Contact Us Host an Event Volunteer Join

Q. Who is Mr. Smarty Plants?

A: There are those who suspect Wildflower Center volunteers are the culpable and capable culprits. Yet, others think staff members play some, albeit small, role. You can torture us with your plant questions, but we will never reveal the Green Guru's secret identity.

Help us grow by giving to the Plant Database Fund or by becoming a member

Did you know you can access the Native Plant Information Network with your web-enabled smartphone?

Share

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants

Ask Mr. Smarty Plants is a free service provided by the staff and volunteers at the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

Search Smarty Plants
See a list of all Smarty Plants questions

Please forgive us, but Mr. Smarty Plants has been overwhelmed by a flood of mail and must take a break for awhile to catch up. We hope to be accepting new questions again soon. Thank you!

Need help with plant identification, visit the plant identification page.

 
rate this answer
Not Yet Rated

Thursday - January 21, 2010

From: Madison, GA
Region: Southeast
Topic: Wildflowers
Title: Establishing a wildflower meadow in Madison GA
Answered by: Barbara Medford

QUESTION:

Can a wildflower meadow be established by seeding in a sunny pasture without removing all existing vegetation, just mowing low and slightly loosening soil with the teeth on a front end loader?

ANSWER:

We are always excited by plans to establish a wildflower meadow, and we have two articles written by experts from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center that will help you more than we could. The first is A Guide to Native Plant Gardening which has a section on "Soil Preparation," referenced in the second article, Meadow Gardening. Both of these articles refer to Central Texas, because that is where we are located, but the principles are the same, regardless of where you are gardening.

 

More Wildflowers Questions

When is it safe to mow wildflowers in Castroville, TX?
May 26, 2010 - Hi Mr. Smarty Plants, My yard in Castroville, TX sprouted many wildflowers early in April. By now the Blue Bonnets are seeded and gone. However, I still have a lot of Mexican Blankets. My husba...
view the full question and answer

Signs designating wildflower areas
September 17, 2007 - I belong to a large homeowners association in Keller, TX. We've created a large wildflower area and need a sign to designate it. Where can I find wildflowers signs ? We want to alert residents to ...
view the full question and answer

Is Tropical Milkweed Harmful to Monarchs?
April 24, 2015 - I believe I recently read that the orange flowering Mexican milkweed carries a virus(?) or something that harms monarch butterflies. What are recommendations if I use this plant in my northern CA yar...
view the full question and answer

Dandelions in bluebonnets in Bastrop TX
May 31, 2012 - I have a 20'x60' front yard area where I planted bluebonnets. It has become horrifically inundated with dandelions. How do I eradicate the dandelions while preserving the bluebonnets ? Thanks ...
view the full question and answer

Hardiness of bluebonnet seeds under water and white bluebonnets
April 30, 2007 - I was trying to find out more about the hardiness of bluebonnets. We own a lot on Lake Travis near Spicewood Texas. As you are probably aware, the lake was very low this spring due to a drought that ...
view the full question and answer

Support the Wildflower Center by Donating Online or Becoming a Member today.