[Misc] Wildflower Meadow advice.

[LamieRobertson]

Looking forward to seeing some photos of this project

 

[Jack Straw]

They use a tractor for mowing. We couldn't afford a fence and one thing that may prohibit this idea is that we may need to buy a smaller mower for our site.

You won't need a mower. Either an army of volunteers with shears, or a strimmer, once a year at the end of August. Most importantly, the cuttings need to be removed from site, otherwise it rots down and feeds the soil, enriching it. The idea is to do the complete opposite and starve it.

 

[Green Cross Code Man]

You won't need a mower. Either an army of volunteers with shears, or a strimmer, once a year at the end of August. Most importantly, the cuttings need to be removed from site, otherwise it rots down and feeds the soil, enriching it. The idea is to do the complete opposite and starve it.

I am seeing potential problems with timings. Particularly as there's no way I can get people in at the end of holidays when anybody who is in work will be preparing classwork and lessons in any case. If it's left late by a week or two, would it matter?

On the question of putting stakes into the ground to prohibit the tractor, I suppose that could be done but the number I'd need makes me wonder if it'd be ugly.

 

[Weststander]

I am seeing potential problems with timings. Particularly as there's no way I can get people in at the end of holidays when anybody who is in work will be preparing classwork and lessons in any case. If it's left late by a week or two, would it matter?

On the question of putting stakes into the ground to prohibit the tractor, I suppose that could be done but the number I'd need makes me wonder if it'd be ugly.

I set mine just 4” above ground level just into the meadow, but enough for the BHCC mower bloke to see them. Unobtrusive.

But yet another school h&s hazard .

Just think about all those pollinators and grasshoppers you’ll make happy.

 

[Jack Straw]

I am seeing potential problems with timings. Particularly as there's no way I can get people in at the end of holidays when anybody who is in work will be preparing classwork and lessons in any case. If it's left late by a week or two, would it matter?

No. End of August is best, but autumn wouldn't hurt. As I've said on other threads on here, there are lots of different meadow-management schedules, but the just cut and clear once is easy and sufficient in most cases.
Jevs tends to get round to cutting and clearing his chalk bank at The Rockery in the autumn, and the results the following year are always superb.

 

[horshamite]

They're also adding European Bison and Lynx.

Is that so the Bison smell nice?