Its Wildflower Seed Planting Time in Texas

Linda creates this wonderfully colorful wildflower art but without nature putting on a fantastic display of floral extravagance there would be no inspiration to draw from and share. As a Horticulturist this is my time of year to go to work and help Mother Nature in some small way to continue to carpet the Texas Hill Country in its own fabulous wildflower painting just begging to be captured on Linda’s canvas.

Watching your wildflower seed come up and then come into bloom the following season is one of those surreal experiences of nature that teaches us patience and to plan ahead for our future rewards. These are two traits often lacking in our education system. I have often found nature to be a stern teacher of many of the great truths that make any life truly meaningful.

The best time to plant wildflowers as a whole are between mid-September and mid- November. The farther north you are in Texas the earlier you would want to plant and the further south you are the later you can sow your seed. I would guess for many folks their first attempts in this process would be with Texas bluebonnets that most beloved of Texas symbols of nature. Many folks don’t realize that the bluebonnet as a legume fixes nitrogen from the air and so heals and enriches poor native soils over time. The next thing to be aware of is that nature to ensure survival of this beautiful blue beacon of spring splendor is that the seed coat is very hard and they won’t all sprout at once like many flower seed you might have grown in your garden. You can get them scarified already if you plan on giving them the water they need if nature doesn’t give us the needed fall and winter rains to make a good crop. If on the other hand you’re willing to let nature take its due course then scatter and lightly rake your bluebonnets in making sure you have good soil contact but don’t bury them more than a ¼ of an inch deep and wait. Remember this is a lesson on patience. Learn to identify the desired seedling and pull the undesired ones to slow the weed competition

If you would like to see more wildflower information then Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is a great source. The wildflower seed company they choose to recommend is also my choice and that is Native American Seed out of Junction Texas. Here is to great Texas art and Mother Nature the Master Artist.

This is another entry by David, Linda’s husband and biggest fan.

With Hurricane Ike just passing both Linda and I send our prayers out to all in harms way to come through this safely and that we all will come together to rebuild what nature takes away.