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prairie/wildflower seed?

muddy

muddy

Well-Known Member
I have a small area I'd like to plant in wildflowers as a bird/butterfly attractant. Any advice on where to get seed for such an endeavor? I've called Ion Exchange in NE Iowa and a few conservation boards thus far... the price per pound of seed is incredible at $150 a pound. Any help is appreciated as I'm only looking to plant an area about 120 x 20 foot.
 
Don't get freaked by the price per pound. Area the size you're talking won't take much. Last I knew, Ion exchange would sell any blend you want. All the different seeds are priced differently so you can skip the really high priced ones if you want. I helped a neighbor do a wildflower planting a few years back. We mixed the seed with dry sand to get an even spread and it turned out great.
 
When I talked to Ion exchange this morning they said I'd need almost 3 pounds to cover that small of an area, that's pushing $450.
 
muddy said:
I have a small area I'd like to plant in wildflowers as a bird/butterfly attractant. Any advice on where to get seed for such an endeavor?
Click to expand...

Muddy I try and collect seeds each summer while out hanging stands or working food plots. Each trip I find the seedheads that are ready and snip off a few heads and throw them in a empty sandwich bag. As soon as I get home I put them in either envelopes or small brown lunch bags (to avoid mold), and then write the name and date on each one. I've aquired a lot of seeds this way, unfortunately I just got things going at our last place...and we moved this summer. So I'm in the planning stages of an area (again) just about like yours, just not sure when I'm going to get to it?

I know one plant I'd recommend, that is going to seed right now,butterfly weed. Most of the milkweed family are great attractants (and the host plant for monarchs), especially purple and swamp milkweed. You may still be able to find some yellow and purple coneflowers....and given a few years, the purple coneflowers will spread like crazy.

Here's a another option to consider -
http://www.prairiemoon.com/seed-mixes/
...some good info here.

I can only speak for myself, but 3 lbs of seed for 2400 sq ft seems like a lot. According to the link above, I believe you can seed your area for around $125...

Make sure your seed mix includes a good percentage of the varieties your looking for and are adapted to the soil you will be using.

Hope this helps out.
 
Butterfly weed is high on my want list, don't know what it looks like in dried out seed form though. That and I'm low on spare time with the girls. Thanks for the info.
 
muddy said:
I have a small area I'd like to plant in wildflowers as a bird/butterfly attractant. Any advice on where to get seed for such an endeavor? I've called Ion Exchange in NE Iowa and a few conservation boards thus far... the price per pound of seed is incredible at $150 a pound. Any help is appreciated as I'm only looking to plant an area about 120 x 20 foot.
Click to expand...


Instead of Mr. Pink I think you should be Mr. Rainbow.
 
That's great you are looking to add back some wildflowers!!

Another site you may want to check out that has lots and lots of native wildflowers that you can buy either as a plant, packet, ounce or pound is:

Don't overlook some of the native perennial sunflowers.

www.easywildflowers.com
 
Here's another vote for Prairie Moon give them a call tell them all the details, soil type, area, what you want etc etc and they will take care of you. Good people and they're seed is native ecotype which is very important if anything get they're catalog that alone is invaluable. One of the things Ive learned with natives is patience, some of the forbs wont bloom for 5 years it will look like hell the first year or two but keep the faith follow the weed control the first year or two and you will see new stuff every year also remeber fire is your friend. :D

Some of my favorites are; Compass plant, all the Blazingstar family, of course butterfly milkweed, Asters, Cone flowers, canadian milk vetch, culvers root, round headed bush clover, showey tick trefoil, any of the shooting star plants, white and purple prarie clover, black eyed susans, brown eyed susans, wild indigo, and on and on LOL. A great reference book is Tallgrass Prairie Wildflowers by Ladd/Oberle has great pics of the flowers and gives a good description of bloom times soil types needed and a good section on grasses. Good luck.
 
I have placed a few orders from prairie moon and they have a very impressive set up!! Ordered several different perennial sunflowers and lots of native legumes. Great place for sure!!
 
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