Making a Meadow: An Ongoing Odyssey
- Lauren Robie
- Nov 26, 2024
- 1 min read
Updated: Jun 26
Why this method
The hard truth is... we choose to transplant broomsedge because our first two attempts at hydroseeding wildflower and cover crop seeds did not go as planned.
What went wrong?
First, flocks of birds ate the seed.
Second, we missed the rainy season due to construction delays. Our seeds went down at the beginning of a long drought. We tried our best to keep watering, but it wasn’t enough.
We watched the barren meadows helplessly, in search of an answer... until, eureka!
Did we give up?
No way!
We remembered a clump of grass.
Months before, we conducted an experiment. We transplanted a clump of native broomsedge growing in the back field at Hope.
We wanted to see if it would live - and it did!
We decided to try again, but this time on a bigger scale... We transplanted hundreds of grasses.
Seeded wildflowers are still growing in the mulched areas and in between the broomsedge.
We transplant the ones that grow in the pathways to nearby planting beds. They can still bloom and bring beauty to the site. We haven’t given up on the wildflowers. We plan on seeding the wildflowers again!
