HOW TO GROW

Seeds are packed in vermiculite for more even distribution.

Store in a cool, dry, dark place.

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When to Plant

Annuals: Spring through early summer. No cold period needed for these seeds!

Perennials: Best planted from mid October through early March. Seeds need to go through a period of stratification (the cold/wet conditions of winter). ****If planting perennials after early March, you can fake these conditions by slightly moistening the seed mix and placing it in refrigerator for 30-60 days before planting.**** Make sure to provide extra water through the first summer when seeding later as young seedlings need a little help getting established in the heat. 

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Site Preparation

Most of these seeds require well drained soil of medium moisture levels. Areas of heavy clay or standing water are not suitable. Seeds should be planted on a flat, bare area with exposed soil. Grass, weeds and mulch will need to be removed before planting. Areas of existing lawn need to be removed via sod removal, tilling, solarization, smothering or herbicide.

How to Plant

Evenly scatter mix across the area. Vermiculite (a natural mineral found in potting soil) is added to the seeds to make spreading them easier. Seeding rate is very approximate. Planting too dense can cause leggy, crowded plants. Planting too sparse can allow too many weeds to outcompete young seedlings. Seeds should NOT be covered with soil or raked in.  Water the area to help the seeds contact the soil and keep them from blowing away, and keep soil moist until seedlings take off. Some seeds will sprout later than others. Make sure seedlings don't dry out while they're getting established. If planting in winter, watering is not necessary as natural snowfall will help keep seeds in place. 

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Maintenance

Annuals: Keep weeds hand picked early on. Annuals grow quickly and should smother out most weed competition. Allow soil to dry out between waterings and provide supplemental water only when plants are young or if the weather has been very dry. Many of the plants in this mix are native to the American Southwest and don't require much water but will bloom best with a little help. Annuals will die off during our winter, but these natives will reseed themselves, creating an endless supply of new plants each year. 

Perennials:

-Be patient! Perennial plants can take 1-3 years to mature/bloom. But then you'll be rewarded with year after year of beautiful flowers! Although native plants are low maintenance once established, they will do best when given extra care when getting started. Don't stress if the area looks sparse early on, as germination and growth can be slow to get going. 

-Watering seeds over winter is not necessary. Providing occasional deep watering to seedlings during the first and second growing seasons can help them thrive and develop the deep root system needed to tolerate drought conditions when mature. 

-Weed control is very important early on to make sure seedlings don't get overtaken. In small areas, weeds can be carefully removed by hand (make sure to ID the native seedlings first!). For larger areas, you can mow or weedwhack the entire area, including the natives! For the first year, mow the area each time the weeds reach 8-10" tall, cutting them back to around 4-5" tall. In the second year, only mow if necessary and don't cut as short. 

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