How and when we mow our perennial wildflower meadows

[@lynnej7219]

How wonderful. You work so hard and we can enjoy the results from the comfort of our armchairs. I cannot wait to see the new meadow come into flower, so exciting. Thank you

[@theflowerfarmer]

Thank you so much! x

[@catherineengle4196]

How interesting. I know your meadows are always lovely. God bless 😊

[@theflowerfarmer]

thanks Catherine x

[@tanjapickrell6451]

I have no meadow area but thoroughly enjoyed watching this video. Thank you for sharing the process.

[@theflowerfarmer]

you're welcome x

[@erwinroodt1245]

You are so blessed to have such a beautiful property. Thanks for sharing it.

[@theflowerfarmer]

thank you Erwin x

[@AcornHillHomestead]

I just love Queen Anne’s Lace we have it thick at the roadsides here in US upper midwest. Some of our rural meadows and roadsides are just gorgeous with wildflowers. My faves are Wild Lupine, Wild White Yarrow, Goldenrod, Joe Pie Weed, wild Pentstemon, Bee Balm etc and as the seasons change a new mass of flower species emerges. Its really quite lovely. Some I have picked and transplanted into my own garden. Your meadow is beautiful!

[@theflowerfarmer]

thank you xxx

[@oldtavernfarm]

Congratulations!! We're getting unbelievably amazing weather for at least the next week!! The wet pattern is lifting and we're getting overnights in the low 50s, warm sunny days (but not too warm for the horses)!! Looks like we'll be getting our second cut of hay soon!! Yipeee!!! ❤🎉

[@theflowerfarmer]

I much prefer a wetter summer don't you?

[@zlatahume3134]

I love marshy areas and the wild flowers there. Meadow sweet smell immediately transport me bare foot running in the marsh when I was small😊

[@theflowerfarmer]

Love that! x

[@Lethersee]

Hello from Western Oregon, USA. Your climate seems quite similar to ours. I do enjoy your videos.

[@theflowerfarmer]

Glad you like them! x

[@moniquerichards6099]

We have a small wildflower meadow here at the Glade Trust Nature Reserve and with 3 men power we managed to Scythe it by hand. 😊

[@theflowerfarmer]

how fantastic x

[@charlotte-dp9sz]

I have put in some smallish meadows and they are growing nicely! Yours are to dream of...

[@theflowerfarmer]

I love a small meadow space - miniature heaven x

[@gerriwalsh9846]

I have bought seed packets of wildflowers before and, as you stated, they weren't fresh and didn't take - thanks for the advice on buying good quality :)

[@theflowerfarmer]

you're welcome x

[@elizabethsavory4828]

I have cut most of my mini meadow. Had to do it by hand and leave a section because there are lots of tiny frogs and moths this year.

[@theflowerfarmer]

my friend Ann cuts her grass by hand too. Fabrizio sets the mower high for the first cut to give anyone living there time to get out of the way - this year there've been more toads than before hugging the ground but luckily saved from the blades x

[@tamiratliff4459]

Our vetch in Alaska , chokes out everything, must be a different kind, consider it invasive here, loved how you got it all figured out❤

[@theflowerfarmer]

hopefully here there's a good balance - when we first came there were no wild flowers at all but now...

[@christinehowell]

This is really interesting, thank you. I was hoping to get some guidance on when you mowed; how many times; and what months,

[@theflowerfarmer]

we mow late summer twice and then once deep winter depending on the weather jan or feb x

[@christinehowell]

@@theflowerfarmer Thank you, that will help me plan for cutting my newly created flower meadow.

[@katewhyte6274]

I only have a small wild lawn area but hopefully its a micro version of yours 😊

[@theflowerfarmer]

hurrah! x

[@1944JerriMellas]

Yikes❣️. I’m first to watch…..and I’m in Utah, USA❣️?

[@theflowerfarmer]

Woohoo! Xxx hello Utah xxx

[@marie9244]

I’m trying to grow loosestrife but having trouble germinating it from seed. I don’t know if I’m doing it wrong or the seed is not viable from the seed company. Beautiful meadow wish I could have one but don’t have the room I’m only on a quarter acre. I’ll try a miniature one somewhere in the garden.

[@scottishtomte]

Rotary mowers designed to cope with high meadows have a single blade geared to turn slower than the engine to give it more torque for cutting. Also their decks are shaped to process high volumes of material without stress. Garden tractor mowers like your JD are designed for cutting low, regularly-mown grass. They have 2 or 3 short blades geared the opposite way, i.e., faster than the engine to make the tips of those short blades turn fast enough to give a neat finish. Also their decks are shaped to process lower volumes of material. Maybe that's why your JD is sometimes unhappy? Cutting systems without decks might be more suitable for your meadow: flail mowers turn everything to mulch and are high-maintenance, and sickle-bar mowers are what small-scale hay-makers prefer.

[@theflowerfarmer]

good ideas - but sometimes we have to work with what we've got x

[@helloman1302]

what month did you do this and will you cut it again?

[@theflowerfarmer]

this was august and then it had another light clip on a dry day in January x That's it. x

[@susancanning1760]

Purple loosestrife though pretty is considered a noxious invasive weed here in Canada. It replaces the normal big plants such as bull rushes here .....we destroy it when possible.

[@theflowerfarmer]

and here we have invasive Himalayan balsam which I pull out whenever I see it x

[@snowdoniaescape]

There is so much balsam this year, I'm seeing it everywhere in mid Wales. Completely taking over 😢

[@dowth3]

I take it that the Lysimachia purpurea isn't invasive in the UK? It's quite invasive in the NE of the US - crowding out our native cat-o-nine tails.

[@theflowerfarmer]

no not invasive here xxx

[@BottlegardenUK]

I love the fact you leave the wild orchid seeds in God’s hands to distribute at will. Has he ever been tempted to sow them in trays and baby them along?

[@theflowerfarmer]

the original planting of devil's bit scabious and field scabious were grown as plugs and planted into the sward - since then they've very happily naturalised x

[@carybradley3968]

Why take nutrients from meadow? Too rich, otherwise?

[@theflowerfarmer]

yes - the grass will benefit from richer ground and crowd out the wildflowers x

[@WildernessTamed]

Scythes don't overheat. And the resulting windrows are much easier to rake up than the mush left by the mower.. Where ever you are in the UK there will be a team of competent scythers that can come and mow for you. Mowers and strimmers will obliterate the wildlife living in your meadow so doing the whole lot in one go can be catastrophic for amphibians, reptiles and small mammals.

[@theflowerfarmer]

true - we mow slowly so no wildlife obliteration - it's a small ride on mower and there's plenty of time for little people to move on - plus Fabrizio sets the blade high for the first pass so no mown frogs or toads - we have amazing insect life here and the meadows really help. Yes, I expect there is a team of mowers somewhere west of here, but this space probably too small for them to enjoy, and we are in Somerset where it rains a LOT, so we have to be opportunistic re mowing and can't plan too much in advance - when the time's right we just get on and mow. but thank you for your useful suggestions. xxx

[@bunnyfrancis7006]

You don't answer you video comments yourself do you? Sounds like another person.

[@theflowerfarmer]

Lol - yes Tis I but at speed in the morning - mostly just cherry Thankyou all required x

[@bunnyfrancis7006]

I'm glad you do. Thank you for taking the time to share your cheery self !! lol@@theflowerfarmer oxox