HIGHER MORWELL WILDFLOWER PATCH 2017
The wildflower patch has
taught us a lot in 2016, so for
2017 a lot more attention is
being paid to the ground
preparations. The dead and
dying flowers and underlying
grasses have been removed
with the strimmer then cut as
low as the mower can manage.
Then the whole plot, which is
130 square metres, has been
raked and cleared of all the
thatch and debris that
remained.
After marking out the
approximate edges of the paths
with rope the rotavator has set
upon the grass roots and the
area is being cleared as far as
possible. 50% brown earth is the
minimum recommended. The
side nearest the Devon bank is
easiest - the soil is very light and
dry under the tree canopy. So
much earth comes out with the
roots it is very worthwhile if
somewhat tedious to use the
rotary sieve to reclaim the soil
and rake it back into the ground.
10th October and clearing the patch is finished. The new seeds are on the way. All we need to do is remove
the leaves now falling on the patch and sow the seed around the paths, we have ordered extra yellow rattle
to keep the grass under control. We hope. So then we await Spring 2017 to see if this gives us a spread of
colourful wild flowers that the bees and butterflies can enjoy as well!
22nd April 2017. The grass
is growing again from the
grass seeds I left behind,
there are a few holes
from the invasion of the
cows when the ground
was soft, and the paths
are still marked out after
a couple of mows.
It does look hopeful for
more wildflowers though
now, several plants that
aren’t grass are
appearing. Did we sow
them or are they self-
seeded?
We certainly sowed this,
and tried hard by buying
extra yellow rattle!
It should help to control
the grass and give yellow
flowers into the bargain.
30th April after the first
serious rain for weeks
this is our first sighting
of a yellow rattle
flower.
The grass is growing
quite well too
unfortunately, but the
cut paths through the
middle allow us to see
more closely what is
going on in the patch.
The badgers have never
really bothered with this
part thankfully.
Mid June and we have
several corncockles
flowering.
The yellow rattle is
mostly past the
flowering stage but has
left stalks that do
indeed rattle when you
shake the seed pods.
A better show this year
from the poppies but
so far the ox-eye
daisies have been few,
far-between and rather
small.
The whole patch on 7th July. The dark spots are the seed cases of the yellow rattle, and they do
indeed rattle when you shake them. Coming into flower are the birdsfoot trefoil, to be closely
followed by the knapweed. But still so much we seeded hasn’t grown. This autumn we will cut
everything down again but with the petrol strimmer to keep all the seeds, leaving all the cut material
on the ground to dry. Better next year…
It never got near what we expected. This is 5th October and so many of the flower seeds we sowed
made no appearance. Plenty of knapweed so the bees and butterflies did have something of
interest. We will strim the whole patch again very soon and when the cut grass and anything else
left has dried clear the patch and leave it until next year. Perhaps the yellow rattle will control the
grass more in 2018.