A number of excellent seed mixes are available through catalog companies, at garden centers and at local hardware stores and provide a combination of perennial (yearly), bi-annual (every two years) and annual (one year) flowers.

The following two companies were used by those we contacted for assistance in establishing Passaic County's program.

• Lofts - Pinto Northern Wildflower Mixture
  PO Box 6223
  Winston-Salem, NC 27114
  1-888-563-8736
  www.turf.com
   
• Wildseed Farms
  425 Wildflower Hills
  Fredericksburg, TX 78624
  1-800-848-0078
  www.wildseedfarms.com

See the page on our site -  Seed Mix Used By Passaic County, NJ

Also, consider search the internet for "Flower Seed Companies"

USEPA Green Landscaping
www.epa.gov/greenacres/index.html

USEPA Natural Landscaping Toolkit
www.epa.gov/greenacres/toolkit

USEPA Wildones Handbook
www.epa.gov/greenacres/wildones

Search the internet for "Flower Seed Company" web sites - many offer a wealth of information on planting and maintenance as well as seed options

Passaic County Office of Natural Resource Programs
1310 Route 23 North
Wayne, New Jersey   07470
Phone: 973-305-5738
Fax: 973-305-5737

In Cooperation with the 
Passaic County Board of Chosen Freeholders

Updated: 3/24/01

Acknowledgments:
The following resources have been used in the establishment of 
Passaic County's Biodiversity Through Wildflowers plantings and the preparation of this material:

• Rutgers Cooperative Agricultural Extension Service of Passaic County
• Passaic County Roads Department
• Passaic County Parks Department
• Passaic County Mosquito Control Office
• Natural Landscaping Toolkit - USEPA, Washington, DC, June 1998 and revised September 1998
• Natural Landscaping for Public Officials - USEPA, Washington, DC, June 1998, revised September 1998
• The Morristown Partnership - Wildflower Installation and Maintenance, Morristown, NJ
• Warner Lambert Corporation Maintenance Manual, Morris Plains, NJ
• New Jersey Department of Transportation
• Oklahoma Department of Transportation, Beautification Office
• Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

People from all over the country are learning how to make their landscapes more attractive to wildlife, while building a haven for escaping the stresses of everyday life. Time spent surrounded by wildflowers and a more natural landscape gets people closer to nature and in touch with its real beauty.

By establishing more natural landscapes people who are environmentally conscious are endorsing the use of wildflowers and plants that are native to the soils and climate of an area. These plants provide the best overall food sources for wildlife, while requiring less fertilizer, less water, and less effort in controlling pests. Over time this translates to less time and cost used to maintain a garden or naturalized area.

Many people find their efforts to create a habitat are not only rewarding, but fun for the whole family as well as an inspiration to their neighbors. In fact, there are several communities where many residents have gone native and had their backyards certified.

Several large corporations are recognizing the benefits of natural landscaping, especially toward the bottom line. CIGNA is implementing several naturalistic cost-saving landscaping practices at its nearly 600 sites across the country. At CIGNA headquarters in Connecticut, the number of grounds maintenance crew has been cut in half and their annual landscaping budget has been reduced by $400,000. More locally, Warner Lambert in Morris Plains and Ortho in Bridgewater have both established wildflower plantings and found similar savings.

Even the federal government has taken a supporting stand. In 1994 President Clinton recognized the natural landscaping movement by issuing an Executive Memorandum that not only recommended natural landscaping at all federal facilities and federally funded projects, but presented guidelines for doing so. The use of native plants around the Vice Presidential mansion is one example of how the government is implementing this new mandate

Biological diversity, or biodiversity, refers to the number of different life forms co-existing in an ecosystem. Ecologists know that the more different kinds of organisms that can co-exist in a system, the more stable or resilient that system is. 

The more different kinds of native plants and flowers we can restore, the more different types of birds, butterflies and small mammals can live on that land. And the more different life forms we can keep with us on this planet, the better the chances that we, our children and their children will not only survive, but live in a balanced and beautiful world

Across North America, more and more people are discovering the satisfaction of landscaping their roadways, homes, schools, businesses and places of worship with native plants and wildflowers.

For our area, native plants are those that evolved naturally in North America. More specifically, native plants in a particular area are those that were growing naturally in that area before humans introduced plants from distant places. In northeastern New Jersey, native plants typically grew in communities with species adapted to similar soil, moisture, and weather conditions.

• Native wildflowers can save energy - Native wildflowers have evolved and adapted to local conditions over thousands of years. They are vigorous and hardy, so can survive winter cold and summer heat. Once established, they require no irrigation or fertilization. They are resistant to most pests and diseases. Because of this, native plants are well suited to today's interest in low-maintenance gardening and landscaping.
    

• Native wildflowers and plants support the ecosystem - Native wildflowers and plants provide food and shelter for birds, butterflies and other desirable wildlife. Many help to enrich the soil. Their root systems help rainfall percolate into the soil, reducing erosion and runoff. This improves water quality.
    

• Native wildflowers are beautiful - The diversity of native wildflowers includes their interesting flowers and foliage, providing a variety of heights, shapes, colors and textures in the landscape.

Before planting wildflowers, select a site that will be appropriate for the project. Improper site selection or planning usually produces unsatisfactory results. Though it does take several years for a site to be fully developed, there are some important factors to consider:

• Does the chosen site support plants now?
   
  If the area is naturally void of any plants, including unwanted weeds, it is unlikely to support wildflowers.
   

• Can supplemental water be supplied if rainfall is inadequate during germination and the seedling establishment?
   
  While very little care is needed once a site is established, the first few months are especially important to assure germination of the seeds and extra watering may be helpful.
   

• Does the area receive a minimum of eight hours of direct sunlight per day?
   
  Most wildflowers will not do well in shaded areas.
   

• Can the existing soil type and drainage be determined?
   
  Poor draining or heavily compacted soils will make the planting difficult.

Soils can be divided into three basic classifications: sands, loams, and clays. Within these three groups are great variations.

• Sandy soils, referred to as light; soils, contain large-sized soil particles that are loose and easy to work. They allow water to drain readily, and tend to be low in nutrients. Sandy soils tend to be more acidic than the more fertile loams and clays.
   

• Clay soils are known as heavy soils. Consisting of small, tightly packed soil particles, clays tend to be dense and hard to work. They are generally rich in nutrients, have a high water-holding capacity, and can be very productive.
   

• Loamy soils are intermediate -- between sands and clays. Composed of different-sized particles, they combine fertility and moisture-holding capacity with good drainage. Easier to work than clays, better consolidated than sands, loamy soils are an excellent growing medium.

Dig into your soil when it's dry. A sandy soil will seldom exhibit clods. Any clods that do form will crumble easily. A loamy soil will have clods that can be sliced cleanly with a shovel. Clay soils tend to form hard, persistent clods. 

Keep in mind that some sites are just not going to be appropriate due to heavy clay, too many rocks and gravel, etc. It may help to determine the pH of the soil to see if a fertilizer will needed for the site you have chosen. A soil sample can either be taken for analysis by the Rutgers Cooperative Agricultural Extension Service or you may want to consider purchasing a small test kit from your local garden center. If your soil's pH is below 5, consider adding lime or wood ashes to raise the pH to 6 or 7.

There should be no need to fertilize wildflower planting areas, unless it is totally depleted of nutrients. Fertilization of wild flowers after the plants are established will actually encourage the growth of unwanted weeds. It will also produce lush foliage but with very few blooms.

If the soil must be amended, use a small amount of fertilizer at the time of planting. Try a low nitrogen fertilizer with an approximate ratio of 1-3-2- (1 part nitrogen-3 parts phosphorus-2 parts potassium).

• Mow the existing or dead vegetation as close to the ground as possible. Clippings can be collected and removed from the site, but this is optional. After the existing perennial vegetation is eliminated, weed seeds still hide in the soil below. These seeds will germinate and compete aggressively with your flowers and grasses. 
   

• Weed density can be greatly reduced by a herbicide treatment of the surface soil just before planting in late spring or early summer (this will not work in late summer or fall). If you use herbicides, chose a low-toxicity, non-persistent herbicide, and follow the manufacturer's instructions. The best is a glyphosate (i.e., Roundup, Ranger or Kleenup). Allow weeds to germinate and grow. Apply herbicide when the weeds are two to three inches tall. Wait 10-15 days and repeat the application.
   

• After another 10 days, either till the soil to a depth of not more that one inch deep or rake to disturb just the top half inch of soil (tilling any deeper will bring up more weed seeds)
   

• Plant immediately. If you prefer to avoid using herbicides, similar results can be obtained using well-timed, careful cultivation.

Small areas. On small areas of a few thousand square feet or less, smothering is simple. Smothering involves covering the surface with black plastic, old plywood, a thick layer of leaves, or any other creative resource that is available (old pool liners, carpeting, etc.). This should be left in place for a full growing season to kill the plants beneath.

Large areas. A larger area usually requires at least one full growing season to prepare the site. This may seem long, but a little patience at this stage is essential for a successful planting. For a large area the quickest way to remove existing plant life is to remove the top three inches of grass and soil using a rented sod-cutter. This usually creates a nearly weed-free site ready for seeds or transplants. Be aware that the area will be lower than the surrounding lawn after sod removal.

To use herbicide, mow as close to the ground as possible in early spring. This will encourage new growth. Apply a glyphosate herbicide three times -- once in mid-spring, again in mid-summer, and finally in early fall - unless no plant growth is visible one month after the second spraying. This allows you to attack weeds which have peak activities at different times. When using herbicides, chose a low-toxicity, non-persistent herbicide, and follow the manufacturer's instructions. The best is a glyphosate such as Roundup, Ranger or Kleenup.

Erosion-Prone Sites. To avoid runoff and soil loss, the site should not be left unvegetated for a long period of time. Cultivation should be minimal. Preparing your site solely by cultivation may create erosion problems. The site should be planted immediately following soil preparation, going horizontally across any hilly area. A light mulch cover, such as hay or wood mulch, should be used to help keep the soil in place while the plants are establishing themselves.

If there is a major concern over keeping the area stabilized, a hard fescue can be added to the wildflower mix as a "nurse grass". Approximately 15 lbs. per acre of the seed mix and 22 lbs. per acre of hard fescue can be used.

• To make final preparations for seeding, be sure the area is lightly scarified with a rake or very lightly tilled to a depth of not more than one inch. Shallow soil preparation is very important for limiting the distribution of any dormant weed seeds.
   

• For Northern New Jersey the best times for planting to assure a fall meadow are between March 15th and June 15th.
   

• Follow the wildflower seed mix instructions to determine the amount of seed needed per acre.

• A split seed machine may work best for bringing seed into contact with the soil, however the seed may be applied with a cyclone spreader and then lightly raked afterwards to insure proper seed contact. Keep in mind that some seeds will remain visible.
   

• After planting, the seeds can be pressed into the soil by walking over the area or by using a roller.
  

• A light cover of straw or wood fiber mulch can be used to help protect the new seedlings and conserve soil moisture.

• If there is no natural rainfall after the area has been seeded, moisture will need to be added to promote seed germination. Watering can be done 3 or 4 times a week to further promote germination.
   

• Mowing can be done once a year, in the late fall or early spring when the wildflowers are dormant, cutting to a height of 6 inches. Since there may be aggressive weed competition during the initial installation, the site can be mowed as many as 3 times per season at a height of 12-15 inches above the height of the wildflowers to remove weed seed heads.
   

• Overseeding can be done yearly. The second year a mix of annuals, at a rate of 8 lbs. per acre, can be used to increase color as the perennials become fully rooted. Overseeding with the original mix every 2 years will further preserve the original balance of the wildflower mixture. Using a perennial/annual mix, 4 lbs. per acre is appropriate.

It may take several years for a wildflower planting area to fully establish itself but the time is well worth it. The first year is usually dominated by annuals. Perennials will use this time to establish root systems. The following year some annuals will have reseeded themselves but will not be as dominant, so that the perennials will give the most color.