Caroline Hanks, Rory Johnson and Sue Holland discussed the basics of restoring land to a wildflower meadow.

For those interested in meadow making or already involved in the process, the talk explained the key steps. This included how to prepare the land for seeding, where to source wildflower seeds and when to introduce grazing stock. A range of equipment and techniques which can be used at each stage were discussed so that members could learn about what might best suit their land.

Common issues experienced during meadow restoration were also discussed, including fluctuating species diversity and the impact of floods. Finally, for those creating a meadow 4 key principles were given:

• allow time to control weeds and prepare the field prior to restoration
• ensure 50% of ground is bare to disrupt the dominance of existing grasses in the sward
• Broadcast seed on the surface rather than drilling or burying
• Take the “seedling’s eye view” for the first winter to make sure the grass doesn’t dominate before the seedlings are established. Careful grazing is the best way to achieve this

The full webinar is available to watch here:

Our recommended restoration plan can be found here.

If you are interested in getting more 1:1 advice and a fully tailored restoration plan, please contact Herefordshire Meadows here.