Wildflower Meadow Fall Maintenance

Question

Eight years into my wildflower garden, which was great the first couple of years on virgin soil after new construction, I’m now faced with some questions.

My lawn service, by mistake, fertilized it last spring, so what grass was there became large patches of dense grass. Impossible to scratch to add new seed. Do I rototill it and try to start again or just let ordinary weeds take over the grass? By end of season (now) it looks fairly interesting, with tall, graceful plumes of seedy weeds mixed with cosmos.  What’s the best treatment for end of season? Let it dry out and fall over in the winter? Mow it now or in the spring and clear cuttings? Just leave it?

Answer 1

If you like the interesting plumes and seed heads, then I would leaves it as is until spring, at which time you can mow it down and replant. Otherwise, you can perform some fall clean up now.