Navarre Garden Club, Navarre, Florida

This information was submitted to the Navarre Garden Club by Carolyn Whitmer, it is information from the Florida Federatoin of Garden Clubs

Wildflower Planting Methods

1) Thin Turf Cover: broadcast the wildf lower seed over the area then rake or drag the area to obtain seed to soil contact.
2) Average Turf Cover: Scalp the turf to 1 inch, remove the clippings, then broadcast the seed over the area and replace the clippings evenly as mulch. A mechanized seed drill may also be used without removing the clippings.

3) Heavy Turf Cover: Herbicide and let sit for one month. Scalp to 1 inch then follow steps in number 2. The establishment of wildflowers is harder in heavily weeded areas. The use of a mechanized seed drill designed for planting wildf lowers produces the best results.

4) Taking the top 2 inches of topsoil off the area produces less weeds, but the wildflowers seem to be smaller, possibly due to removal of soil nutrients.
The most success, considering both wildflower and weed density, has been obtained preparing the plots with glyphosate ( Roundup).

• Early spring application of a grass herbicide will help existing plots if they have a grass problem : Flauzifop, ( Ornamec 170, Grass Be Gone, Fusilade II)

1 Acre = 43,560 sq ft - 1/2 Acre = 21,780 sq ft - 1/4 Acre = 10,890 sq ft

• the amount of seeds per acre varies with the species
• Florida grown f I. Native ecotype seeds are the most disease and drought resistant
• Species available that do well statewide are Gaillardia pulchella (Blanket Flower), Coreopsis leavenworthii (Leaven\Nor'ttis Tickseed) and Rudbeckia hirta (Black-Eyed Susan).
• Phlox drummondii will do well down to Tampa.
• Coreopsis basalis (Dye Flower) and Rudbeckia mollis do better north of Gainesville.
• Flaveria linerais (Yellow Top) may be available this year
• We encourage the use of the Coreopsis species, Florida's state wildflower, throughout our state.