Top Ten Tips For Converting a Lawn into a Meadow
1. Maintain
a positive attitude. To some people your meadow will look like an unkempt lawn,
but remember that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It will take a few
years to look its best but you must be patient, trust in your management
technique and think of the wildlife!
2. Management
is essential. Cut and remove cuttings at least once each year. Start with cuts
in early July to reduce the dominance of fast-growing grasses. The cut can be
delayed in future years. Early September is a good time to aim for. In my
experience, a standard small electric lawn mower has proved adequate for the
task. I have a preference for cutting very low to remove all the dead leaves and
thatch and recommend that you do this too.
3.
Look
after yourself. Your meadow needs you for a good few years so do not injure
yourself in the process of managing it! Work within your ability, get help when
needed, follow the safety instructions on the equipment you chose to use and
take particular care not to injure your back. That said I believe that meadow
management is a healthy activity, good for body and mind.
4. Introduce
yellow rattle seeds directly to the meadow just after the summer cut. Their seeds should germinate the following
spring and they will help reduce the dominance of grasses, as they are a
hemi-parasite.
5. Grow
seeds in pots or trays and plant them out into the meadow in the autumn. You
are likely to experience disappointment if you sow flower seeds directly onto
your meadow, as the growing conditions will be very competitive, especially in
the early years. Remember to sow into pots or trays in the autumn and leave
them out to expose the seeds to winter frosts. Some seeds will not germinate
unless they are exposed to frosts. I like to sow seeds onto the soil surface
with the slightest of covering to ensure that seeds receive plenty of sunlight
in the spring. Yellow rattle and corncockle are exceptions to this rule. Sow
them onto your meadow in late summer.
6. Introduce
oxeye daisies. They will establish well in most meadows and will flower
strongly in their second year.
7. Mow
a perimeter round the edge of the meadow and perhaps a path through the middle.
Like framing a picture, this will improve the appearance and show that your
meadow is a managed feature rather than a neglected lawn.
8. Do
not under any circumstances add fertilizer to your meadow. The grasses will
take over and your wildflowers will struggle.
9. Do
not water your meadow. This is a waste of a precious resource and totally
un-necessary for your meadow.