Seeding Instructions for Small Sites
For Areas of Less than 1000 Square Feet


STEP 1 -Prepare your site
Kill and remove all weeds prior to planting. Crucial to the success of your project, weed removal is covered in our Guide to Establishing a Native Seed Mix.
STEP 2 - Ready the seed mix
First, (if seeds are in separate packages) combine all elements of your seed mix together, mix the seeds thoroughly, and divide your seed mix into 2 equal parts. Then, add your seed mixes into a small amount of ‘carrier’ (peat moss, sawdust or sand ). Two 5-gallon buckets work well for this. Mix the seed into the carrier, and then dampen with water to make the entire mix slightly damp. The carrier-to-seed-mix ratio can be about 2:1 (2 carrier to 1 seed mix). An exact amount is not critical. Adding a carrier to your mix helps you distribute the seed more evenly, and not over-apply.


STEP 3 - Broadcast the Seed Mix
In small handfuls of seed, scatter the first container of your mix over the prepared site while walking north to south. Scatter the 2nd half of the seed mixture while walking the east to west (or 90° to your original direction).


STEP 4
Lightly rake the seed into soil, covering with 1/8 inch soil. No more than 1/4 inch.


STEP 5 - Seed-to-Soil Contact
Tamp or roll the seeded area to firm seed into soil. If you don't have a roller or tamper, walking back and forth until the soil is firmly tamped works as well.


STEP 6 - Cover the Area
Apply a light cover – up to 1 inch deep – of weed-free straw over the entire site. A light cover of straw helps reduce bird predation and erosion. The straw must be weed free.


STEP 9 - Watering
Depending upon the time of year, the seeded area will benefit from additional watering.
SPRING SEEDING: March 1 til June 30.
Water the site to 1 inch per week for the 1st month. Germination takes a few weeks, depending on the species of wildflower or grass.
FALL SEEDING: Mid September til soil freeze-up.
Fall seedings are dormant and do not require additional water.
Seed Storage
If you need to store your seed, for more than a few weeks prior to seeding, place the seed inside two sealed Ziploc bags or in a plastic or glass jar with a tight-sealing lid or a similar container. If the volume of seed is too large to fit in a refrigerator, it should be stored in a cool, dry location in a rodent-proof container. Heat and moisture are the enemies of seed viability. When stored in a cool, dry location, most seed will retain good germination rates for one year.