The Rural Voice, 1998-05, Page 53Gardening
Establishing a meadow takes planning
By Rhea Hamilton -Seeger
Faced with another season of
cutting grass, my son suggested that
we leave the grass to grow into a
meadow and thus save both gas and
time poorly spent on grass cutting.
Sounded like a good idea until I
realized how much work was
involved in establishing a meadow. It
is not as easy as strewing a can of
wildflower seed across the lawn and
sitting back to watch the flowers
bloom.
Before you embark on the wild
lawn/meadow do a bit of research.
You have to determine the soil type
and pH level; whether the area is wet
or dry; areas of sun, shade or mixed
light; and what native plants you
have already established. You are
best to choose native species since
they are hardy and most are perennial
or hardy annuals that self -seed.
On a larger scale this area of
Ontario is known as Eastern
Woodland but in your area depending
on the above conditions your
selection of Ontario natives will vary.
We live on a gravel ridge where it is
quite dry and despite the overgrowth
of shrubs and medium trees there is a
lot of sun in the garden. A sample of
perennials best suited to sunny
conditions are Fleabane, Joe Pye
weed, Blue fescue, Pink Turtle Head
and Michaelmas daisy.
The next job is to determine where
you will grew this alluring lawn-
altemative and prepare the site. You
want to give your seeds or plants the
best start so that the weeds cannot
invade and take over. If your lawn is
a sod -forming turfgrass you will find
that its tight root system will make it
next to impossible to introduce native
species. You can use a sod-cuuer and
remove the sod before loosening the
soil to a depth of two inches by
raking. Water and wait a week to see
what weeds germinate before you
plant. Another alternative to the sod -
cutter is to smother the turfgrass with
a six-inch layer of wood chips
applied the scason before or at least
three months before you plant.
If your lawn is a collage of grasses
and assorted green leafy "whatevers",
then let it grow and weed out the
undesirables. Keep a journal of plants
identified and remove the noxious
weeds. If you want to know what
noxious weeds to look out for check
with your local OMAFRA office. The
last thing you want to have happen is
your neighbour's field to be filled
with weeds competing with his
livelihood.
Once you have your site stripped
and have determined your soil type
you may have to add a few goodies
like compost, rotted leaves, or well -
aged manure. A good recipe for an
organic fertilizer is two parts
bloodmeal, one part bonemeal or rock
phosphate and one part greensand (or
three parts wood ashes). Add four to
five pounds of this mixture per 100
square feet.
When considering your seed
selection remember to include at least
two native grasses. I find grasses fine
in someone else's garden but I don't
think I am ready to see them in mine
— too many years of pulling it out.
But by including grasses in your
meadow you offer support and shade
for the more exotic species.
Determining when to plant will be
based on what you decide to plant.
Some wildflowers are planted in the
fall just as nature planned. Some
prefer the warm season while others
will germinate in cooler, more moist
conditions. If you are sowing a small
area you can broadcast the seed by
hand. Mix it with sand, kitty litter, or
sawdust in order to give it weight and
so you can spread it more evenly.
You will have to lightly moisten the
kitty litter and sawdust so the seed
will stick to it. Cast first in one
direction and then make a 90 degree
turn and repeat. Rake lightly and
compact with a hand -pulled lawn
roller. Water every other day for four
weeks, skipping days when it rains.
Another way to start your meadow
is to sow the grasses first and in the
second year plant your wildflower
seed or transplants in the bare areas
where the grasses did not take.
Whatever you decide, keep an eye
out for noxious weeds or non -natives
that will take over. By the third year
your work will be paying off and the
site should be able to take care of
itself for the most part. You will still
have to inspect it a couple of times
per year to remove undesirable
plants. You can also mow several
times in the first season to control the
annual weeds. Let your meadow get
to eight inches and set your mower to
about four inches. Do not do a final
low mowing until late in the early
winter or early spring of the neat
year.
Sounds like a lot of work hut a
true sight to behold when established.
Truly a project for the naturalist at
hcart.0
Rhea Ilamilton-Seeger and her
husband raise two children at their
home near Auburn. She is a skilled
cook and gardener.
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MAY 1998 49
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