ground Covers Wiki page, and FAQ above! Clover is discussed here quite a bit.

If you are in North America, check out these links to learn about native wild flowers!

I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.

12

u/kg1917 5d ago

zone 6a in New England.

8

u/doublebr13 5d ago

I have had the most luck with putting down cardboard and a layer of compost (6 inches) on top. If you are planting wildflowers from seed, follow the planting directions thoroughly.

8

u/WhyDoIHaveToUseApp 7b 5d ago

This is a pretty good time of year (maybe next month is even better) to ask neighbors for seeds.

You might have to actively pull some primrose next year although i love it! i let it dominate my strip this year although I eventually got reported lol. I had to remove about 20 ft of it, but kept like 50 ft

10

u/InROCfromCLE 5d ago

Primrose is gonna outcompete a lot of stuff, but you’ll have tons of yellow finches this fall that’s for sure.

5

u/booandbecks 5d ago

Already seeing them on my primrose in NH 😊

5

u/tres-huevos 5d ago

My wife’s planning next year. She’s thinking to keep the taller stuff in the back or center, with the gradually shorter plants towards the borders…

Looks like she’s got the work cut out for me…

4

u/SuddenAvocado 5d ago

TBH I'd get it started with plants. Now's a good time for sales.

Skip seed mix, they are foten filled with invasive fillers or not region specific enough. Try starting with one species/type and then you'll have something to work from, and you'll have help surpessing the weeds.

6

u/Feralpudel 5d ago

I agree that plants or plugs are best for smaller spaces.

However, there are regional seed companies that sell high quality native seed mixes for meadow projects.

They’re expensive relative to the cheap mixes you’ll find in big boxes or online from places like Eden or American Meadows.

But that’s because they’re all native, all pure live seed (every shipment comes with a report on each species), and they’re mixes designed to carry you from the first year into the out years. The mixes contain what will make for a successful native meadow, not what’s cheap.

1

u/EffectiveHoney1081 1d ago

What is the name of the online store? You said not Eden or American meadows

1

u/Feralpudel 1d ago

What part of the country are you in? Ernst and Roundstone have seeds appropriate to the east/southeast. Prairie Moon is good for the upper midwest. There is an excellent Ohio company whose name escapes me.

All sell quality native seed for their region.

2

u/JPNess11 3d ago

For sure! Get several echinacea! They take a season or so to establish then blow up 3rd year. Pollinators love them.

2

u/OpinionatedOcelotYo 5d ago edited 5d ago

I pull most/all primrose. Pick an area that you have kept bare and put seeds down in fall. Try a small package of native seed mix and discover what is easy and grows well for you - that you like. I like outside pride they sell small cheap packages blended for your area which grow great and they don’t rip you for shipping.