When you sow in the fall, the seeds get the stratification period naturally.

Some seeds need a cold, moist chilling period called 'stratification' before they will germinate. If you're using seeds, fall is the best time to plant. Starting your planting with seeds costs less but requires more diligence than using transplants. If your soil is poor, amend with compost before tilling and planting. Maintenance will be ongoing, as with any garden.Īfter the area has been cleared of weeds and grass, till the soil and lightly rake it. The larger the planting area, the more planning is required. With proper planning and maintenance, you can reduce the problem. Regardless of how clean the site is to start, weeds and grass are always going to be a concern, especially in sunny areas. You need to kill the grass and weeds that are in the area so that you reduce the competition factor. The weeds and grass are quite competitive. If you have a yard full of weeds and grass, don't expect a packet of wildflower seeds to turn it into a parkland.

Once you have a plan in mind, prepare the site well. There are wildflowers that bloom as spring ephemerals - here today and gone tomorrow - while some bloom in the summer, fall and even in winter. Make sure that you choose a variety of plants, with some that bloom in every season so you can extend the show. Do you want to intersperse some wildflowers in with your existing landscape or create a meadow or a woodland garden? As with any garden, it all comes down to the right plant for the right spot.ĭecide what type of garden you want. When choosing wildflowers (as with any plant for your garden) select plants that need the same growing conditions found in your yard - sun versus shade, good soil versus poor, wet versus dry. Wildflowers grace our roadways and scenic drives all across the state, but they will also do well in home gardens. There are wildflowers that bloom in different seasons and under different conditions. More than 600 species of wildflowers are native to Arkansas, some quite common, others more rare.

Wildflowers can be planted from seed or transplants, but sites that work for one species won't necessarily work for others. Fall is an ideal time to get a wildflower garden established.

Arkansas Wildflowers by Don Kurz