# lawn flower mix (Northeastern USA)



## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

Suppose you're in this situation:

You had a bad lawn. Perhaps the developers removed your good soil. You fixed your lawn, and also added some nematodes and milky spore. Now its all healthy grass.. You won't have to kill weeds ever again. The only upkeep will be to mow high and add lime, fertilizer, occasional micro-nutrients, and possibly fine charcoal.

You're going to add flowers, such as clover.

*Goals*
1. Maintain lawn functions, such as abrasion and erosion control.
2. provide a balanced diet
3. provide nectar flows that are fairly even throughout the season (flowers that bloom at different times)

*Questions*
1. What time of year to plant?
2. Which flowers?
3. quantity and ratio? This could be a ratio of different seeds by mass.

Tell us the brand and quality of any seed you bought.

Eastern Ma pollen/nectar: http://www.essexcountybeekeepers.org/memberResources/nectar.shtml


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

*Background on the plants in my area:*
1. Our soil is acidic. Granite is common.
2. common trees near my house
- red maple (most common)
- other maples
- oak
- a few pine
- a few poplar
- hemlock
- We have 3 birch, 2 apple, and 1 plum
3. shrubs
- Rhododendron (most common)
- azalea and other shrubs that look like rhododendrons
- evergreens
- lilac
4. some foods we grow (in order of what seams easiest)
- 1 rhubarb plant: grows the fastest, easy to divide
- red raspberries (bulk of the garden): we have 2 types with different bloom times
- strawberries: huge portion of garden
- black raspberries: not a lot right now
- Mustard grows like a weed, but we don't eat a lot of it.
- potatoes
- broccoli, tomatoes, pumpkin, brussels sprouts, lettuces, kale
- leeks, garlic, water melon, chives
I eat flax, but never grew it.


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## Andrew Dewey (Aug 23, 2005)

Much depends upon what forage is already available to your bees - As you may think you know best and may plant all sorts of things that honey bees are known to love only to have them go elsewhere and feed on other things. My suggestion is to plant for pollinators in general.

Things I would plant: Yellow sweet clover, common milkweed, joe pye weed, shad, american linden, flowering crab apple - herbs such as Thyme and Cat Mint - and very low plants like heather.

I get my seed mostly from Fedco and Johnny's. Check with your cooperative extension about bee friendly plants that do well in your area. I grew up in Middlesex County but that was a long time ago now. Our Maine Cooperative Extension just included some suggestions for bee friendly plants in their most recent newsletter. PM me your e-mail and I'll forward the article on to you.

In general expect to plant mostly perennials - and don't be afraid to take advantage of (not plant) any nearby invasives like Purple Loosestrife.

Best of luck!


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## Hawkster (Apr 16, 2010)

I am near you in rowley , I have planted lots of lavender Russian sage, and catmint. Lawn has lots of birds foot trefoil and aslike clover. All of the pollinators seem to love them including the bees


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## Michael Bush (Aug 2, 2002)

>1. What time of year to plant?

Most anytime will do for most any kind of clover.

> 2. Which flowers?

White Dutch clover and birdsfoot trefoil do well even when mowed and are perennials so even if they don't go to seed they will come back. The white and yellow sweet clover will flower somewhat even when mowed, but won't come back unless you let it go to seed. They are biennial so you need to plant some for two years to get some bloom every year. The yellow will bloom first and the white second. Planting both will give you a month more bloom. Hubam is an annual sweet clover and will bloom every year, but is also an annual so it has to go to seed to come back.

>3. quantity and ratio? This could be a ratio of different seeds by mass.

Some of this depends on what you want for density of clover compared to density of grass although eventually it will find it's own balance. You could spread it pretty thin if you want more grass than clover. Heavier if you want more clover than grass...


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

Thanks yall. I forgot to mention my max mower height (3.25"). I'll also look into bulbs, such as snowdrops.


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## threepingsthree (Mar 3, 2014)

If you want to mow it and make it look like a lawn, your options get severely reduced. The only thing that I know of that tolerates a 3.25" mowing regularly is clover, and even still gets scraggly in the summer. As a side note, i've been researching golden winged warbler habitats, and they share alot of similarities to pollinator habitats. Might want to look there for more information.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I will start with short plants. I might grow it out on the sides later on. Mowing controls a strong invasive weed (goutweed I believe). We have horrible soil. The developers probably sold the good stuff. We compost everything we can. I would also like to make biochar next year.

Aside from soil helpers, such as nitrogen fixing clover, I should probably focus on early (when there's snow on the ground) and late blooming flowers. Many plants tolerate high mowing.

so far

snowdrops for sure
yellow crocus: I don't know for sure if bees use it.

I'll look up a clover/legume blend.
white dutch clover
probably birdsfoot trefoil


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## Knisely (Oct 26, 2013)

I think that you may have the most success with 'Dutch' clover for a lawn amendment. If dandelions don't bother your sensibilities, they can be encouraged by not mowing during the few weeks they bloom and blow.

I think that you could encourage bee brood raising early in the spring with crocus. The earliest blooming crocus are often termed 'snow crocus'. I think that the bright yellow ones are very encouraging to all of us who see them breaking through the last snows. Another very early crocus that naturalizes (grows, self-seeds, and spreads in lawns is named Crocus tommasinus ("tommies"). You can probably find bulk purchases (hundreds of bulbs) by looking on Amazon or ebay for quantities. Finally, Scilla siberica (bright blue, early flowers) is another flower that bees visit to get early (blue) pollen. Also available by the hundreds if you look on line. If you have swampy areas nearby, skunk cabbage is one of the earliest-blooming plants out there.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I will plant Siberian squill, snowdrops, and crocus as bulbs this fall. Any others? I think I will also do the seeds this fall. I'm going to my county extension office tomorrow.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

Borage: the white and blue flower type. Good for the border. Can be planted any time before the last frost inside around Feb. depending on your Spring condition. A few patches or in a row will do. For Fall blooming, I like to plant some asters in the Spring time and buckwheat. Buckwheat also good for the summer dearth too. Plant them in close patches for a dense forage. 
My seed list include: Autumn sneezeweed, birds foot trefoil, joe pye weed, black calico aster, blue chicory, saint johns worth, purple prairie aster,red;white giant aster, red fortune sunflower, teddy bear sunflower, black oil sunflower, tower sunflower, swamp sunflower, yellow sweet clover, white sweet clover, sainfoin, purple ironweed, hairy mountain mint, buckwheat, sunchokes, purple collards, purple russian kale, purple broccoli, blue; white Borage and Nyger.
Trees: bee bee tree, drumstick tree, loquat, and sourwood.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

What I've planted so far (in my grass lawn):

crocus: 4 types (including snow)
Siberian squill
snowdrops: at least 2 types, single and double flower
Puschkinia (libanotica)
Eranthis (winter aconite)
Chionodoxa (pink giant)

I don't know much about the last 3. I briefly looked them up on the store's computer. I did the bulbs. I should probably do the seed (clover, etc.) next spring.


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## dudelt (Mar 18, 2013)

Why not get rid of some of the lawn so you never have to add lime, water, fertilizer, micronutrients, charcoal or mow. Get a NE Wildflower mix from www.edenbrothers.com. You now have time to enjoy the wildlife instead of pushing a lawnmower.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I had to improve the soil because it was bad. I think the developers sold the topsoil. I use the lawn for abrasion resistance and to conquer an invasive that grows around the sides and doesn't handle mowing well. I want to focus mostly on dearth and drought flowers for the lawn, and flowering crops for other areas. 

Charcoal doesn't break down much. It adsorbs nutrients. I'll make a retort for charcoal.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

Any advice on where/when to get the seed would be nice. I'll spread it as soon as I can in the spring. Also, I heard that I'm supposed to inoculate the clover seed with rhizobia (nitrogen fixing bacteria).


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

Michael Bush said:


> White Dutch clover and birdsfoot trefoil do well even when mowed


I agree. Low growing and continue to bloom after mowing. Sow on the snow. Yellow green and white. Nice!


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## Michael Palmer (Dec 29, 2006)

SeaCucumber said:


> Any advice on where/when to get the seed would be nice.


Where do the MA farmers buy their seed?


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## Knisely (Oct 26, 2013)

Use the internet to find a vendor. Do a search for "Dutch clover seed". I just did and saw prices for 50 lb of $149 and $249.00. Package sizes Dow to 1/2 pound were also for sale on line. Some vendors sell inoculated seed. Once you know what the cheapest price it's available for, try to buy it from a local supplier if you can. Keep your local economy healthy.


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## beepro (Dec 31, 2012)

For the flowering crops, do consider Canola, mustard, and buckwheats.
Usually amazon and ebay should have them in bulk too. Do a search to find out.


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## RayMarler (Jun 18, 2008)

http://Justinseed.com

That is where I got my Hubam Clover. 
Then have legumes and other clovers.
Wildlife seed mixes.
They have wildflower seed mixes as well.
Nice selections, check them out, 
you might find something you like.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I'm thinking of buying from groworganic.com.

Some things that influenced my decision:

- The site was mentioned a few times on beesource without any negative comments.
- I searched for reviews. The past few reviews on davesgarden.com were all negative.
- My local stores don't have many of the things I was looking for. While a local sold white clover, they have multiple varieties of white clover. My local stores probably have less than 4 clover varieties per store. 
- Inoculated seeds: I would've had to buy 2 different inoculants at my local store for ~$10 each. That's probably enough inoculant to treat 100 lbs. These kinds of costs are probably reasonable for a farmer, but I only wanted a little. Groworganic.com sells seeds that are coated in inoculant.

Here's my shopping plan:

- innoculated seed: birdsfoot trefoil, Dutch white clover, PVFS Low-Growing Clover Mix
- PVFS Herbal Lawn Mix
- Low Growing Wildflower Mix

The total is $31.85 right now, and shipping is $6.99 for orders under 9 lbs. I'm at 3 lbs. I might buy some human food seed.

Is trefoil rhizobia compatible with green beans? These plants are going to give me major soil improvement, and therefore major food $ savings.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I spread the seed a few weeks ago (~2.4 lb) along with compost and stuff. I killed some dandelions in the more bare spots, and planted dandelion seeds in the healthy spots.

beepro:
I don't see canola and buckwheat as being residential food crops. i have mustard taking over part of the garden. I spent more time removing mustard than planting it.

other things to plant:
I have a few small sunny patches of land that are packed with roots, and difficult to plant crops in. I air layered 2 large willow branches. These plants might be temporary. If I keep them, they will be coppiced. I only have 2 willow trees, but they're huge. I should also plant legumes (sweet clovers) and viper's blugloss there. I don't know where to get viper's blugloss.
The next thing to research is legume (nitrogen fixing) trees and shrubs. We have many inefficient shrubs (lilac, rhododendron, evergreen...). It would be nice to have some legume shrubs that produce food in sunny and shady areas. I'm also thinking of air layering a friend's black locust tree, and planting them in the forest. I have bean/pea inoculant for the locust. Most of our trees are red bud maple.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I haven't seen much success so far with the groworganic.com seed. I reseeded with white clover. I put red clover in the weedy areas around the property. The store didn't have inoculant, so I bought that 1 or 2 weeks later, and sprinkled it on the clover, then watered. I also planted a cover crop mix in the red clover and garden 1 or 2 weeks after seeding red clover. It has field peas, vetch, and some grass.

I did a shallow till in various places around the property border, and planted flowers (mostly red clover) for nitrification. I just put the clover on the ground. It germinated in 2 days. I gave the bare areas the lightest sprinkle of peat moss, and they germinated within 5 more days. When the red clover gets to 3", I'll mow (a 1 time mow). This will weaken the invasive weed, and the flowers will take over.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

..


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

beepro said:


> Borage: the white and blue flower type. Good for the border. Can be planted any time before the last frost inside around Feb. depending on your Spring condition. A few patches or in a row will do. For Fall blooming, I like to plant some asters in the Spring time and buckwheat. Buckwheat also good for the summer dearth too. Plant them in close patches for a dense forage.
> My seed list include: Autumn sneezeweed, birds foot trefoil, joe pye weed, black calico aster, blue chicory, saint johns worth, purple prairie aster,red;white giant aster, red fortune sunflower, teddy bear sunflower, black oil sunflower, tower sunflower, swamp sunflower, yellow sweet clover, white sweet clover, sainfoin, purple ironweed, hairy mountain mint, buckwheat, sunchokes, purple collards, purple russian kale, purple broccoli, blue; white Borage and Nyger.
> Trees: bee bee tree, drumstick tree, loquat, and sourwood.


Borage is 2nd on my list of plants to trade for (after blueweed). A friend let me dig some large black locust suckers. I put them in pots. I'm excited about getting those into my forest and yard once the roots get bigger. Black locust is the most useful tree I know of mainly for non-bee reasons (food, nitrogen, etc.)


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

I killed dandelions earlier. I recently spread dandelion seed because the lawn is established. Dandelions can take over. I don't want that. I want a lot of them evenly distributed.


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## bugmeister (Feb 26, 2013)

Sorry, Maybe Ii missed it but how much land do you have that is plantable/mowable, and how many hives? Odds are they are going down the block as well. Any pasture or meadows around? B


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## Westhill (Jul 26, 2012)

I planted "Microclover" (forget where I bought it, just google it). It stays small, doesn't need to be mowed, grows on crappy soil, does not need any fertilizers, and is dark green. I have a mix of that and white clover. Much better than grass.


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## SeaCucumber (Jun 5, 2014)

bugmeister said:


> Sorry, Maybe Ii missed it but how much land do you have that is plantable/mowable, and how many hives? Odds are they are going down the block as well. Any pasture or meadows around? B


A weak ago, I observed a number of locations. Pollinators in general were ignoring all lawn and meadow flowers (with the exception of vetch). They ignored large patches of dense white clover. I found a lot of these insects on bushes that looked like rose bushes, but with different flowers.
The soil in the lawn isn't great, and the lawn is about average size in our area. I would like to get parts of it to grow tall. Its nice to mow the high traffic areas once in a while to make it easier to move, and reduce ticks. In some areas, mowing helps to destroy a powerful weed (gout weed possibly). Also, the bulbs I planted in the lawn bloom earlier than just about anything (including maple and skunk cabbage).
A lot of our land isn't lawn. Also, there's a forest where part of it has wetland restrictions. In those areas, I can't cut down trees of a certain min. diameter without a permit (but I can cut any of their branches). I thinned the forest by cutting small weak, and over-crowded trees. In the non-wetland part of the forest, I would like to cut a few big trees, and plant a few inoculated black locust and possibly alder.


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