We have a detention pond for our neighborhood that is right now quite ugly and barren. I was thinking about planting a detention basin wildflower mix (https://www.prairiemoon.com/detention-basin-seed-mix) for 1/8 acre. The seeds in there require cold moist stratification though and it is already winter. If I wait until the snow melts and we mow in late February, it's probably be too late so I was hoping to get a head start by stratifying the seeds. Most guides seem to be at the packet level. Does anybody have any suggestions for stratifying ~1 pound of seeds? We do have a chest freezer that we cna turn into a fridge.
by pyrojoe121
4 Comments
I think you could sow the seeds now and you still have time for stratification for most things. I’d say it’s actually early for a lot of stuff since some species only need 30 days
You don’t have to wait for the snow to melt. You can sow the seeds right on top. They’re not going to germinate until after it melts anyway.
You want the site prepared well so the seeds will have good contact with the dirt. You mentioned mowing so it sounds like it’s still a lot of grass there?
Prairie moon nursery has a site prep guide.
I don’t know if what I did is going to work, but I have an area that is dug up for repairs and I can’t plant yet. I mixed the seeds in dirt in a 5 gallon bucket temporarily (thinking it would be a few days) it’s going to be a few weeks then I can hand sow after letting the dirt bucket thaw indoors. I’m hoping this stratifies the seeds and doesn’t kill them 🤷♀️
Break the seed up into smaller batches, combine with moist sand in gallon zip locks,and place in the back of the fridge for a month.