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From: Nacogdoches, TX
Region: Southwest
Topic: Problem Plants, Wildflowers
Title: Eliminating weeds from seeded wildflower stands
Answered by: Nan Hampton
First of all, Mr. Smarty Plants recommends that you read "Planting Wildflowers along Roadsides" and "Wildflower Meadow Gardening" in our How To Articles. Both articles contain information that should aid you in your project. If you have a mower with an adjustable height blade and the weeds are taller than your wildflowers, you could mow down the weeds and let the wildflowers remain. If all your wildflowers, or at least most of them, have already dropped their seeds, you can mow everything. You should try to remove any seedheads from the weeds that are among the clippings from the mowing, however. You can remove by hand or garden tools any of the larger, more obnoxious weeds—again, being careful to not let the seedheads remain on the ground. You will want to sow more wildflower seeds in the fall even if your wildflowers have reseeded themselves. This will provide a larger population of wildflowers to compete with the weeds. Native grasses sown along with your wildflowers will also help to keep the weeds in check. Native American Seed in Junction, Texas has a wildflower seed mix (Native Trail Mix) that contains native grasses as well as a large number of different wildflowers. The two articles named above have more suggestions for managing your wildflower roadside planting.
This sounds like a wonderful project. I hope that your wildflowers will inspire your neighbors to follow your example and plant wildflowers of their own.
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