There’s something about Texas wildflowers that makes you want to pull over and take a picture. When you drive through local areas such as Flower Mound, Argyle, and Bartonville, Bluebonnets can usually be found along fence lines. Indian blanket scattered through a pasture. Coreopsis and black-eyed Susans adding color where you weren’t expecting it. And while we get to enjoy the show in spring, the work starts a whole lot earlier.
If you want wildflowers next year, fall is the time to get serious about planting.
Why Plant Wildflowers in the Fall?
Wildflowers operate on their own schedule, and a lot of our Texas favorites benefit from spending the winter in the ground.
Bluebonnets are a perfect example. The seed is planted in fall, young plants establish through the cooler months, and then we get those familiar blue blooms in spring. The MBS Texas Bluebonnet seed we carry recommends planting from September 15 through November 15.
That makes September a good month to get your seed bought and your planting area figured out. You don’t want to finally get a nice cool weekend for planting and discover the seed you wanted is gone.
First Things First: Pick the Right Spot
Wildflowers may look like they grow wherever they please, but that doesn’t mean you should toss seed anywhere and hope for the best.
Start with sunlight and drainage. Bluebonnets, for example, do best in a mostly sunny to full-sun location with good drainage. Texas A&M AgriLife also emphasizes matching native seed to the soil and conditions of the site when establishing native plantings.
So before you plant, take a good look at the area. Is it sunny? Does water drain instead of sitting there? Is there already thick grass competing for every inch of ground?
A little planning here can save you a lot of frustration later.
Don’t Just Throw Seed on the Grass
We know. It would be nice. Walk outside, scatter a handful of wildflower seed, give it a wave, and come back in April to a field full of flowers.
Unfortunately, seed needs a better start than that.
Texas A&M AgriLife stresses the importance of preparing a good seedbed when establishing native plants. The soil should be firm, uniform, and relatively free of debris and large clods.
The planting instructions for MBS TexOkla Wildflower Mix make the same basic point: the seed needs contact with the soil to germinate. In fields or pastures, lightly scratch the soil before spreading the seed, then lightly drag the area afterward. Simply scattering seed over established grass makes it much harder for the seed to reach the soil.
In a garden or flower bed, MBS recommends covering TexOkla seed with no more than 1/8 inch of soil.
Wildflower seed is small. It doesn’t need to be buried halfway to Oklahoma.
Give Your Wildflowers Some Breathing Room
Competition matters.
If you’re planting into an area covered with established turf or weeds, those plants are already using the available sunlight, water, and growing space. Preparing the site before you sow gives your wildflowers a much better opportunity to establish.
This is one of those steps that isn’t nearly as much fun as picking out flowers, but it’s worth doing.
Texas A&M AgriLife notes that proper site preparation is a key part of successful native reseeding.
What Should You Plant?
That depends on the look you want.
If your heart is set on that unmistakably Texas spring display, we carry MBS Texas Bluebonnets. They’re intended for sunny, well-drained sites and are fall planted for spring flowers.
Want more variety? MBS TexOkla Wildflower Mix gives you a whole crowd.
The mix contains annual and perennial flowers selected for Texas and Oklahoma conditions, including Texas bluebonnets, Indian blanket, plains coreopsis, black-eyed Susan, Mexican hat, purple coneflower, showy evening primrose, annual phlox, rocket larkspur and several others. It’s designed to provide a longer season of color and can be used in beds, pastures, and prairie-type plantings.
In other words, instead of choosing one flower for the party, you can invite everybody.
And Then…Give Them Time
This may be the hardest part. You plant the seed in fall, and then you wait.
Some seeds germinate readily. Others take their time. Different species respond differently to temperature, moisture, and seasonal conditions. With bluebonnets in particular, the hard seed coat and natural dormancy mean not every seed necessarily germinates at the same time. Fall planting gives that seed time to overwinter before spring.
So don’t assume nothing is happening just because you don’t have a flower show two weeks after planting. Spring gets the applause. Fall setups the show.
Get Your Seed Before Planting Day
If wildflowers are on your list this year, don’t wait until the day you’re ready to plant to start looking for seed.
Stop by Johnson Feed and pick up your MBS TexOkla Wildflower Mix or MBS Texas Bluebonnets while we have a good selection available. We’re always happy to help you get started.
