The Party's Over

This time of year many of our plants are a little sorry looking. The frosts have played havoc with those delicate blooms like Cosmos. Late in November I went into the field across the street to collect seeds from the spent blooms. We have our septic drain field across the street. You might remember my planting some daffodils earlier this year. This fall we waited until after a good frost and then had the field bush hogged.

The seeds I scattered in the early spring were a mixture I picked up at the local hardware store. Of the flowers in the mix, the Cosmos were the ones that stood out as the summer grasses and weeds grew taller. There were still a few blooms left in the field but a few more frosts and they would be gone.

Bush hogging is like cutting it with a giant/ strong mower.  This field is our septic field, so trees are not a good idea.  A wildflower meadow?? Perfect!  After the field was cut we went over some of it with the small push mower to cut some of the grasses shorter.   The field looked so much larger when it was cut.  Some in the neighborhood just cut theirs and leave it bare...I like flowers!





There is a hunt club in the woods at the back end of the septic field.  I always wear bright colors when working over there. 

So now that the field is cut and a few frosts have occurred, what next?   Meadow in a Box!

I found a website that has great variety of seeds---- so I ordered my own mixture.  I love the blue cornflowers I have seen in the spring, so that was on the list!  I also ordered Blanket Flower Gaillardia, Black-eyed Susans Rudbeckia hirta, California Poppies Eschscholzia californica, Nigella, more Cosmos, and some Joe Pye weed Eupatorium fistulosum.  I added some red poppies I  saved from the last year or two.  I mixed and mixed. 

After mowing and bush hogging I used a metal rake to expose at least a little soil.  I am hoping this exposure will be enough.  Taking the container of all those seeds,  I scattered all my seeds in the field.  Well, not ALL of them, I scattered a few on the other side of the street near the driveway as well.  The only problem with scattering seeds in the winter/fall?  WAITING for spring!!    I timed the scattering to be right before a few days of rain.  The rain helped settle the seeds down into the soil, all tucked in for the winter.   After the seeds, a few more (hundred) bulbs were also planted.  Spring will explode with color! 

Isn't this the saddest Zinnia you have ever seen?  I have been collecting the seeds from this one as well.  This Zinnia was from a packet from James Madison University Centennial Celebration.  The bloom is purple...the JMU purple!  I have some seeds to share with JMU alumni.  If you are an alum -- and want a few seeds, let me know.  Will share until I run out.  Why do I have JMU seeds?  Both my girls went to JMU as well as future son-in-law. 

While checking on the zinnias I noticed the Viburnum next to it was trying to bloom.  This poor baby had a rough summer with the lack of rain.

Still blooming is my native honeysuckle- Lonicera sempervirens

Love this pretty trumpet.

Also blooming is the Gaillardia in the backyard.

A few of you know we got a garden shed this fall.  I am so thrilled with it.  Charlie is calling it "Janet's playhouse".  We will paint it in the spring, once the wood cures.  HOA rules that it should match the house.  I like the natural wood.   It is a really solid shed, tongue in grooved pine planks. 

You can see the slope of the yard.  The cinderblocks are under a dozen points making it very sturdy. 

So, if the party is over for your blooms, make sure to collect as many seeds as possible. 
The seed company I bought my seeds from is new to me and I am not recommending them over any other place.   I will say the seeds were in great condition and I am hoping for tons of color next spring and summer...and for many seasons to come.








©Copyright 2011 Janet. All rights reserved. Content created by Janet for The Queen of Seaford. words and photos by Janet,The Queen of Seaford.