Wildflower Meadow - Ten year research into Yellow Rattle

Fred Lovell sadly passed away in 2016, but thankfully his research was preserved in this video which I filmed and edited back in 2015. His method does not involve the use of chemicals nor scarifying.
A summary of the video.
Gathering the seeds
1. Choosing an area that has low public interference and is protected from the wind will generate the greatest yield.
2. Grip the yellow rattle stem and pull the pods off the plant. Throw the pods into a bucket.
3. Spread the gathered pods onto newspaper and allow two days to dry.
Filtering the Pods
1. You will need 3 buckets and mesh bin for filtering.
2. Place newspaper around your work area.
3. Fill the filter bin 1/3 full with pods, shake the bin so that the seeds fall into the second bin.
4. When the seeds no longer fall, empty the filter bin contents into a third bucket.
5. Repeat the process until you have filtered all the yellow rattle seeds out of the pods.
Sowing Yellow Rattle
1. Cut and clear the ryegrass.
2. August 12th Ideal sowing time.
3. Sow into an established grassland.
4. Stand side by side with volunteers and spread the seed while walking in a line.
5. You must stamp the seed into the ground.
Management and issues to Avoid
1. Do not scarify the ground.
2. Do not trample February onwards.
3. Must be subjected to frost.
4. Cut once between late August up to mid-February

[@wildefarm9833]

I followed Fred's advice a few years ago and we now have yellow rattle established on our small farm near Newcastle Upon Tyne. Thanks for posting the video. Hope you're in your forever meadow Fred.

[@jamesadey8744]

I'm so sorry to hear that Fred passed away. His legacy is extremely valuable and will help anyone getting involved in starting wildflower meadows. I have just discovered his important knowledge and will use it to establish my own meadow areas in my garden. Thank you Fred.

[@georgehadfield6074]

Lovely, lovely man - highly intelligent and caring. Sadly missed. RIP Fred. Much love, George and Family.

[@ColinMill1]

Sad to hear of Fred's passing. Thank you for posting this video that is by far the best advice I have found on yellow rattle anywhere. I think I was lucky in that I was frankly rather lazy in scarifying the small patches of ground I initially seeded. The rate of increase has been quite amazing. What started as 10 grams spread over a couple of 10 sq.m patches in September 2015 has spread quite thickly over about 1/3 of an acre by this year and I could have harvested a kilo of seed quite easily. The effect on the grass has to be seen to be believed.

[@Lilym661]

What a lovely example of an English gentleman, with a deep interest in nature, I watch him often. Old lamas day, sounds like old England, so simple and soothing.

[@philliporion9709]

Respectfully, I've sown on bar ground and it's had grown perfectly fine, I've sown after August and it has grown fine. So I'm not to sure about his statement about all information about yellow rattle being wrong. Maybe not optimal but not wrong.

[@lifesforliving4929]

Followed Fred's advice re sowing Yellow Rattle and had great success. Thank you Fred 👍RIP

[@nygelgharrot4024]

Such alovely video and full of the information i was after. Thank you for putting this on show. A born teacher and joy to listen too

[@WhosPhotoTube]

I watched twice now, I so much appreciate the knowledge Fred has passed on to all of us.

[@wemuk5170]

Fred said: Cut the grass & clear away the rising. What is a rising?

[@BoltonNewt]

Just a small update, we may do another video in the future regarding what we've learned. However one of the main things I've learned, is that if you want a good return every year, it's essential you cut the grass one inch or below without scarifying. The time period for sowing doesn't need to be so precise, ensuring people don't trample or cut is yet again essential. Giving the seeds a good stamp into the ground is yet again highly beneficial, I've seen significant density in areas sowed with trampling while areas without have still come up, but not been as anywhere near as dense.

[@taxusbaccata6332]

Thanks Fred - your passion and advice is being implemented overseas

[@yarnybart5911]

Great video. I rotovated strips into a 2 acre field and then sowed into that in early Autumn and had a success the following year . I've got lots of yellow rattle setting seed now, 1 year on. The hay cut is due this week, earlier than suggested but I am in the south west and most of the rattle has set seed already. Will be collecting lots now, to be sown after the hay cut. Soon after, a couple of sheep will be in residence, hopefully treading the seeds into the ground for me.

[@bjrockensock]

When I was a kid, I admired the paintbrush growing in the wet meadows and along the highway. Indian paintbrush is an attractive member of the parasitic Broomrape family (Orobancaceae) that performs a similar function. Merry Holidays!!

[@303Lyons303]

Wonderful and informative, thank you.

[@Woodyjims-shack]

Thanks Fred 👍

[@Jellyf0x]

Thank you 👍

[@creativekev8647]

Good video

[@alexhogan1]

I’ll be a tad late sowing this year but fingers crossed!

[@BoltonNewt]

We have plans to try a different method, using an alan scythe mower to cut the grass low, then leaving it for 2 to 4 weeks for the grass to biodegrade. All advice states to rake the grass away when establishing meadows, however I'm curious if this method can be skipped due to the parasitic nature of yellow rattle. Slowly learning that more than anything it is highly important to have very good contact with soil (which seems obvious but it's not) and then rain/moisture on the grassland.