Plant a pasture for pleasure

"Ever since I was a child," says Maser, "I dreamed of a place where I could pick as many flowers as I wanted." Finally her dream was fulfilled. The huge patch of wildflowers was a present from her husband, Al, in celebration of Delores' birthday.

Creating such a spectacular wildflower field was no simple feat. While native wildflower plants can put down deep roots to thrive in droughty conditions, their seedlings have a tough time elbowing out hardy nonnative plants and barnyard weeds. To provide a less competitive environment, the weedy pasture was sprayed with several applications of Roundup. The pasture was plowed in the fall, and disked and harrowed through the next summer. The following spring the field was seeded using a no-till drill with a native grass seed attachment.

Wild and native

The seeds came from Stock Seed Farms in Nebraska, a firm specializing in seeds for native prairie grasses and wildflowers. Delores chose a mixture of two dozen wildflowers to which they added several native flowers. The mix had perennials and biennials such as black-eyed Susan, purple and grayhead coneflowers, Mexican red hat, blanketflower, prairie clover, and yarrows. Also included were annuals such as lemon mint, partridge pea, and dame's rocket.

Finally, the Masers added blue grama grass, which acts as competition for weeds.

"The annuals provide a display of color the first year and help compete against weeds while the perennials are getting established," says Dave Stock of Stock Seed Farms. He tells clients to make a weed-free seedbed like you'd make for planting alfalfa. Use Roundup in the fall, then plow the field. If it's real weedy or has brome sod, you may need to use Roundup again the next spring.

The Masers followed Stock's suggestions and were quickly rewarded.

"The field wasn't supposed to produce many flowers the first year," says Delores, "but by June it was covered with delicate blue and white blooms. Then it was covered with larger purple flowers. It's been blooming ever since, and it truly keeps on giving."

The gift that keeps on giving

The wildflower planting was a gift to Delores Maser (left) from her husband, Al, for her birthday. Seeds to duplicate the plantings would cost about $300 per acre.

Black-eyed Susans and blanket flowers turn this pasture into a display of color.

The Masers started with two dozen wildflowers, then added native flowers. They mixed perennials, biennials and annuals.

To sow garden-size plots by hand, mix the seed with sand or finely ground corn so you can see where you have scattered the seed. For seeding farm fields with wildflowers, use a seeder designed for the job.