Wildflower Garden #1- Haley"s Heaven

    

 I decided to put a wildflower garden in this year. This plot is called "Haley's Heaven" because of my daughter in law Haley. She thought it would be a good idea to use this hard to mow hill for a flower spot.   I have been saving seeds for the last few years. The seeds I have gotten all over Indiana from people's homes. I literally rang the doorbell and asked if I could harvest some seeds.  I have also taken seeds from around businesses and commercial buildings when I see them. The seeds were put on the back porch screen room outside for a month during February because I am not sure if they needed that cold exposure so they would germinate better. 

     This is the wildflower seeds I have been saving it is 1.8 pounds. It may not look like a lot but it was a labor of love to gather this many seeds over a couple years. It is a bit cold right now in the lower middle 40's. A bit too cold for me to plant the seed yet. I plan on next week if the lunar calendar is right.  My Son Caleb asked me what kind of flowers I have and I have no way of remembering. I know there are zinnias, black-eyed Susan's, marigolds (tall kind) and many other kinds as well. 

     The ground in the video has never been tilled before so it was a massive undertaking to till hard ground on a hill! The first round I broke up the sod and raked it down the hill. The second round finished up the grass that was left and raked again. Lastly, in the third round, I only tilled 2-3 inches deep. Never having tilled to sow wildflowers before my research revealed that loose soil is good just not too deep. Research also told me the major thing that goes wrong when sowing wildflower seeds in contact with the soil. Once the sowing is complete it is important to pack the soil pressing the seeds into the soil very well. One video I saw the guy actually rolled the seeds in the ground with a pull-behind roller! Once sowing is done I plan on using boards to lay down and walk on to pack the ground. I would just roll over it with y riding mower but that hill is such a pain to mow. 

     Thanks for reading I will type at you soon.