Orchard Meadow (Neutral Soil) Seed Mix

We sell this fresh after brush harvesting in the Summer. This mix is suitable for orchards or gardens on neutral soils where the management regime is similar to that of a hay meadow. With ALL orders we provide advice on soil preparation, sowing and after management. We can also provide specialist advice on a 3-5 year management plan.

This product is priced per unit (1 gram of seed), and we have a minimum order of 10 units (10 grams) for this seed mix.

Our wild seed is harvested straight from meadows across Cumbria/North England. We obtain permission from the landowner to harvest and the sites are usually SSSI's or wildlife sites. We use a brush harvester to collect the seed. Once the harvester is full we turn out the seed on to sheets in the field to allow insects/invertebrates to leave. After this the harvested material is bagged up and sent to our drying polytunnels. The seed is dried over 3-5 days and is then ready to put in to our Thresher or Plot Combine. This takes out most of the stem and chaff and it is now ready for separation using our special seed separating machines. After this process the seed is about ready for use. Please note this is a natural product and as such we do have a small amount of chaff (very small) in with the seed but this in no way affects the seed quality or seed sowing.

Suggested sowing rate of  between 4g - 15g per m2 this will depend on site conditions, example sowing onto bare soil would require higher sowing rate.

Our seed usually contains about 70-80% native wild grasses and 20-30% forbs (colourful flowers). IN COMPARISON - OUR ORCHARD SEED PRODUCT USES NATIVE WILD GRASSES, IF COMPARING TO OTHER MEADOW SEED PRODUCTS PLEASE BE AWARE SOME SUPPLIERS USE NON-WILD AND/OR AGRICULTURAL VARIETIES OF GRASSES. These are normally bigger and more aggressive and may out compete the colourful wildflowers.

Once we have separated the seed we mix and blend the seed from different sites and this allows us to add a wider range of species. PLEASE NOTE this mix is generally used for Hay Meadow type management on neutral soils. Our seed mix contains the following:

Wild Grasses

• 25%     Sweet Vernal Grass      (Anthoxanthum odoratum)
• 25%     Crested Dog's-tail         (Cynosurus cristatus)
• 2.5%    Common Bent                  (Agrostis capillaris)
• 5%       Meadow Foxtail             (Alopecurus pratensis)
• 7.5%    Meadow Fescue            (Festuca pratensis)
• 7.5%    Red Fescue                   (Festuca rubra)
• 2.5%    Rough Meadow-grass  (Poa trivialis)

Forbs/Wildflowers

• 0.5%    Autumn Hawkbit         (Leontodon autumnalis)
• 1.5%    Betony                          (Stachys officinalis)
• 2%       Bird's-foot trefoil         (Lotus corniculatus)
• 0.5%    Common Cat's ear       (Hypochaeris radicata)
• 2%       Common Vetch            (Vicia sativa)
• 2%       Field Scabious             (Knautia arvensis)
• 2%       Meadow Buttercup     (Ranunculus acris)
• 2%       Meadow Cranesbill     (Geranium pratense)
• 2%       Meadow Vetchling      (Lathyrus pratensis)
• 0.5%    Oxeye Daisy                (Leucanthemum vulgare)
• 1.5%    Red Clover                  (Trifolium pratense)
• 1%       Ribwort Plantain        (Plantago lanceolata)
• 0.5%    Rough Hawkbit          (Leontodon hispidus)
• 0.5%    Selfheal                      (Prunella vulgaris)
• 1%       Small Scabious          (Scabiosa columbaria)
• 2%       Tufted Vetch              (Vicia cracca)
• 0.5%    Yarrow                       (Achillea millefolium)
• 3%       Yellow Rattle            (Rhinanthus minor)

For orders over 2kg please contact us.