How should I manage a site in the season after I have planted wild flower plants into an established grass sward?
The young plants have to compete against established grasses. It is vital that the grasses are not allowed to swamp the young plants. In the first spring and early summer it is vital that when ever the grass reaches the height of 10 to 15 cm it is cut back to 5 cm. The wild flowers will be unaffected by being topped like this; the important thing is that they are not short of light whilst they establish themselves. Failure to take these cuts is one of the most important factors in plant failure, the others being inappropriate species selection and drought after a late spring planting. This mowing regime is kept up until late May early June in the first season and is then relaxed, whilst the plants flower. A mid summer cut is then taken i.e. late July/early August with an aftermath cut in October.
