Creating Sustainable Wildflower Meadows in Arid Climates Introduction WILDFLOWER MEADOWS Are Ecologically Sound Tools Stephen L

BUL 944 From Weeds to Flowers: Creating Sustainable Wildflower Meadows in Arid Climates Introduction WILDFLOWER MEADOWS are ecologically sound tools Stephen L. Love for managing private or public lands. As sustainable Katie Wagner management practices become increasingly more accepted, meadows plantings will become more popular. Wildflower Pamela J.S. Hutchinson meadows have the potential to benefit homeowners, public Tony McCammon land managers, and commercial property caretakers in numerous ways. They can beautify landscapes, simplify Derek J. Tilley maintenance, strengthen soil and water conservation efforts, and offer an attractive habitat to pollinators, birds, and small mammals. Meadows also provide habitat and Contents forage for many insects whose presence may help to reduce 1 Introduction or eliminate a gardeners’ pesticide use. 2 Preparatory Control of Perennial To take advantage of these potential assets in the arid Weeds climates of the West, gardeners should design wildflower 3 Establishing and Caring for a meadows according to their ability to provide irrigation. Meadow Using Organic Principles In arid climates, the amount of irrigation supplied 3 Soil Preparation will strongly influence a meadow’s appearance. A nonirrigated meadow produces flowers in the spring 4 Selection of Appropriate Plant and early summer but goes dormant and offers limited Species aesthetic value thereafter. A minimally irrigated meadow Seeding Rates 9 shows color through most of the summer with occasional 9 Planting Strategy irrigation. A moderately irrigated meadow provides 10 Transplanting Wildflowers significant season-long color but requires larger amounts of applied irrigation water; however, this will allow the 11 Weed Control During the Establishment introduction of a wider arrangement of less drought- tolerant plant materials. Thus, to create the desired effects 12 Appropriate Irrigation Practices and improve their survival rate, it is important to select 13 Postestablishment Management plant species for each of these meadow types according 14 Additional Reading to their water requirements. Establishment of a liberally irrigated meadow, however, is not recommended in the arid West. Such meadows negate one of the main reasons for the meadow in the first place—water conservation. Regardless of the prospective meadow’s irrigation needs, initial establishment is key to creating a sustainable planting. Once a meadow matures and stabilizes, it can become largely self-sufficient, renewing desirable Preparatory Control of wildflowers and grasses from seed that outcompete most weeds. However, successfully achieving this Perennial Weeds stable, climactic phase can be very challenging, Perennial weeds live for three or more years; especially on lands that have been disturbed or though they may die back to the ground each fall, historically cultivated. Unfortunately, heavily used they emerge in the spring from roots or a living lands are typically infested with numerous species crown. Because many of them have aggressive of introduced weeds that can be aggressive and underground spreading structures such as rhizomes, proliferate from accumulated dormant weed seeds. they create ultracompetitive weed patches within Indeed, disturbing these soils is risky, because it a meadow. Common perennial weed species in the breaks seed dormancy, unleashing a dense crop of arid West include field bindweed, Canada thistle, weeds anew. dandelion, quack grass, curly dock, white clover, and nutsedge. Other perennial weeds, including shrubs or Educational documents and videos about meadows sometimes even trees, may also be present. commonly provide a very simplistic approach to establishment. Instructions usually involve five Once a landowner has planted a meadow steps: 1) till the soil, 2) smooth the seedbed, 3) scatter that contains both grasses and wildflowers, seed of appropriate plant species, 4) rake or use perennial weeds cannot be eliminated easily some other method to cover the seed, and finally 5) without irreparably damaging desirable plants. irrigate until seedlings emerge. Theoretically, once Therefore, you should implement the majority of you’ve taken these steps and allowed a little time to perennial weed-control processes prior to meadow pass, an abundance of attractive grasses and flowers establishment. To adequately control sparse emerge. However, where heavy, persistent weed-seed infestations of perennial weeds, apply herbicide once reserves exist in the soil and/or perennial weeds during the fall season before planting the meadow. are present, the simplistic approach often results Moderate-to-severe infestations may require two in complete failure. Perennial weeds grow in dense herbicide applications, one in the fall preceding patches, thus stifling floral growth. Annual weeds planting and another in the spring just prior to emerge more quickly, develop faster, and grow taller planting or, alternately, two applications in the than most desirable grasses and wildflowers. The spring separated by soil tillage and weed regrowth. result: desirable plants lose out. Outcompeted for Prudence suggests it may be best to schedule a light, water, and nutrients before they can become full year for eradication in a situation of heavy established, they soon die, leaving a flowerless, infestation. weedy mess by the end of the first summer. Glyphosate is the primary herbicide to use to control Along with providing general establishment and perennial weeds prior to meadow planting. It is management information, this publication imparts nonselective and will kill most plants on contact. For a more successful method—an alternate “grass- optimal control and avoidance of incidental injury first” approach that ensures the replacement to nontarget plants or animals, follow the herbicide of a weedy site with a thriving and enduring label instructions to determine recommended rates, wildflower meadow. The guidelines that follow application methods, and application timing. If target meadows located in the cold arid climates of opting to use a herbicide other than glyphosate, do the Mountain West. They include information about not choose a herbicide with a long residual period. controlling existing perennial weeds, preparing If the site is comprised of dense residue of old plant the soil, and selecting appropriate and desirable material, it may be helpful to mow off the old weeds meadow plant species, as well as provide seeding a few weeks prior to herbicide application to expose rates, a planting strategy, weed control during green foliage. establishment, appropriate irrigation practices, and See "Establishing and Caring for a Meadow Using postestablishment management. Organic Principles" for organic options for perennial weed control. 2 Establishing and Caring for a Meadow Using Organic Principles Most of the protocols described in this paper are applicable to an organically designed meadow, with the exception of using herbicides for weed control and the added need to use approved fertilizer products and organically produced seed. Creating a sustainable wildflower meadow without the use of herbicides produces some unique challenges but can be successfully accomplished. The most significant issue is controlling perennial weeds both before planting and after establishment. Preparatory Control of Perennial Weeds Eliminating hard-to-kill perennial weeds prior to planting becomes especially critical in an organically managed meadow. It is not possible to provide rapid control of rhizomatous perennial weeds or those with stolon structures (such as field bindweed, quack grass, and Canada thistle) using organic protocols. If these or other persistent weeds are present on a proposed site, plan for an extended elimination period—two to possibly five years. The site should be deep-tilled every few weeks for the entire control period, with the goal being to deplete the weed root reserves and to prevent any subsequent plant growth. Chances are, even after several years of complete mechanical control, some perennial weeds will still survive and require occasional digging and hand pulling after meadow establishment. Soil solarization is becoming a common tool employed to control weeds in organic production systems. This technique works well to control annual weeds and shallow-rooted perennial weeds, but it has been shown to be ineffective in controlling deep-rooted perennials species, the deep roots of which act as a survival mechanism that thwarts the shallow heating caused by solarization. Adding thick compost layers to a meadow can effectively suppress weeds, but it is not a good long-term solution to weed management. The same characteristics that allow mulch to suppress weeds also prevent routine seedling replacement of the flower and grass species in a meadow. Seed Selection Certified organic seed of selected species may be difficult to find. However, most native seed is produced with minimal use of herbicides. If organic seed cannot be found, purchase and plant seed from dealers you know and trust. Fertilization In lieu of inorganic fertilizers, provide nutrients to the new meadow through application of manures and composts. To minimize problems with salt injury and nutrient tie-up that can occur with applications of manures and composts, complete the application the fall before planting. Supplement as needed with organic fertilizers that provide some of the major plant nutrients. Use the soil testing procedures and nutrient rates provided in the “Soil Preparation” section

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