- First to establish are the nurse grasses which happens within a few weeks, they will be open to allow the wildflower seedlings to germinate in the spaces around the younger grass seedlings.
- Germination of wildflower species will vary - some can take a few weeks, while others can take several months depending on the time they have been sown.
- During the time young wildflower plants are establishing, the grass will need to be kept tidy. In the first year of sowing, the nurse grasses will require to be cut twice during spring at 5 cm, remain uncut during the summer, then a further couple of cuts in the autumn, again at 5 cm.
- Depending on the mixture and time of year sown, it is unlikely that any of the perennial flowers will appear during the first year of establishment.
- It is possible to have a "splash" of colour during the first year if the Cornfield Annuals mixture is incorporated at the same time of sowing.
- During the second year, once the flowers are established, there is a slight change to the cutting regime in that the first cut in the autumn should be done without the mower box attached. This allows the mature seed heads to shed their seed back into the soil.
- Leave for 2 - 3 weeks. During this time, the seed heads will dry out and release seed back into the soil, the final cut will tidy the whole area and remove any dead material.
- It is important to return the fresh seed from each year's harvest back into your soil, as this will help to maintain a regular supply of new plants for future years.